Aluminum repair tool manufacturers bullish on 2015 Ford F-150

A major change in an industry presents new issues, but also presents new opportunities, and the high volume of production expected for the 2015 Ford F-150 is expected to be a boon for companies that make specialized aluminum repair tools for body shops, Automotive News reports. Up to this point, only a select few premium models had aluminum bodies, like Audi, Range Rover, Jaguar and a handful of others. But with hundreds of thousands of aluminum-bodied F-150 trucks expected on the road once the truck launches, there will be substantial demand from both dealers with in-house body shops, as well as independent repair facilities.

There are multiple new requirements for dealerships and repair facilities that work on aluminum bodies. However, Ford is making some concessions to dealerships by waiving the requirement for a completely separate "clean room" and just recommending a curtained-off work area for the aluminum body. It's important to keep aluminum and steel separated to prevent possible galvanic corrosion.

Eurovac, a small manufacturer of specialized vacuum and air extractors based in Concord, Ontario, which currently has 25 employees, expects that number to grow substantially in the years ahead. Rob Retter of Eurovac calls the new F-150 "the biggest thing in the history of our company." Ford is requiring the purchase of a specialized vacuum to remove aluminum dust from shop floors. The Eurovac II vacuum model costs $10,125.

Car-O-Liner, a manufacturer of frame and chassis repair equipment, sells a full complement of parts and equipment for aluminum body repair, and is also expected to be a major beneficiary of the Ford F-150's move to an aluminum body.