Atlanta’s rolled and recycled aluminium firm Novelis Inc. announced yesterday that it has made available Advanz 6HF – e/s200 aluminium alloy to North American clients. The alloy, which is intended for use in automotive applications, was originally (and successfully) introduced in Europe.
According to Novelis, the 6xxx-series aluminium alloy is best suited to body sides, door inners, decklid outers and inners, and other closure panels. As it is more pliable than competing alloys, the versatile material opens up new opportunities for lightweighting, as it can drop approximately a third of the weight from inner door applications when replacing steel.
Recognizing a growing demand for lightweight but strong metals in the industry, Novelis developed the alloy to cater to the automotive manufacturing segment. The alloy helps automakers achieve the ever-more-important goals of weight reduction, increased fuel economy, and reduction in vehicle emissions.
Novelis’ Vice President and General Manager of Automotive Ganesh Panneer says the move offers North American automakers with a versatile metal alloy not previously available to the market.
“As a global leader in automotive alloy innovation, we are excited to offer solutions to meet the growing design and manufacturing needs of North American auto manufacturers. As automakers pursue more complex designs and increase the amount of in-vehicle content, the strength and advanced formability of Advanz™ 6HF – e/s200 unlocks new engineering potential while offering critical weight reduction compared to steel. The expansion of this alloy into the North American market demonstrates our ability to draw on our automotive expertise and provide proven solutions across the globe.”
Novelis is a subsidiary of Mumbai’s Hindalco Industries Ltd. Based in Atlanta, the firm accounts for almost half of Hindalco’s consolidated revenue. The world’s largest recycler of aluminium, Novelis conducts operations in ten different countries, employs around twelve thousand people, and reported US$10 billion in revenue for the most recent fiscal year.