Automotive parts associations warn on impact to supply chains and prices. On February 10, the White House announced President Donald J. Trump signed proclamations to close existing loopholes and exemptions to restore a 25% tariff on imported steel and elevated the tariff to 25% on aluminum. According to the White House, President Trump was exercising […]
Aluminum Use Expected to Grow in New Electric Vehicles
A new survey of automakers and Tier 1 suppliers conducted by Ducker Carlisle concludes that as battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continue to enter the mass market, aluminum demand will grow through the end of the decade. The report, 2023 North American Light Vehicle Aluminum Content and Outlook, released by the Aluminum Association indicates that demand […]
Novelis Launches New High-Strength Automotive Aluminum for Automotive Body Designs
Novelis Inc., the aluminum rolling and recycling company, announced the launch of Advanz 6HS-s650, a precisely engineered aluminum automotive body sheet product that exceeds industry standards for strength, lightweighting, formability, performance and structural integrity. It is the strongest 6xxx series product with a 15 to 25 percent in-service strength advantage over incumbent high strength aluminum […]
HLDI Reports Ford F-150 Repair Costs Remain Steady Despite Aluminum Parts
While repair costs have not increased due to aluminum, analysis shows longer time to repair vehicles and higher claim frequency. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) reports that Ford’s switch to aluminum for the body of the F-150 pickup hasn’t resulted in higher repair costs, in part because the company is pricing the aluminum parts […]
Novelis Breaks Ground on Automotive Aluminum Facility in Kentucky
Novelis Inc., the aluminum rolling and recycling company, yesterday hosted community members, federal, state and local officials to break ground on its $300 million automotive aluminum sheet manufacturing facility in Guthrie, Ky. Representatives from Novelis were joined by Senator Rand Paul, Congressman James Comer, Governor Matt Bevin and Senator Mitch McConnell’s staff to recognize the […]
FCA Announces 2018 Jeep Wrangler Includes Aluminum Body Panels
Collision repair facilities that have invested in their aluminum repair capabilities will soon have a new vehicle to work on. Yesterday, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) officially introduced its 2018 Jeep Wrangler at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The redesigned vehicle continues to include a body-on-frame design that the vehicle manufacturer touts is the foundation for […]
Collision Repair Labor Rates for Aluminum Show Wide Variation by Market in the U.S.
Our comparison of average steel body and structural labor rates to cosmetic aluminum and structural rates shows wide variations by Metropolitan Statistical Area. As collision repair facilities have invested in aluminum repair capabilities, by far one of the most common questions we get from readers on both the repair and insurance side of the industry, […]
Interview: Mark Mandl, Ford Motor Company
Mark Mandl, Collision Marketing Manager for Ford Motor Company provides an update on the F-150 collision repair program, certification and repair costs. The official announcement in January 2014 by Ford Motor Company that its 2015 Ford F-150 would include an aluminum-intensive body structure was the culmination of years of planning by the vehicle manufacturer. Moving […]
Lawson Products Launches Kent Automotive Aluminum Repair Solutions
Lawson Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:LAWS) today announced the launch of Aluminum Repair Solutions under its Kent Automotive brand. Kent Automotive Aluminum Repair Solutions is the single-source for aluminum repair materials, offering a full line of OEM-quality, specialized products, expertise, and education for collision repair centers and auto body repair shops in the US and Canada. “With […]
February 11 Guild 21 Conference Call Features Aluminum Repair
The next Guild 21 conference call takes place Thursday, February 11 at 2 p.m. EST (11:00 a.m. PST) and will feature a presentation on Aluminum Repair by Larry Hults, COO, DOXA Enterprises. Registration for the call is available online. Guild 21 was formed following the 2013 VeriFacts Symposium. At that time, a group of industry […]