With such an intense focus on the auto industry and the launch of the Ford F-150, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture: that aluminum as a whole is used many different types of manufacturing all over the world. From that perspective, the momentum is as strong — if not more — than the microcosm of the auto industry. CNBC recently highlighted this in a report, and the outlook is very positive.

From CNBC:

As sentiment turns increasingly bullish towards aluminum amid a backdrop of tight supply, analysts say the once-shunned base metal is finally at a turning point.

The metal has been trading near seventeen-month highs above $2,000 per ton in recent weeks and entered a bull market in late July, up more than 20 percent since a 2014 low of $1,677 in February.

“We’re probably now at a point where the aluminum market may be turning and that has everything to do with supply shutting down in China and as supply-demand re-balances across the entire industry,” Gaurav Sodhi, resources analyst at Intelligent Investor, told CNBC on Thursday.

For a more detailed look at the world aluminum market, including the impact of recent movement in the Chinese manufacturing industry, see CNBC’s full article.

The launch of the new Ford F-150 (AKA our favorite topic over the past year or so) was the biggest step towards mainstream usage of aluminum in by auto manufacturers. While the unveiling was met with a mix of excitement, curiosity, and skepticism, the reviews wound up showing that Ford made the right choice. Now, the popular opinion has changed — rather than the F-150 being Ford’s giant gamble, automakers around the world see it as a critical choice that will change the industry. From the Detroit Free Press:

By 2025, 18% of all vehicles will have all-aluminum bodies, up from less than 1% now, according to a recent report from Ducker Worldwide.

The industry is now engaged in a conversation about the pratfalls and possible solutions of using aluminum on a high-volume vehicle. The challenges are being solved with new ways of joining aluminum and steel, manufacturing with speed and efficiency, crashworthiness and repairability, cost and consumer acceptance.

Ducker forecasts that next-decade aluminum will be used for 75% of the panels and parts on pickups, 24% of large cars, 22% of SUVs and 18% of minivans.

The F-150 is an industry catalyst, said Gary Silberg, national auto industry leader at KPMG. “They’re figuring it out. People are studying it and making it a reality.”

From questionable decision to industry catalyst — the F-150 has come a long way since its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show, and it hasn’t even gone on public sale yet. But in the coming months, people will be able to find out for themselves. Chances are, they’ll be just as impressed as the rest of the industry.