Thank you for the question. Please notify me if you need any
clarification of my response. Hope this helps. Good luck!
-Anthony (adiloren-ga)
*****************AUTOMOTIVE MARKET FOR ALUMINUM*****************
*About 50% of vehicles world wide use aluminum wheels
http://www.ronalusa.com/shopping/
<<The car industry today, worldwide, utilized aluminum wheels on app.
50% of all the vehicles manufactured-vs steel wheels, and this
percentage grows yearly. Some car manufacturers, utilize an almost
80% ratio in aluminum vs. steel wheels. The reason that the car
industry has shifted from steel wheels to aluminum wheels is that
aluminum wheels are lighter, look better, and therefore, offer better
gas mileage with weight savings and better performance and handling.
Most aluminum wheels are CAST one piece wheels. This comprises
approximately 80% of the marketplace and are the most common. There
are different casting methods and heat treatments available, as well.
Finally, the quality of alloys used, from recycled aluminum cans to
hi-grade alloys, affect the porosity and hence, the strength and
durability of the wheels. These production processes are also the
most cost effective, hence you will see these as the most common type
aluminum alloy wheels used in the factory production cars (OEM)
industry, as well as the aftermarket industry. The quality in the
final prep and painting of the wheels naturally affects their
appearance, and reflects a certain quality standard in regards to
their durability to rust, corrosion, and appearance.>>
*About 35% of vehicles in the U.S. have aluminum wheels
http://www.wheelcollision.com/wccpress.html
<<Percentage of Vehicles with Aluminum Wheels
35 percent (United States)>>
http://www.fordvehicles.com/help/glossary/
<<Alloy Wheels
A generic term used to describe any non-steel road wheel. The most
common alloy wheels are cast aluminum. Technically, an alloy is a
mixture of two or more metals. These wheels are known for their light
weight and strength.>>
Aluminum industry market reports:
[PDF] Aluminum Industry Roadmap for the Automotive Market (May 1999)
http://www.oit.doe.gov/aluminum/pdfs/autoroadmap.pdf
The Midas touch
http://waw.wardsauto.com/ar/auto_midas_touch/
<<It had to happen. As sure as the law of gravity makes everything
that goes up come down, the cyclical nature of the car business makes
every trend that goes away, come back. Ties get wide, then go skinny
again; headlamps are round, then square, then oval. Chrome fades away
with memories of drive-in root beer stands and waitresses on roller
skates. Then it comes back. Right now, it's coming back with a
vengeance -- at least on wheels.
"There wasn't any chrome on a car in '92, so there was nowhere to go
but up," says Marc Santucci, president of ELM International Inc., an
automotive market research company that recently studied the
chromed-wheel market. He predicts the popularity of chromed aluminum
wheels to continue to soar through 1997, with installation rates as
high as 10% to 15% at Cadillac, the first to offer them as factory
items. That's not bad for a $1,200 option that yields an estimated
profit of about $800 per vehicle. Chromed wheels are a $1,500 option
on a '95 Jaguar. Industry sources say they only cost OEMs about $90
each ($360 per car) to produce.
Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Corp. also now offer chromed wheels for
around $1,000 on several models.>>
Major players in the aluminum wheel business:
Enkei International:
Business Wire
June 15, 2000
<<"Hillwood looks forward to providing an atmosphere at Alliance for
Enkei to grow and increase its presence as the top provider of
aluminum wheels in the world," said Hillwood Marketing Manager Steve
Aldrich. "Enkei joins a growing list of companies at Alliance that are
the best in their respective fields."
While Enkei (www.enkei.com) develops and manufactures aluminum wheels
for both OEM and aftermarket distribution for automobiles and
motorcycles around the world, Enkei International has taken the
initiative to become the industry leader in aftermarket aluminum wheel
development and distribution.>>
Enkei and Superior Industries International are the top 2 manufacturers
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
June 16, 2000, Friday
<<Enkei develops and manufactures aluminum wheels for original
equipment manufacturers, original equipment supply and aftermarket
distribution for automobiles and motorcycles worldwide.
The company produces about 13 million wheels a year, Ditty said.
Superior Industries International is the only other company that makes
more wheels than Enkei, but it manufactures only for original
equipment manufacturers, he added.
