The wheel has been acclaimed to be one of the greatest inventions of humankind and its manifestation in every facet of life ranging from 
transportation, energy, infrastructure to medicine, science, et al can be readily seen and appreciated. The wheel has gone through varied subtle design improvements over a period of time without any significant change in its basic form and function; and to a common man, it has probably remained the same for ages in an optimised near perfection state leading to the cliché ‘do not reinvent the wheel’. Well, Alcoa (Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio) has precisely done this ‘reinventing’ several decades ago by offering to the end users, a radically different wheel challenging the stranglehold of steel wheels in the Heavy Commercial Vehicle domain of the transportation arena. The wheels have made a strong entry into the market place and since launch have gained increasing acceptance in many applications owing to the significant benefits delivered to fleet owners.
The pedigree of the group is impressive. Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets. The wheel was first introduced as part of some Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) applications in India about three years back and have gained momentum ever since, making its presence felt in market segments like trucks-haulage, bus, bulker and tanker; and getting a thumbs-up from the discerning customers for the positive return on investment (ROI). With Alcoa making steady progress in the development of a solid customer base across the country, the Indian market is beginning to open up in a big way for its wheels that would significantly contribute to reducing the total operating cost (TOC) for its customers.
The Alcoa Advantage
What are the benefits of the forged aluminium wheels and why should a customer contemplate on changing over from the time-tested ‘steel 
wheel with tube and nylon cross ply (popularly referred to as nylon tyre) tyre’ to the ‘forged aluminium wheel with tubeless radial tyre’? There is a world of difference between the two configurations. Firstly, radial tube-type tyres have been gaining acceptance in the Indian HCV market while radial tubeless over tube-type tyres are also starting to gain acceptance across various sections of the market. Considering the market acceptance of the above two factors, the next advancement in technology is the likelihood of conversion of steel to Alcoa forged aluminium wheels. Forged aluminium wheels fitted with tubeless radial tyres, are the contemporary international trend and is increasingly being sought for varied applications, while the Indian market is expected to catch up with the positive trend soon.
As regards the unique selling propositions of the Alcoa wheel, in comparison with the conventional products, they are at least 50 per cent lighter than tubeless steel wheel and 60 per cent lighter than tube-typed steel wheel, but are however stronger by four to five times than steel wheels. Alcoa wheels also offer better fuel economy and are environmental friendly as well, aluminium being 100 per cent recyclable.
The product is from the world leader in the field and the inventor of the first forged 
aluminium truck wheel; agreed and yet, the proof of the pudding is in the eating – which is why, to understand the ground realities and obtain feedback from the field, we undertook a string of customer visits in the Commercial Vehicle belt of Tamilnadu (T.N), well-known in the HCV circles as the trendsetter hub for varied truck related activities, industries/ancillaries and services. Read on to find out how the deployment of Alcoa wheels for long-haulage general cargo trucks and bulkers have been beneficial to customers.
Truck segment
Region: Salem to Kohlapur
User Type: A textile bale & Parcel load transporter
Vehicle: Ashok Leyland 16-ton Comet (6-wheels)
Observations and User Experience/Comments: “After the aluminium wheel and radial tubeless tyre fitment, viz., exchanging it for steel wheel tube type radial, I have got much better fuel mileage. Of course the increase in the fuel mileage was also due to both tubeless tyre and Alcoa wheel, but I have no complaints. My truck has done about a large number of trips since fitment and the tyre wear has been considerably low. As the road conditions, route and loads are invariably the same, the driving comfort is good and the tyre wear is uniform too.”
The user also expressed that he is not worried about tyre punctures, for even if there is one, he can fill up the air and drive back for repair work at Salem as the air leakage is minimal. He is so confident (of this) that he has been driving around without the Stepney (spare wheel)!
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Region: Salem
User Type: A Tyre Care & Wheel Alignment Store
Observations and User Experience/Comments: “Alcoa wheel gives better clearance vis-à-vis leaf springs and tie-rod end due to inherent higher backspace in the wheel design. And, with better air circulation combined with higher thermal conductivity of the aluminium wheel, the tyres run a lot cooler. Alcoa wheels come with both 8 holes and 10 holes configuration and hence suited to retrofitting in the running vehicles too for performance enhancement.”
