Mixed materials strategy cuts 450 lbs off Chevrolet Silverado
By Tom Davis Detroit, Michigan — January 16, 2018 — General Motors has announced its next-generation Chevrolet Silverado is now 450 lbs lighter after the OEM created what it calls a “mixed-materials strategy.” “With the all-new Silverado, we’ve taken the best truck on the road and made it even better,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors […]
BETAG Innovations and Flat Line SSI team up for one-day training sessions
By Alex Dugas Richmond Hill, Ontario — October 3, 2017 — Aluminum is showing up in more and more automobiles, and technicians must be prepared to deal with it. That was part of the impetus behind a recent training event put on by BETAG Innovations and Flat Line SSI. Ralph Meichtry of BETAG and Flat Line […]
ArcelorMittal announces ‘next generation’ of advanced high-strength steels
Luxembourg, Switzerland — November 9, 2016 — A “new generation” of advanced high strength steels is making its way to OEMs, according to an announcement from steel producer ArcelorMittall. The new steels include two new press hardenable steels Ductibor 1000 and Usibor 2000 and martensitic steels MartINsite M1700 and M2000. Both Ductibor 1000 and Usibor […]
Report outlines the future of automotive steel
Detroit, Michigan — August 2, 2016 — Aluminum, carbon fibre and graphene grab headlines, but steel is still very widespread in the automotive world and will likely remain so for some time. This is especially true when considering third generation advanced high-strength steels. The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) has released its 2016 Steel Industry […]
Will we see a ‘tremendous’ shift to aluminum?
By Mike Pickford Peterborough, Ontario — July 5, 2016 — Lightweighting is still a concern for the OEMs, leading at least one expert to predict there will be a real push over the next decade to revamp the way vehicle exteriors are designed and made. During a recent Auto Care Association webinar, IHS Automotive forecaster […]
Friday Fun: Steel vs. aluminum, counterfeiters get sophisticated and sub-prime auto loans
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — June 9, 2016 — This week features news about the ongoing steel vs. aluminum debate, a new flood of more sophisticated counterfeit parts from China and the “now occurring” deflation of the sub-prime auto loan bubble. – The Ontario Liberal Party made a major announcement this week. Premier Wynne […]
Recent increase in global scrap steel prices
Toronto, Ontario — March 9, 2016 — Good news for automotive recyclers: there’s been an unexpected upturn in ferrous scrap prices recently. A number of experts have weighed in on whether the price bump will last. The price increase is quite recent and follows numbers in January that showed a decline in world steel production. […]
Report: ‘Efficient’ steel designs may be lighter than aluminum
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — October 26, 2015 — The aluminum vs. steel debate continues to play out with a new study from WorldAutoSteel suggesting high-strength steel can lead to lighter parts than using aluminum. Anyone who has watched an NFL broadcast recently will be aware of the debate, or at least how it’s […]
Audi Q7 construction revealed at Pfaff event
By Jeff Sanford Toronto, Ontario — October 4, 2015 — Last week Pfaff Autoworks hosted its annual insurance open house. The event is a chance for those in the insurance industry to become familiar with new trends in the collision repair space. The emergence of aluminum as a more common material in new cars took […]
Live@NACE: Dr. Jody Hall on steel’s future and its ‘green’ capabilities
By Jeff Sanford Detroit, Michigan — July 23, 2015 — Collision repair professionals from around North America have gathered in Detroit. The booths are up. The cars have been rolled out on the convention floor. The drink tickets have been distributed. NACE 2015 is underway. The Volt lounge at the base of the Renaissance Center […]
