Aluminum maker Alcoa says it has developed new alloys and engineering techniques that will give it a chance to compete against the non-aluminium parts increasingly used by aeroplane makers.
Big planes have used aluminum for their skin and other parts for decades. But Boeing's new 787 uses a carbon fibre composite, and the new A350 planned by Airbus will, too.
"The decisions made in the past decade to build the first composite-intensive aircraft was a huge wake-up call for us," said Mick Wallis, the Alcoa executive in charge of the company's aerospace sheet and plate aluminium products, on Thursday. He said that made sense at the time, but aluminium technology had advanced since then.
The company said the new improvements were targeted at short-range aircraft.
Aircraft makers have long lead times in making design decisions, so it is likely to be years before Alcoa's new aluminium takes to the sky.
Boeing Co is weighing possible future replacements for its 737 and large, long-range 777.
John Byrne, the company's director of aircraft materials and structures for commercial aeroplanes, said Boeing kept an eye on advances in materials but no decisions had been made about materials for future products.
He said Boeing was "delighted to hear about the investments and advances Alcoa and other raw-material suppliers are making".