21 November, 2007
Eastman, GA: From the first aluminum siding developed in the 1950’s to Reynobond® with Kevlar®, the newest addition to the Reynobond® family, Alcoa Architectural Products has long been recognized for its innovative achievements in the field of metal cladding products. Now, the people behind Alcoa’s research & development and production facilities have been recognized for their philanthropic efforts on behalf of the Eastman, Georgia community Alcoa Architectural Products calls home by the Eastman-Dodge County Area Chamber of Commerce and The Alcoa Foundation.
The Eastman-Dodge County Area Chamber of Commerce has named Alcoa Architectural Products as The 2007 Eastman-Dodge Business of the Year. One of the few Fortune 100 companies with facilities in the Central Georgia Area, Alcoa Architectural Products has enjoyed a revenue growth of over 200% since 2003. In 2006 alone, two new products were introduced to the market and the workforce increased by almost 30%. At the same time, Alcoa Architectural Products initiated a new community out-reach effort.
“Alcoa Architectural Products has demonstrated a unique commitment to our community,” said Larry Stevenson, chair of the Dodge County Chamber of Commerce, “In addition to the countless hours Alcoa employees have dedicated to community service projects and generous donations, Alcoa Architectural Products has put Eastman and Dodge County on the map for Hi-Tech Research and Development. We’re very proud that Reynobond® with Kevlar® and Aluplate ™ were researched and developed here in Eastman.” Reynobond® with Kevlar® is a new twist on the durable architectural panel system designed to withstand wind-borne debris and hurricane wind speeds of up to 130 mph. Aluplate™ is a lightweight, high performance material that combines a high strength aluminum alloy with an extruded thermoplastic core designed as an alternative to steel utilized in the transportation industry.
In 2006, Alcoa Architectural Products’ employees volunteered over 420 hours to a variety of community efforts. Helping to landscape the Eastman Boys & Girls Club facility and supervise after school programs and activities; installing 3500+ feet of safety cover on a chain link fence around the youth baseball fields and playgrounds at the Eastman Dodge Recreation Center; partnering with high school members of the Future Farmers of America to construct a shelter on the playground of South Dodge Elementary School; and working with the Dodge County Volunteer Fire Department, the City of Eastman; the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce and The Middle Georgia East Seals. A $19,000 grant awarded to Middle Georgia Easter Seals will provide funding for the construction of a greenhouse capable of supporting horticultural programs for both disabled and non-disabled people within a five county area.
“Alcoa’s corporate philosophy places great emphasis on our responsibility to act as a philanthropic leader within our community by supporting local initiatives and scholarships through financial contributions, volunteerism and as an active participant in developing community policy issues,” said Cyndi Rogers, director of marketing for Alcoa.
Architectural Products. “Last year, with the completion of a community survey, we identified education as the community’s top priority, and are actively working with community leaders to develop new educational programs that will proactively address the area’s growing needs.” As part of its education initiative, Alcoa Architectural Products is championing a joint effort with Georgia Technical College and Dodge County Junior High School to develop a 2-year manufacturing apprentice program for High School Seniors. The company also awards $2,000 college scholarships to three outstanding graduating seniors to promote academic achievement, leadership and positive citizenship, and to encourage students to pursue an education beyond high school.
The Alcoa Foundation recently recognized their efforts when it named the Eastman, Georgia facility as the second place winner of the 2007 EPS Community Leadership Awards. Nine teams from six Alcoa facilities competed for additional grant money for their communities from the Alcoa Foundation based on their best practices, community relations strategies. “We have raised the bar and it is incredible,” said Bill Christopher, president of Alcoa Engineered Products & Solutions. “It’s exciting to see what a difference we can make in a community by marrying passion and engagement.”
Alcoa Architectural Products nominated the 21st Century Afterschool Program to receive a 2007 Alcoa Foundation grant. The program provides tutoring in math and the sciences for 190 at-risk students in grades 1 - 8 at three area elementary schools. Run in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, the year-round program is designed to help increase math and science scores on the Georgia Department of Education Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. The $15,000 award will help to provide essential funding for the program. “We’re thrilled that our work has been recognized by The Alcoa Foundation,” continued Rogers, “and even happier that the award will provided added funding for a program that’s so important to the future of our community.”
Established in 1952, to allocate funding to invest back into the communities where Alcoa operates, the Alcoa Foundation is a separately constituted, not-for-profit foundation with assets of approximately $534 million. Monies are dispersed through Action Grants, which encourage teams of Alcoa employees to volunteer on a community service projects; Bravo Grants, which recognize the volunteer efforts of individual Alcoa employees; Disaster Relief Grants, which assist communities recovering from natural/environmental disasters; and Alcoa Foundation Large and Small Grants, which provide funding for community projects. In 2006, Alcoa Foundation awarded over $26 million in grants around the world in 215 communities.
Alcoa Architectural Products wide span of products offers a complete range of exterior and interior cladding and corporate identity solutions. Architects and specifiers have found greater control over the finished appearance of their projects working with the Alcoa family of products, which includes innovative materials like Reynobond® Kevlar® in addition to classic Reynobond® ACM, Natural Metals, Reynolux® profiled panels, Flat Sheet and Coil. Alcoa Architectural Products is a business unit of Alcoa, the world’s leading producer of aluminum products. For more information about Alcoa’s complete line of products, please contact the Alcoa Architectural Products’ manufacturing plant at 1.800.841.7774 or http://www.alcoa.com/aap.
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