LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Accuride has announced a new steel wheel coating it says will, for many fleets, eliminate the need to refurbish wheels.

The new Eversteel coating, available beginning in February, is the industry’s first steel wheel to be warranted against corrosion for up to five years, according to Accuride president and CEO Rick Dauch.

The coating was developed for fleets operating in Canada and the northern states, where corrosive anti-icing products are applied to roads. It builds upon Accuride’s Steel Armour coating, which has been in the market since 2014.

Eversteel wheels will be available in white, gray and black. Dauch said the coating was developed to help fleets manage the issue they’re facing with having to refinish steel wheels. One fleet running in the US Midwest was spending $3.5 million a year refurbishing steel wheels, Dauch said. Having corroded wheels on trucks also leads to roadside inspections.

Accuride says Eversteel will delay the onset of corrosion by eight to 10 years, saving customers about $105 per wheel in refurbishing costs. The coating lasts twice as long as Steel Armour and six times as long as steel wheels without any coating.

“For those fleets who have corrosion issues, I think it’s going to be a winner,” Dauch announced. It will also contribute to greater safety, he added, noting paint build-up on steel wheels can result in wheels that are not properly torqued. While there will be a cost premium compared to Steel Armour, Eversteel wheels will still cost less than aluminum wheels, Dauch noted.

Accuride also introduced lighter-weight aluminum wheels. The 41730 and 41012 wheels were re-engineered to reduce weight by 5-7%. They’ll be available in 22.5”x9” sizes and will be ready for order in March, replacing the currently available models 29730 and 40012. The 417390 weighs 58 lbs and the 41012 weighs 51 lbs, representing a four- and three-pound weight savings, respectively.

“As our customers seek to optimize the total weight, fuel economy and emissions of their equipment, we continue to refine our designs and manufacturing processes to remove weight from our steel and aluminum wheel offerings,” said Dauch. “These two new aluminum wheel options are just the beginning of what customers can expect to see from Accuride as we continue our R&D in design engineering and metallurgy to provide the industry’s lightest, most reliable wheels.”