Alcoa Rolls Out Most Durable, Easy-to-Maintain Commercial Truck Wheel

January 23, 2014

European Launch to Meet Growing Demand for Stronger, Lighter, Lower-Maintenance Wheels

Alcoa (NYSE:AA), the inventor and global leader of forged aluminum
wheels, has rolled out its most durable, easy-to-maintain commercial
truck wheel.

Alcoa’s new surface-treated Dura-Bright® EVO wheel maintains
all the benefits of its predecessor, the Dura-Bright® wheel
with XBR® technology, while taking the wheel’s performance to
a new level. The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is 10 times more resistant to
corrosion primarily caused by road salts and weather elements. In
addition, the wheel is up to three times more resistant to chemicals,
including hydrofluoric acid, found in the toughest truck wash cleaning
agents. This enables the use of a wider variety of cleaning solutions to
simplify maintenance, while preserving the integrity and brightness of
the wheel.

“Since inventing the forged aluminum wheel, Alcoa has continuously
innovated stronger, lighter, and more durable wheels to increase payload
and enhance sustainability,” said Tim Myers, President, Alcoa Wheel and
Transportation Products. “The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is Alcoa’s
easiest-to-maintain wheel yet, meaning it can stand up against the
harshest weather, road salts, grime and cleaning agents that can corrode
and dull standard commercial truck wheels.”

The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is now commercially available in Europe, where
the Company has already seen significant adoption of its Dura-Bright
wheels. Alcoa has begun producing the wheel at its manufacturing plant
in Székesfehérvár, Hungary. The wheel is expected to be available in all
other markets in 2015.

“Demand for Alcoa’s aluminum wheels continues to grow in Europe, as
emissions regulations and maintenance costs drive up the need for
stronger, lighter and easier-to-maintain wheels that increase payload,
reduce costs and enhance sustainability,” said Scott Kerns, Vice
President and General Manager Commercial Vehicle Wheels Europe, Japan
and South Africa.

Unlike competitive surface coatings that can crack, peel, corrode and
dull quickly, the Dura-Bright wheel allows brilliant shine to last even
after years of use, without the need for polishing. Dura-Bright is not a
coating, but rather a surface treatment that penetrates the aluminum and
becomes an integral part of the wheel. Regular cleaning with commonly
used truck cleaning products or with just soap and water will keep the
wheels shiny, even after hundreds of washes and thousands of kilometers,
reducing maintenance costs. In addition, Alcoa’s wheels are made from
one piece of forged aluminum, making them lighter and five times
stronger than steel wheels, increasing payload and fuel efficiency.

Alcoa’s surface treatment experts at the Alcoa Technical Center, the
world’s largest light metals research and development center based
outside of Pittsburgh, PA, developed the Dura-Bright wheel technology in
collaboration with the Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products business.
The Company launched the first Dura-Bright product in 2003. Three years
later, Alcoa’s experts improved the brightness and corrosion performance
of the Dura-Bright treatment and introduced Dura-Bright wheels with XBR
technology. Alcoa’s scientists have now enhanced the patented
Dura-Bright technology with the development of Dura-Bright EVO wheels.

Alcoa has been innovating surface treatment and coating technologies for
the past 40 years. Beyond Dura-Bright wheels, Alcoa has produced
products that have opened market applications across industries, from
surface treatments that enable adhesive bonding for aerospace structures
and structural joining for automotive applications, to anodization and
coating technologies for durable, sustainable building and construction
materials and aesthetic treatments for consumer electronic devices.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is a global innovation leader in lightweight metals, products and
solutions. Its technology, expertise and industry reach continue to
advance automotive and aerospace transportation, building and
construction, consumer electronics and packaging, defense applications
across air, land and sea, and the oil and gas industry. Alcoa pioneered
the modern-day aluminum industry 125 years ago and today is a leader in
delivering value-add products made from a range of lightweight metals
and flat-rolled aluminum. Alcoa is also a world leading producer of
primary aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and
refiner of alumina. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index for 12 consecutive years and approximately 75
percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in
active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 60,000 people in 30
countries around the world. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com,
follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and
follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

About Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products

Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, headquartered in Cleveland,
Ohio, is part of Alcoa’s downstream business, Engineered Products and
Solutions. In the first three quarters of 2013, Alcoa’s value-add
businesses, comprising Engineered Products and Solutions and Global
Rolled Products, accounted for 57 percent of Alcoa’s total revenues and
79 percent of segment after-tax operating income (ATOI). Alcoa Wheel and
Transportation Products serves the commercial vehicle, automotive, and
defense markets with products used in a range of applications including
forged aluminum wheels, premium products such as Dura-Bright®,
Dura-Flange®, LvL ONE® and M-Series™ medium duty
truck wheels, as well as a variety of other aluminum components for
these markets. Alcoa has been the forged aluminum wheel leader since
inventing the product in 1948. AWTP is composed of three divisions:
Commercial Vehicle Wheels, Forged Specialty Wheels and Transportation
Products. It employs 1,500 people at 13 locations worldwide. More
information can be found at www.alcoawheels.com.
Follow @AlcoaWheels on Twitter at twitter.com/AlcoaWheels.

About Alcoa Wheel Products Europe

Alcoa Wheel Products Europe is headquartered in Székesfehérvár, Hungary,
and employs 394 associates in 2 European locations: the manufacturing
facility in Székesfehérvár and the service and distribution centre in
Paal, Belgium. They manufacture forged aluminium wheels for trucks,
trailers and buses. For more information on Alcoa wheels, go to http://www.alcoa.com/alcoawheels/europe/en/home.asp.

Alcoa
Investor Contact
Kelly Pasterick, +1-212-836-2674
Kelly.Pasterick@alcoa.com
or
Media Contact
Christa Bowers, +1-212-836-2605
Christa.Bowers@alcoa.com
or
Jasper van Zon, Alcoa Europe, + 31 (0) 416 300 350
Jaspervan.Zon@alcoa.com