Alcoa Delivers Custom-Made Lightweight Aluminum Truck Bodies to SIP-WELL; Incorporates New Safety Feature
Share:
SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary & NEW YORK - Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that a team from its Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures business in Hungary delivered specially made new lightweight aluminum truck bodies in three months that were designed and built exactly to customer specifications. These new truck bodies made from aluminum extrusions, castings and plate from Alcoa Kofem, will save weight while increasing payload for SIP-WELL of Belgium, a water cooler company which delivers water coolers and water to the home and office market segment.
Besides the fast turnaround time, SIP-WELL requested special features for its two new water delivery trucks. Specifications included double wide rack roll-up doors covering two bays each, a compartment for water coolers and specially designed thin walls between the bays to make maximum use of the body length.
"Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures works closely with SIP-WELL from concept to design and product," said Dr. Holger Haddenhorst, Director Business and Applications Development Commercial Vehicle for Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures. "For these new truck bodies, we also incorporated a new safety feature. Foldable steps also function as a warning system with sounds and lights in case the driver forgets to close any of the six side steps before departing. This required creating and then adding a well thought out safety system for early warning in case the side steps accidentally would open during driving," he added. This additional safety system is now available to other customers with similar demand.
"We are very pleased with the new aluminum truck bodies. With the weight savings the aluminum provides, we were able to increase payload productivity, plus add a special safety feature," said Jorgen De Pelsmaeker, Director of Logistics for SIP-WELL.
SIP-WELL has since ordered four more truck bodies from Alcoa Kofem for delivery this month. Alcoa Auto and Truck Structures supplies truck bodies to customers worldwide.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also markets Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, structures and building systems. The company has 116,000 employees in 44 countries and has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/alcoa/index.jsp?epi-content=MULTIMEDIA_GALLERY_PUBLIC_VIEW
&newsId=20071119005741
