Light-weight aluminium fits into future of car production

Cars, like people, tend to get heavier as they get older. It is an issue that preoccupies Werner Stelzer, a senior executive adviser with Rio Tinto Alcan, one of the world's largest aluminium companies.

For the past 20 years as an executive with various vehicle divisions of large aluminium companies, he has been trying to get more aluminium into cars.

But despite his efforts, European cars have gained weight. The current VW Golf series V, for example, is about 60 per cent heavier than the first version, which was introduced in the mid-1970s, although the car is slightly bigger.

But now that the vehicle industry is facing pressure to make lighter cars - mainly for environmental reasons - he thinks the aluminium industry can make some headway.

'The car industry has the potential to be a big driver for the aluminium sector,' Stelzer said on the sidelines of the Metal Bulletin Asian Aluminium and Copper Conference held in Hong Kong recently.

It could do with a boost. Aluminium production and prices plunged from the highs of last year, along with other metals. After peaking at US$3,070 per tonne in July last year, aluminium prices dived to US$1,329 in February. Metal prices have shown some strength in recent months on positive signs in the global economy and aluminium prices have risen to about US$1,930. Production is expected to fall slightly this year, the first decline in about 15 years.