Sapa to supply structural aluminum tubing for new Ford F-150

Chicago-based aluminum extrusion company Sapa has announced its partnership with Ford to supply the 2015 F-150® with structural aluminum tubing and provide ongoing development support for future aluminum extrusion applications.

The truck, which features a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body, is about 700 lbs. lighter than the 2014 model. Despite the truck's lighter weight, engineers indicate that a truck body using aluminum can equal or outperform steel in overall strength and dent resistance, depending on the type of material used, its thickness, and how the structure is designed and assembled.

The use of aluminum in all vehicles, not just automobiles, is growing as improved performance, fuel efficiency, and environmental sustainability become increasingly critical. Lighter vehicles can accelerate faster, stop sooner, tow and haul more, and consume less fuel than products that weigh more, the company reports. In addition, aluminum is nearly perfect for recycling; according to the U.S.-based Aluminum Association, nearly 75 percent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use today.