Steel's Low Cost, New Strengths Aid in Automotive Materials Battle

摘要

The steel industry is winning its hard-fought battle to stop alternative materials-particularly aluminum-from eroding its North American automotive market share, for the time being. Efforts by the Big Three to cut costs to more effectively compete against transplant automakers have been a big factor in this victory. "Competition between aluminum and high-strength steels has been real fierce," admits Richard L. Klimisch, vice president of the auto and light truck group of the Washington-based Aluminum Association. North American automakers have become obsessed with cost just when the steel industry has embarked upon a very aggressive program that includes the development of advanced high-strength steels, which offer weight reduction vs. mild carbon steel. 'It will be a real battle. A few aluminum sheet parts have already been taken off of some light trucks," Klimisch adds.