NEW YORK, NY – Alcoa Inc. has reported a profit of $195 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $178 million. Revenue increased 6.7 percent to $5.82 billion, from $5.5 billion in the first quarter of 2014.

The company got a lift in the quarter from its smelting division, which reported earnings of $187 million, compared with a $15-million loss a year ago.

The company claimed that “favorable foreign currency exchange rates, lower energy costs and productivity improvements” were factors improving the smelting business. 

“First quarter results show our transformation is moving at ongoing high speed and is fully on course,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa chairman and CEO.

Alcoa is optimistic about the near-term and longer-term future of the commercial vehicle market. It expects the total global aluminum commercial vehicle wheel market will increase from 30 percent in 2010 to 50 percent in 2018.

The company also projects six-to-eight-percent increase in North American Heavy-duty and trailer orders for 2015, up from three-to-seven-percent in the previous forecast.

With files from HDT’s Evan Lockridge.