"We have the largest revenue because of our aftermarket distribution,"
Ditty said.>>
Teikoku Databank
ENKEI CORPORATION
"Enkei is the world's largest manufacturer of aluminum wheels. "
Fiscal Year End: Mar. 2003 Mar. 2002 Mar. 2001
Sales (million yen): 42,000 32,000 30,645
Superior Industries International, Inc. Annual Statement:
http://www.superiorindustries.com
<<Headquartered in Van Nuys, California, our principal business is the
design and manufacture of motor vehicle parts for sale to OEMs on an
integrated one-segment basis. We are one of the largest suppliers of cast
and forged aluminum wheels to the world's leading automobile and light truck
manufacturers, with wheel manufacturing operations in the United States,
Mexico and Hungary. Customers in North America represent the principal
market for our products, with approximately 10 percent of our products being
exported to international customers or delivered to their assembly
operations in the United States. >>
<<Ford and GM together represented approximately 85% of our total sales in
2003 and 87% of total sales in 2002. Although the loss of all or a
substantial portion of our sales to either or both of these two customers
would have a significant adverse impact on our financial results (unless the
lost volume could be replaced), we believe this risk is offset due to
long-term relationships with both, including multi-year contractual
arrangements. We also manufacture aluminum wheels for DaimlerChrysler, Audi,
BMW, Isuzu, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, MG Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru,
Toyota and Volkswagen.>>
Hoover's Company Records
2004
Superior Industries International, Inc.
TICKER: SUP EXCHANGE : NYSE
http://www.superiorindustries.com
<<Superior Industries International plays its own version of "Wheel of
Fortune." The company produces cast-aluminum auto wheels and
automotive accessories. Superior Industries sells its aluminum wheels
to major OEMs such as General Motors, Ford, and DaimlerChrysler, as
well as to BMW, Toyota, AUDI, and Isuzu. Automotive aftermarket
retailers sell Superior Industries' accessory lines, which include
custom suspension systems, exhaust extensions, lug nuts, and
steering-wheel covers. Chairman and president Louis Borick and his
extended family own about 20% of Superior Industries. Combined
shipments to Ford and GM account for 85% of sales.
2003 SALES($mil.)- 840.3
1YR SALESGROWTH- 7.4%>>
Nelson's Public Company Profiles
<<5-YEAR SALES/NET INCOME:
Year Sales $ Net Income $ $EPS
Last Year 840,300,000 73,700,000 2.730
2 years ago 782,500,000 78,200,000 2.91
3 years ago 643,300,000 55,300,000 2.10
4 years ago 644,800,000 79,900,000 3.04
5 years ago 571,700,000 70,800,000 2.62 >>
ALCOA:
US Business Directory
<<ALCOA WHEEL PRODUCTS
LOC-SALES: 500,000 - 999,999 BB>>
LOC-SALES: 1,000 - 499,999 AA
GENERAL AUTO ALUMINUM FACTS
http://www.autoaluminum.org/apps.htm
<<* Aluminum is the third most used material in vehicles, behind only
steel and iron.
* Since 1990, the use of aluminum has doubled in cars and has tripled
in the lucrative light truck market.
* Aluminum use is still growing, largely due to its environmental,
safety and driving performance advantages.
* Average passenger car aluminum content is 267 pounds per vehicle;
average light truck aluminum content is 279 pounds per vehicle.>>
U.S. Auto Industry Makes More Use of Aluminum
Washington, 25 Feb 2004 (Voice of America News)
http://www.aluminum.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=6509
<<Mr. Milner says consumers are actually pushing car makers to use
more aluminum - not because consumers know or care about the metal,
but because they are demanding more comfort, safety and convenience
features in their vehicles - what the industry calls "content".
"Content in cars is going up and making cars heavier which makes them
more difficult in terms of fuel economy and things, and therefore
people [manufacturers] are starting to put more aluminum on cars so
they can deliver more content to consumers," he said.
Cost is always a concern for automakers. Mr. Milner compares the price
of aluminum with the more widely-used steel.
"Aluminum in the raw material stage is more expensive than steel, and
that just has to do with where Mother Nature put it in the ground and
how you have to process it," he said. "So we spend most of our time
working with our designers and other people to make that cost
difference less and less, and in some cases we can make the cost about
the same."
Until recently, aluminum was considered hard to work with to form
parts and panels. Rick Milner says that is rapidly changing.>>
<<According to the Ducker Research Company, in 1973 the average weight
of aluminum in cars and light trucks in the U.S. was just under 37
kilograms. By 2002, it had jumped to over 124 kilograms. The trend is
not hard to discern.>>
Alcan Sees Europe Outpacing U.S. In Auto Aluminum Use
http://www.aluminum.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5623
<<Alcan Inc., Montreal, expects the European auto industry to remain
well ahead of the United States in its average per-vehicle use of
aluminum structural and body panels made of sheet, extruding and
casting alloys, American Metal Market reported August 8, 2003.
According to Alcan's estimates, the average European vehicle will
contain 11.6 kilograms (25.6 pounds) of aluminum in such applications
by 2010 vs. 2.9 kg (6.4 pounds) in 2000. Alcan estimated that
U.S.-built vehicles will contain an average of 6.4 kg (14.1 pounds) of
aluminum structural and body components in 2010 vs. 2.2 kg (4.9
pounds) in 2000.
