Innovation News Technologies for the Future Alcoa continues to use its deep capabilities in research, development, and applied engineering to create and refine new manufacturing tech- nologies and to develop innovative processes and products. For years Alcoa has used propri- etary design technologies to enable new alloy and process development. Today processes are collapsed and streamlined to their fundamentals – across businesses ranging from primary operations to flat-rolled products to extrusions – to create innovative solutions which meet market needs through the develop- ment of new end-use applications for products and services. Integrated Alcoa teams are working together to find and capitalize on material, design, and manufacturing options that reduce costs and time to market, while improving overall prod- uct and environmental performance. Less Is More Fridge Pack^™, a long, slender paper- board package for aluminum bever- age cans, drew rave reviews from consumers and a 10% rise in sales in Coca-Cola test markets. Developed by Alcoa Rigid Packaging and River- wood International, the new design fits both crowded refrigerator shelves Environmental Leader Alcoa Shanghai has a growing repu- tation for advanced environmental, health, and safety (EHS) systems. In 2001, its first year of participation in China’s National Health & Safety Cup Award competition, it was selected as one of 27 companies in Shanghai with top-tier performance. In 2002, the city of Shanghai presented it as one of 18 regional companies to be recognized nationally for the award, and the Minhang Develop- ment Zone exempted it from monthly environmental inspections. The facility also was the only factory cited for EHS practices by both the National Light Industry Association and the Shanghai Economic Commit- tee, while the Shanghai Electric Co. asked that Alcoa Shanghai train its senior managers in health and safety management systems. New Corporate Goal Alcoa established a new corporate recycling usage goal: by 2020, 50% of its products, except raw ingot sold directly to others, will be made from recycled aluminum. Aluminum has proved itself – 440 million tons of the 680 million tons produced since 1886 are still in use. Among the ways the company will achieve its goal are customer scrap buybacks, increased recycling of aluminum products that have reached the end of their useful life, alloy development, and changes in scrap processing technology. and doors, allowing more cans to be chilled. A unique opening feature dispenses cans at the front of the box. Australia has a FridgeMate, European beverage fillers are testing a version, and Pepsi-Cola is testing an 8-can package in the southern U.S. Huck’s Solutions Huck Fasteners continued to introduce products that enhance the performance of entire assem- blies. Huck shaping technology is incorporated in its new U-Spin^™ bolt, which combines the exacting clamp of a Huckbolt^® with a U-bolt configuration, resulting in speedy four-at-once capability with precise equal clamp on each leg. Level load- ing means superior joint life and no retightening. Other new solutions to customer needs include the BuzzBolt^™/ BuzzNut^™and smaller- diameter Huck-Spin^® Fasteners. Ingenious Foil! Alcoa Consumer Products introduced the biggest innovation in aluminum foil since 1947: Reynolds Wrap^® Release^® Non-Stick Aluminum Foil, coated with a proprietary food-safe, non-stick surface. The Marketing Intelligence Service, which tracks new products worldwide, gave the foil its innovation rating, granted only to products that offered “breakthrough features or benefits.” Alcoa has successfully launched the product in the U.S. and Canada, as well as BacoFoil^® Release^™ Non-Stick Aluminum Foil in the U.K. In-store placement of Release in the U.S. exceeded industry averages, with 89% distribution within eight weeks of the initial shipment. Closures for Every Need Alcoa CSI introduced several new closures. In Japan, CSI is providing products that offer higher perform- ance, including AS-Lok^® for aseptic filling, PS-Lok^® for hot-fill applica- tions, and in early 2003, GS-Lok^® News 2002 Barbara Stevens, Marrinup, Western Australia Estela Nu˜nez, Wheaton, Illinois, USA 22