Sumitomo Metals to Renew Al Wheel Facilities along ISO

Sumitomo Metal Industries renews productive facilities of aluminium forging wheels for trucks and buses at Osaka steel works, Japan. In Japan, a new emission control law will start in 2010. With the law revision, wheels for new cars should be manufactured along ISO standards from previous JIS standards. Sumitomo Metals adopts wheel productive facilities to the new specification. The firm will invest approximately 1 billion yen for the facility renewals including bolt hole punchers and spinning machines.

Sumitomo Metals supplies aluminium wheel for middle- and large-sized cars with above 8-tonne weight. The firm sells 3,000 wheels per month to large car makers and trailer makers by OEM. The firm holds a 35-40% market share in Japan. The firm also supplies wheels for railcar’s rubber tires with a 90% market share.

In Japan, a new emission control law will become effective in 2010 and wheels for above 10-tonne weight cars would become manufactured along ISO standards. Specification of bolt holes, including the number or the direction of holes, is different between JIS standards and ISO standards.