Global top 10 Aluminium alloy auto wheel manufactures

Since 1970’s the manufacturing process of Aluminium alloy wheels have developed a lot and due to sophisticated wheels design, casting has become the dominant manufacturing process.

On the due course of time, it has been identified that vehicles with aluminium wheels have better stopping and starting capabilities, which resulted in serious consideration in cars performance. Aluminium wheels exert less inertia when they spin that denotes, in addition to being easier to bring to a stop, they will also impose less wear and tear on the vehicle braking system.

According to the history of aluminium car wheels, the first light-alloy sheet aluminium car wheels were used in Daimler-Benz and Auto-Union racing cars in the 1930s. In the 1960s, Porsche began the batch production of sheet wheels, which consisted of a wheel rim and nave. The first high-volume production of sheet wheels in Europe started in 1979 for Daimler-Benz cars destined for the USA.

We are listing top 10 aluminium alloy auto wheel manufacturers globally based on their market size, business volumes and brand awareness. 

CITIC DICASTAL Co. Ltd

CITIC Dicastal is the world's largest producer and exporter of automotive aluminium wheels. Its products are majorly used in passenger vehicles and mini- and light-duty commercial vehicles. In 2019, a total of 54.63 million wheels were sold, a marginal increase from 2018 in comparison to the annual production capacity of 69 million aluminium wheels.

Following the Chinese economic reform in 1988, CITIC Group made a major decision to build the first aluminium wheel enterprise in China, CITIC Dicastal Co., Ltd located in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, where the first aluminium wheel in mainland China was born.

Presently, Dicastal has become the world's leading enterprise with core technology, a self-owned brand of lightweight, for lightweight modularized new-type composite parts and components, after years of continuous development.

CITIC Dicastal has completed its global production layout, with production bases in China, North America, Europe and Africa, which mainly produces high-strength lightweight automotive parts and components.

CITIC has consistently focused on solidifying its businesses. Major customers for CITIC Dicastal’s aluminium wheels include the 12 leading global automakers, among them Ford, G.M. and Chrysler, as well as major Chinese automakers including FAW, SAIC and Dongfeng.

RONAL WHEELS

The RONAL GROUP is a leading manufacturer in the international market for light-alloy wheels. The company covers the complete process chain with its services – all production stages, from engineering through tooling to the finished product, are carried out by the RONAL GROUP using high-tech production facilities.

The RONAL GROUP comprises with three brand names Ronal, Speedline Corse and Speedline Truck for their manufacturing and global sales of wheels.

The Group employs around 8000 staffs around the globe, with its presence in 3 continents and running 13 production units. The production capacity of the group is over 21 million wheels per year and in 2019 the sales revenue recorded was 1.2 billion euros.

The RONAL GROUP is the pioneer in the world to roll-out a product that is currently the only one of its kind: the new RONAL R70-blue, a passenger car wheel with a carbon-neutral solution. The wheel is manufactured in Germany using 100% green electricity and consists of mostly reused aluminium, which is 100% recyclable.

SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES

Superior Industries was founded in 1957and it has grown to become one of the largest light vehicle aluminium wheel suppliers in the world. The wheel manufacturer is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, operates nine manufacturing facilities and employs approximately 8,000 people in North America and Europe.

In response to COVID-19, to date Superior has implemented temporary and permanent cost savings including furloughs, compensation and benefit reductions, and deferral of merit increases, reduced travel, personnel restructurings, and use of government subsidies where available.

As per the Q3 results of 2020, Unit shipments were 4.4 million, a downfall of around10% compared to unit shipments of 4.9 million in the prior-year period. The decline in unit shipments was primarily driven by lower demand of key customers in Europe as a result of COVID-19.

Superior Industries net sales for the third quarter of 2020 were $317 million, compared to net sales of $352 million in the prior-year period. The decrease in the quarter was driven by lower volumes and a decrease in aluminium prices, partially offset by favourable product mix and a stronger Euro.

BORBET

Borbet GmbH, a German manufacturer of light alloy wheels which is an owner-managed family company, headquarters in Hallenberg-Hesborn, Sauerland.

The Borbet company was founded in 1881 as a brass foundry by Gustav Borbet in Altena, Westphalia. In 1928 Wilhelm Borbet expanded production to include aluminium sand casting. In 1962, Peter Wilhelm Borbet founded today's company headquarters in Hallenberg-Hesborn. Initially, various cast parts were produced at the new location, and the production of light alloy wheels began in 1977.

The trademark of Borbet is its innovative technologies and pioneering design. The famed BORBET A-Wheel first became a global success in 1987.

