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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 1 7 Continuous coldmill tower at Alcoa’s North Plant in Tennessee. I n our last article (Part XI, January 2021 AM&P ), the launch of the 2015 F-150 was discussed from the auto- maker’s perspective. In this final install- ment, some other aspects of the story are explored. We then conclude this se- ries by reviewing the impact of Ford’s actions on the automotive and alumi- num industries. The decision to switch to alumi- num for the P552 platform coincided with a strategic realignment of oth- er Ford truck platforms. The 2017 Su- per Duty, codename P558, would now share most of its sheet metal with the light duty version, albeit with a unique front end and pick-up box. In addi- tion, the 2018 Expedition and Naviga- tor, codenames U553 and U554, would switch to aluminum as well. These two decisions had added enough volume to justify a third continuous heat treat- ment and finishing line at Novelis Oswe- go in New York. But the added volume exceeded the capacity of Alcoa’s Daven- port expansion, and on August 29, 2013, Alcoa announced a $275 million expan- sion at its North Plant in Alcoa, Tennes- see, adding a new tandem cold mill and continuous heat treat line. To any outside observer, all of this aluminum conversion activity should have provided Novelis and Alcoa with immense satisfaction: The 2015 F-150 was a transformative moment for both aluminum suppliers, seeing them grow secrecy, Ford had kept that informa- tion to itself. In summer 2013, just 15 months before the planned F-150 launch date, Ford Purchasing finally shared the good news with its suppli- ers. To Ford’s surprise, neither partner was overly enthusiastic. The truth was that neither had the immediate capa- city to support such increases. Each had capacity expansion in place for the 2017 Super Duty and the later SUVs; the issue was that the F-150 increase repre- sented more than half the volume orig- inally set aside for the Super Duty, and it was needed six months earlier. This translated into a considerable chal- lenge that would tax the ingenuity and resilience of both aluminum suppliers as well as Ford. from the perennial side show to the main act. In reality, both companies found their resources stretched be- yond any expectations by the dizzying complexities of the largest automotive launch in a century. A resurgent light truck market soon added an additional layer of complications. NOVELIS AND ALCOA BOOST CAPACITY In the 30 months between signing the historical supply agreements and building the verification prototypes, Ford had revised the planned volume capacity for the 2015 F-150 and the 2017 Super Duty by more than 25% and 50%, respectively. Because both proj- ects were progressing under a cloak of 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty.