Alcoa presents new commercial vehicle wheel

US company Alcoa has rolled out a new truck wheel that is said to be the brand’s most durable and easy-to-maintain model yet.

Known as the Dura-Bright EVO wheel, Alcoa said the new model is 10 times more resistant to corrosion caused by road salts and weather elements, and up to three times more resistant to chemicals, including hydrofluoric acid, found in the toughest truck wash cleaning agents.

“Since inventing the forged aluminium wheel, Alcoa has continuously innovated stronger, lighter, and more durable wheels to increase payload and enhance sustainability,” said Tim Myers, President, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products. “The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is Alcoa’s easiest-to-maintain wheel yet, meaning it can stand up against the harshest weather, road salts, grime and cleaning agents that can corrode and dull standard commercial truck wheels.”

Alcoa launched the first Dura-Bright product in 2003. Three years later, Alcoa’s experts improved the brightness and corrosion performance of the Dura-Bright treatment and introduced Dura-Bright wheels with XBR technology. Alcoa’s scientists have now enhanced the patented Dura-Bright technology with the development of Dura-Bright EVO wheels.

The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is now commercially available in Europe, where the company has already seen significant adoption of its Dura-Bright wheels. Alcoa has begun producing the wheel at its manufacturing plant in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. The wheel is expected to be available in all other markets in 2015.

“Demand for Alcoa’s aluminum wheels continues to grow in Europe, as emissions regulations and maintenance costs drive up the need for stronger, lighter and easier-to-maintain wheels that increase payload, reduce costs and enhance sustainability,” said Scott Kerns, Vice President and General Manager Commercial Vehicle Wheels Europe, Japan and South Africa.