Borbet has over $1 billion in annual sales with nine global operations. The company is recognized globally as a specialist in design excellence and high-quality production.

IOCHPE-MAXION

Iochpe-Maxion is a global company, a world leader in the production of automotive wheels and one of the leading producers of automotive structural components in the Americas.

 The company runs with 31 manufacturing units located in 14 countries and around 15 thousand employees, which enables to serve the customers around the world within the terms and quality and competitiveness standards demanded by the customers.

The group operates their main business through two divisions: Maxion Wheels and Maxion Structural Components.

At Maxion Wheels, aluminium wheels are produced for light vehicles, whereas the company also produces steel wheels.

ALCOA WHEELS

Alcoa wheels, the global leader of forged aluminium wheels which pioneered as the first forged aluminium truck wheel in 1948 and by doing so; the company started an entirely new industry.

 Alcoa truck wheels have been helping customers save fuel and reduce maintenance by replacing out heavy steel wheels for lightweight aluminium and the company is still number one in its production.

Alcoa Wheels makes one-piece forged aluminium wheels for pickups, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), vans and other vehicles.

Alcoa also introduced a new lightweight aluminium wheel with new wheel technology and is available for all major truck OEMs. The new wheel weighs 39 lbs., the lightest aluminium wheel offered by Alcoa.

WANFENG AUTO

Wanfeng Auto is one of the industry's first listed company, with an annual output of 40 million sets of size, to achieve the global leading industry segments.

Wanfeng Auto Wheel was founded in September 2001 and was successfully listed by November 2006, becoming China’s first listed company in the automotive wheel industry. The company is mainly engaged in R&D, manufacturing and marketing of aluminium wheels for automobiles, and aluminium motorcycle wheels.

Wanfeng Auto Wheel has long-term partnerships with some of the world’s luxury car brands including Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen of Germany; GM, Ford and Chrysler of the United States; Toyota, Honda, and Nissan of Japan; Hyundai, PSA, Fiat, Harley, Yamaha, Suzuki, and many others.

LIZHONG WHEEL GROUP

Established in 1995, Lizhong Wheel Group was formerly invested by Hebei Lizhong Non-ferrous Metal Group. The Group now has an annual production capacity of aluminium alloy wheels 15 million.

Lizhong wheel is the perfect combination of technology and art. Lizhong Group has been developing a partnership with global customers: BMW, Chrysler, GM, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Suzuki, Fiat, Renault, Great Wall, Geely, SAIC etc.

The Tianjin Lizhong Group has consistently upheld the spirit and strives for the improvement of Chinese aluminium alloy wheel industry and lightweight automotive industry for more than 2 decades.

TOPY INDUSTRIES

Topy Industries is one of the world's leading comprehensive wheel makers, and it produces wheels of all types for a variety of purposes - passenger cars, trucks, buses, and small and large construction vehicles - to meet the diverse needs of the automotive and construction machinery industries.

Topy's success lies in its technological prowess, superior design, and quality assurance system, which have combined to produce countless high-precision products. As a leader in the wheel industry, Topy is countering some of the toughest challenges in the industry today, including weight reduction and improving stability.

Topy commissioned the latest casting analysis technology to deliver exceptionally strong, lightweight aluminium wheels to numerous automakers.

The integrated system incorporates the entire production process from design to manufacturing. In the passenger car market, Topy has won praise from fashion-conscious buyers with large-diameter and plate-coated products as well as hybrid wheels incorporating plastic components.

UNIWHEELS GROUP

UNIWHEELS is one of the leading manufacturers of aluminium wheels for cars in Europe and is one of the few technology leaders worldwide in the aluminium wheel industry.

The wheel comapny delivers professional motorsport racing series with high-tech wheels. The company has been producing high-quality aluminium wheels primarily in low-pressure casting for more than 40 years.

UNIWHEELS is the third-largest European supplier of OEM wheels for the automotive industry as well as the market-leading manufacturer of alloy wheels for the accessories market (AM) in Europe. The company sees itself as one of the leading partners of the automotive industry for the optimum reduction of CO2 emissions by reducing the weight of alloy wheels.

Conclusion

The automotive alloy wheel market is in a growth phase due to increasing demand for lightweight wheels that have the same strength as steel wheels alongside having high thermal stability & ductility. Automotive alloy wheels are lightweight wheels which improve the steering and speed of a car. Increasing demand for lightweight and corrosion-resistant alloy wheels is increasing due to changing weather conditions, which is a key factor boosting the growth of the automotive alloy wheel market. Automotive alloy wheels support tubeless tires and also offer better grip on brakes.