Alcoa Wheels rolled a new aluminum wheel alloy, its first in 45 years, at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition on Sunday in Orlando, Fla., and will introduce its first new truck wheel featuring this alloy early next year.

Called MagnaForce, Alcoa says it is 16.5% stronger on average than the industry standard, Alcoa’s 6061 alloy, in similar applications. It says the innovation is due to increasing demand for lighter weight products that increase fuel efficiency. 

“Alcoa is making truck wheel history with our innovative aluminum material,” said Tim Myers, President, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products. “No manufacturer has produced a wheel with an alloy superior to Alcoa’s 6061 material. Our MagnaForce alloy today opens the door to production of the strongest, lightest wheels to increase fleet payload, improve fuel efficiency and enhance sustainability.”

Alcoa invented the forged aluminum wheel in 1948 using an alloy it had developed for the aerospace industry. 20 years later it launched its 6061 alloy for forged aluminum wheels that is used to this day by all major forged aluminum wheel manufacturers.