According to the Louisville Slugger website, the first aluminum bat was made in 1970 when Hillerich & Bradsby Co. bat manufacturers hired the Alcoa Aluminum Co. to make an aluminum version of their wooden Louisville Slugger. Since then, Alcoa has continually improved its alloys for use in baseball bat production.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world's leading supplier of aluminum tubing for bats, and they have been in the business since it began in the '70s. As well as developing alloys for bats, Alcoa is world-renowned for its skills in designing, engineering and producing primary and fabricated aluminum for the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial industries.
The Early Years
When Alcoa first started producing aluminum for bats in the '70s the alloys used weren't particularly strong, but over the years they have grown significantly in strength. Perhaps the biggest difference between then and now is the changes in wall thicknesses, which has created longer-lasting aluminum bats with more bounce. Some of the first Alcoa alloys used in bats were Cu31 -- used before 1996 -- and C405, which was first used by bat manufacture Worth in 1996. Most bat manufacturers continue to use C405 in their premium models.
The Middle Years
In 2000, Alcoa introduced C555, which was the first aluminum alloy the company developed exclusively for bats. It is a blend of Scandium and other metals and is reported to be up to 10 per cent stronger than C405. This meant bats could be designed with even thinner walls while also enhancing their durability. Around this time, Alcoa also developed the Scandium XS alloy for exclusive use in the Louisville Slugger aluminum bat. This alloy has double the amount of Scandium of any other alloy on the market, which means it is incredibly strong and durable, while also being flexible. Alcoa further improved on Scandium XS by developing Gen1X in partnership with Louisville Slugger. This aluminum alloy is reported to be the strongest and most durable ever created for use in bats. It is the first to measure over 100ksi -- the standard measurement of bat strength -- achieved through a combination of aluminum, zinc, copper, zirconium, magnesium and traces of titanium. Like Scandium XS, Gen1X is available exclusively for use in Louisville Slugger bats.
Current Models
According to the Alcoa website, the company announced in 2006 that it had signed a multiyear contract to supply specialty aluminum drawn tube for Nike's premium aluminum baseball bat range. This includes the Aero Torque and Aero Strobe baseball bats, both of which are made with Alcoa's C555 and C855 aluminum alloys. These alloys were adapted from an alloy the company originally developed for the aerospace industry and are strong, crack-resistant and lightweight, which Alcoa says allows for greater hitting power.
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