However, Alcan said it expects the U.S. auto industry to continue
leading Europe in its average use of aluminum engines and wheels.>>
*****************RECENT NEWS*********************************
Taiwan Economic News
August 18, 2004
HEADLINE: SAI WINS BIG-TICKET ALUMINUM-WHEEL ORDER FROM GM
BODY:
<<Taipei, Aug. 18, 2004 (CENS)--Taiwan's Super Alloy Industrial Co.,
Ltd. (SAI), one of the top-three aluminum-alloy wheel suppliers to
General Motors (GM) of the U.S., predicted its annual revenue growth
rate to exceed 100% in the next three years due to big orders from the
world's No. 1 auto maker
SAI currently owns the largest close-die forging capacity in Taiwan.
The company is also a global leader in terms of non-steel metal
(aluminum and titanium etc.) forging. After a long-term certification
and plant-inspection period by GM, the Taiwan company has become a
qualified original equipment (OE) aluminum-wheel supplier to GM
SAI President Lee claimed that his company owns the largest forging
equipment among all local counterparts, the most comprehensive
capability of handling various metal-forging works, and the most
advanced techniques in related fields. In addition to high-level
forged wheels, SAI also produces many other products such as auto
parts (connecting rods, transmission parts, and suspension system
parts etc.), golf club heads, top-end bicycle parts, aircraft
passenger seats, missile heads, valves used in semiconductor
equipment, and artificial joints and surgery tools etc
SAI is ISO 9001-, ISO 14001- and TS16949-approved maker. With strong
development capability, the company owns several patented
manufacturing techniques, including the titanium/copper alloy forging
for high-level golf heads
Lee said that the aluminum-wheel business currently accounts for about
90% of SAI's revenue but his company would gradually elevate its
production of golf-head products in the coming few years>>
Modern Bulk Transporter
July 1, 2004
SECTION: INDUSTRY NEWS; ISSN: 0031-6431; Pg. 1
LENGTH: 143 words
HEADLINE: Alcoa extends Dura-Bright warranty
BODY:
<<Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products has extended the limited warranty on
its Dura-Bright aluminum wheels for both the wheel and patented
surface treatment in all commercial vehicle applications.
Dura-Bright wheels, which have a patented protective treatment that
resists corrosion and enables them to be cleaned with a spray of soap
and water, are now warranted for five years against corrosion, an
extension on the previous warranty's two years.
Both the wheel and the Dura-Bright protection on heavy-duty trucks and
truck trailers are warranted for five years 60 months from date of
manufacture against defects in materials, workmanship, and corrosion.
Recreational vehicle and motorhome applications 19-5" and 22.5" sizes
are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for 120
months from the date of manufacture shown on the wheel.>>
Asia Pulse
March 8, 2004 Monday
SECTION: Northern Territory Regional
LENGTH: 58 words
HEADLINE: DAEWOO INTN'L TO SUPPLY ALUMINUM WHEELS FOR U.S. AUTOMAKERS
DATELINE: SEOUL, March 8
BODY:
<<Daewoo International Corp. (KSE:047050) today said it has won a US
$160 million deal to supply aluminum wheels to U.S. automakers over
the next five years.
The South Korean aluminum wheels, to be manufactured by a local
automotive parts maker, will be used for about 10 types of U.S.
vehicles by 2008, company officials said.>>
PR Newswire
March 3, 2004, Wednesday
SECTION: FINANCIAL NEWS
DISTRIBUTION: TO BUSINESS, AUTO AND FOREIGN EDITORS
LENGTH: 269 words
HEADLINE: Ford Recognizes Hayes Lemmerz Borlem with Q1 Award
DATELINE: NORTHVILLE, Mich., March 3
BODY:
<<Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: HAYZ) announced today
that its aluminum wheel facility, Borlem Aluminio S.A., located in
Santo Andre, Brazil has received the distinctive Q1 Award from Ford
Motor Company. >>
***************RESOURCES********************************
MAJOR PLAYERS:
Alcoa
Amcast Industrial
Enkei International
Hayes Lemmerz
Nucor
TERMINOLOGY:
Due North Resources: Mining Glossary - http://www.cyber-north.com/glossary.html
Principal Metals Online: Glossary -
http://www.principalmetals.com/glossary/list.htm
ASSOCIATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS:
The Aluminum Association - http://www.aluminum.org
American Iron and Steel Institute - http://www.steel.org/
American Iron Ore Association - http://www.aioa.org/
Fossilfuels.org - http://www.fossilfuels.org/about.htm
International Metalworkers' Federation - http://www.imfmetal.org/
International Precious Metals Institute - http://www.ipmi.org
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society - http://www.tms.org
National Mining Association - http://www.nma.org
Steel Manufacturers Association - http://www.steelnet.org/
United Steelworkers of America - http://www.uswa.org
MEDIA LINKS:
AMM.com - http://www.amm.com/index2.htm
InfoMine - http://www.infomine.com/
The Mining Journal - http://www.mining-journal.com/
The Mining Record - http://www.miningrecord.com/
MiningLife - http://www.mininglife.com
MiningUSA.com - http://www.miningusa.com/
Trade Show News Network - http://www.tsnn.com
*********Search Strategy*******************
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