Australia: off to a great start
At a youth club near Alcoa's mining operations in Western Australia, young go-kart racers Bradley Harris, Neil Harris and Corey Gianatti get safety tips from Alcoa volunteer Rob Ingpen and club official Allan Bassett. Alcoa's community support here extends to many partnership activities, including the establishment of a local library, sharing Alcoa safety expertise with schools, and employee volunteer programs with local emergency teams.
Smelter Production Down
Power shortages in the U.S. and Brazil reduced Alcoa’s smelter production by 316,000 metric tons per year (mtpy), or 7.6% of total capacity, in 2001. In Washington State, Alcoa idled the 270,000-mtpy Ferndale (Intalco) smelter (61% Alcoa-owned) and its 220,000-mtpy Wenatchee smelter following agreements with local power utilities. The agreements helped resolve power shortages and include provisions compensating for employees’ wages and benefits.
As part of a nationwide energy rationing program in Brazil, Alcoa Aluminio’s 90,000-mtpy Poços de Caldas smelter and the 370,000-mtpy Alumar smelter in São Luis both cut production twice in 2001, reducing output by a total of 50% and 25%, respectively. Rationing was lifted in northern Brazil in January 2002, and Alumar expects to be operating at capacity by the end of March. Power curtailments continue in southeastern Brazil, but improved operations enabled Poços de Caldas to increase production from 50% to 75% of its nameplate capacity.
Capacity also was affected by failure of the generating station at the 300,000-mtpy Warrick, Ind. smelter in December 2001. The smelter lost two-thirds of its capacity.
Hotel Chain Chooses Alcoa
AC Hotels, one of the largest five-star hotel chains in Spain, chose Alcoa Arquitectura as a supplier for its high-quality products, technical support, and quick delivery. AC Hotels plans to open 30 more hotels in Spain and to expand internationally in 2002.
GM Thinks Big
Covered with expanses of glass and aluminum the size of 34 football fields, the tower of General Motors’ new Vehicle Engineering Center is the focal point for its 640-acre, $250-million Technical Center in Warren, Mich. The two custom curtain wall systems that form the facade were designed by Kawneer, an Alcoa business. The building also includes Alcoa Cladding Systems’ Reynobond® aluminum composite panels.
A Promising Introduction
Blessed by a Shinto priest at a dedication ceremony in April, a new Alcoa forged aluminum wheel plant in Joetsu City, Japan, rolled its first pallet of commercial vehicle wheels off the line in October. Japanese customers have welcomed the new wheels. More than 53% of the wheels seen at the 2001 Tokyo Truck Show were Alcoa forged aluminum wheels.
New Neighbor
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ new Heinz Field football stadium includes $600,000 worth of architectural aluminum products from Kawneer. Fans enter club seats and luxury suites through different types of Kawneer doors, and club lounge occupants can view the city of Pittsburgh through an aluminum-framed glass curtain wall.
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Juán Carreño Campos, Alicante Spain
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