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message from alan cransberg, managing director, alcoa of australia

Tough start to the year

The start to 2012 has been a challenging one for Alcoa globally with announcements in January about permanently closing a smelter in the United States and cutting smelter production in Italy and Spain. Then on 8 February we announced a review of the future viability of our Point Henry smelter in Victoria. As you can imagine this has been a very tough message to hear, especially for our people in Geelong. In that week I met with as many of our Point Henry smelter employees as I could during two full days of intensive briefing sessions with staff and crews. The current global economic conditions are severely impacting our industry and a combination of factors including metal prices, input costs and exchange rates have resulted in our Point Henry smelter becoming unprofitable. You will have noticed a number of other Australian smelting facilities (owned by Rio and Hydro) are also having their future reviewed or have announced cutbacks.

The current economic situation, particularly with the high Australian dollar, means things aren’t going to get any easier for our business here in Australia, so we are absolutely focused on continuing to make our plants the safest and most competitive in the world.

Celebrating 30 years

This year marks a milestone for Alcoa – for 30 years we have been in partnership with Greening Australia (GA). This is the longest running corporate and environmental NGO partnership in Australia. Alcoa was GA’s founding partner and we remain their most important corporate partner today. For 30 years we’ve been transforming landscapes across WA, Victoria and NSW and restoring and replenishing the environment. We’ll be working with the GA team this year to formally acknowledge the anniversary and reflect on the wonderful achievements and memories from the last three decades.

We have a busy year ahead of us with plenty to achieve in difficult economic circumstances, but I know we have great capability to get it done.

part of our everyday lives

miracle metal shines at sculpture by the sea
It’s light weight, endlessly recyclable, resistant to corrosion and aesthetically stunning: a few of the reasons aluminium featured in eight artworks at this year’s Sculpture by the Sea at Cottesloe in Western Australia.

our business

rising from the sand – the ma’aden alcoa project
In December 2009 Alcoa signed a partnership agreement with Ma’aden for the development of a world class bauxite mine, alumina refinery, aluminium smelter and rolling mill in Saudi Arabia. Once completed the Ma’aden Alcoa Project will be one of the lowest cost, fully integrated aluminium complexes in the world.

part of the solution

Celebrating the Swan River Trust Alcoa Landcare program 2012 awards
The Swan River Trust Alcoa Landcare Program (SALP) provides funds for community groups (or local government working with community groups) involved in on-ground revegetation and rehabilitation projects in the Swan region of Western Australia.

partnering stronger communities

alcoa foundation advancing sustainability in australia
An important aspect of Alcoa’s presence in Victoria is our partnership program through which we aim to build community strength and resilience.

our people

prestigious award for john cornell
Congratulations to John Cornell, Senior Technologist with Alcoa’s Technology Delivery Group (TDG) based at the Kwinana refinery, Western Australia, who was presented with a Distinguished Service Award from the Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Society Inc., for his contribution to microscopy in Australia.



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