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Region: Sankari to Punjab and Jodhpur areas.
User Type: A truck fleet owner and tyre retreader/dealer
Vehicle: Eicher 3531 12-wheel truck
Observations and User Experience/Comments: “The total weight has gone down dramatically. The fuel mileage has been good so far. The wheels being lighter and cooler, I expect to get a much better tyre mileage now. I would say it’s only a matter of time in this region that tubeless radialization with aluminium wheel will become the norm. Driving comfort is better and pulling power up the hill even in second gear is good. Over the years, the improvements have been all around, both in vehicle and as well as in wheel and tyre technology. Unless we changeover to the new products, with the ever-increasing diesel price, it would be difficult to run our business. Radialization is the norm in our region and as per my estimate for long haul it’s over 90% vis-à-vis around 20% in other parts of India–and the switch in such regions can be straight to the Alcoa forged aluminium wheel tubeless radial configuration.”
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Region: Kerala – Northern states of Jammu/ Delhi
User Type: A truck fleet operator of 300 trucks. Transporting open market loads such as textile, paper, steel, perishables (fruits) and coal.
Vehicle: Mostly Ashok Leyland 3118, 12-wheel models
Observations and User Experience/Comments: “After fitting Alcoa wheels in two of our Ashok Leyland 3118 trucks, 24 wheels in all, plus two spare wheels and by doing so, we have experienced huge weight reduction.”
The user also has two more vehicles fitted with steel wheels, on tubeless tyres of the same brand, running for the same period with similar loads and driving conditions – for drawing out relative comparisons and eventual switch over by the middle of next year, upon validation of anticipated benefits.
One of his important observations has been the strength of the Alcoa aluminium wheels. While his steel wheel gets dented against unexpected ramming against walls/projections, the aluminium wheel just grinds its way through in such situations – the higher strength to weight ratio is definitely useful for his applications.
“I hope tyre service centres (for attending to punctures and other repair work) can be opened all over the country for the tubeless fitment to gain wide spread acceptance. As Alcoa wheels go only with the tubeless tyres, it is important for this development to take place”
The user also opines that Alcoa should get their wheels fitted in OEM supplies so that the above cited developments can take place at an accelerated pace and benefit both the big and small fleet operators.
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Bulker segment
Region: Kerala to Tamil Nadu
User/Fleet Type: Specialises in the transport of cement both through bags and bulker routes.
Vehicle: 175 fleet including bulkers, load body trucks, ODC truck-trailers and transit mixers, with GVW ratings from the lower end to 49 ton.
Observations and User Experience/Comments: “We are proud to be one of the first users of Alcoa wheels in our region. The wheels were fitted in our 37-ton 14-wheel rigid chassis bulkers, transporting cement from ACC plant at Madukkarai in Coimbatore to Kerala. We have been able to get significant fuel savings and very impressive tyre mileage too.”
Instead of graduating to steel wheel with tubeless radial tyre, this user has opted for Alcoa aluminium wheel tubeless radial tyre after examining the advantages in such a choice. “We are able to get additional payload while the driving comfort is improved as well. Driving profession today is still largely in the unorganized sector and not a sought-after vocation despite good remuneration and working conditions. With improving driving facilities and awareness, I am sure the profession will be able to attract educated drivers in future. In this regard, all the technology features of the new generation vehicles including the contemporary tubeless radials with aluminium wheels would definitely help alleviate the looming ‘quality driver’ shortage”.
Going by the feedback of the fleet owners, it appears that the Alcoa wheel’s amalgamation with tubeless radial tyre is on solid fundamentals; and the technology ride in India has already begun although only recently. Though the bus segment has been quicker to adapt (an inquisitive look at this segment is on the cards in the near future) and accept the combination for its arduous duty conditions, the benefits of the same especially in the niche segments is slowly but steadily trickling down to the general segments. With the customer compulsions to minimise TOC and the likely aggressive marketing push by multinational giants in vehicles and tyres including the new entrants, it would be interesting to follow Alcoa’s plans in the marketing arena as it aims at setting new standards for the transportation domain in the country.