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Please Join Us
To share our progress toward sustainability and gain feedback from our stakeholders, we have scheduled the First Annual Meeting of the Warrick Operations Community Advisory Board (CAB) is scheduled for Monday, April 10th at 6:00 p.m. in the Castle High School Auditorium. At this meeting, we will review our recent performance and share our strategies for future improvements. The event will also include a feedback opportunity so that we can capture and understand your ideas and issues.
At Alcoa, we define sustainability as using our Values to build financial success, environmental excellence, and social responsibility through partnerships in order to deliver long-term benefits to our shareowners, employees, customers, suppliers, and the communities in which we operate.
Warrick Operations first established the CAB in 2000 to provide advice about Alcoa's social commitment to the community. Recently, we have used the group to discuss and give feedback on other business issues. This public meeting will provide an opportunity to share information with and get feedback from a larger and even more diverse group.
An opportunity to network with our business leaders and CAB members over food and drink will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the presentation beginning at 6:00 p.m. While the meeting is open to anyone who wants to attend, we do ask that you RSVP to Becky Richardson at 812-853-4202 or becky.richardson@alcoa.com, so that we may properly plan for the event.
We look forward to seeing you on the 10th, and thank you in advance for your interest.
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Auditors Certify Environmental and Quality Systems
Early March found independent, third-party auditors from BSI, Inc. reviewing systems, checking records and talking to employees as part of a semi-annual process to maintain ISO certification of both Environmental and Quality Management Systems at Warrick Operations. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created certifications that signify compliance with rigorous standards established by an international, non-governmental organization. The audits assess the policies, procedures, records, and systems to ensure effective management of issues.
Warrick received ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems standards certification in August 2004. Certification specifies how a plant manages the impact of its activity on the environment and utilizes sound environmental practices, and brings benefits such as opportunities for waste reduction and continued regulatory compliance; reduction in potential liabilities; heightened employee environmental awareness; and widely distributed environmental accountability as a result of the certification and the audits.
The auditors reviewing the ISO 14001 systems have repeatedly remarked about the size of the Warrick facility and the effective way that the employees dedicate themselves to managing the production systems to minimize environmental impact. Those at the plant in March recommended continued certification and found four minor non-conformances, including: paperwork in the Environmental Excursion or Event system that had not been updated with work done to resolve them; approval of the new chemical approval form and setting of a retention time for it; recommended recalibration of a flow meter; and improved management of the contractor office and equipment yard.
Since 1995, Warrick Operations has also been ISO 9000 Quality System certified. The auditors at the plant in March were impressed with the operating employees' comfort and knowledge of our production systems. They did find two opportunities for improvement including continued education of operators regarding their role in impacting quality and the overall business and providing better linkage of Alcoa Business System documents to the formal quality system. The auditors recommended that the plant be re-certified for three years with audits occurring every six months during that time.
"Meeting the ISO standards requires relentless effort by employees to be knowledgeable about the work they are doing and how it impacts the safety of their co-workers, our environment, and our product quality," said Ann Whitty, Vice President and General Manager for Warrick Operations. "Being proactive and creating a strong level of understanding significantly increases the level of protection we can offer to employees, the community and our customers."
Visit www.iso.org if you're interested in learning more about the international ISO certification process.
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Alcoa and the United Steelworkers of America Contract Update
Warrick Operations is one of 15 Alcoa locations covered by a Master Contract with the United Steelworkers of America (USW). The current five-year contract covers approximately 9000 workers and is set to expire this May 31st. The two sides are scheduled to meet beginning May 18th in St. Louis to begin negotiations on a new contract.
Alcoa has established a website to provide information regarding the status of the negotiations, the state of the industry, and the challenges we all face. If you would like to learn more about these issues or receive updates on the negotiations, please visit www.alcoanegotiations.com.
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Tri-State Employers Focus On Safety
Major employers from across the Tri-State participated in a safety School hosted by Alcoa Warrick Operations on Thursday, March 9th at The Centre in downtown Evansville. The annual event planned by the Warrick Plant Safety and Health Steering Committee brought together 350 participants for educational opportunities on issues such as Ergonomics, Hand and Finger Injuries, and Electrical Safety in addition to classes for off-the-job safety issues such as Defensive Driving and Emergency Preparedness.
Steve Borkowski, Safety Manager for Warrick Operations Primary Metals, said "Bringing together businesses from across the region to focus on safety is a great way to share best-practices and learn from each other about how to keep our employees safe in the workplace. The Safety School provided a great opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to our highest priority - the safety of our employees."
Joining the Alcoa employees at the day-long training session were representatives from Alcan, Aleris/TSISC, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CMS, FES Systems, Fluor, MBCI, Safety Compliance Associates, the Town of Newburgh, Toyota, USI, Vectren and Vigo Coal.
While many of the classroom presenters were Alcoa employees, others came from the American Red Cross, Indiana State Police, Norfolk Southern, Star One Consulting, Toyota, Vanderburgh County Building Commission, the United Steelworkers of America, Vectren and the Warrick County Sheriff's Department.
"Employees from across the plant appreciated the opportunity to participate in the Alcoa Safety School," said Bill Moore, Co-Chairperson of the Plant Safety and Health Steering Committee. "This school gives us an opportunity to reach more people than would be ordinarily possible, and we know that increasing the expertise of our safety leaders at work and in their every day lives goes a long way to enhancing the overall safety of our plant."
The Plant Safety and Health Steering Committee has existed as a joint committee between Alcoa and the USWA Local 104 since the first metal was poured at Warrick. The group is responsible for addressing safety issues across the plant and leading initiatives to provide continuous improvement to the health and safety of the Warrick Operations employees.
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Warrick Operations Hosts Alcoa University
The week of March 13th, the Alcoa Operations Management Consulting group brought 24 Alcoa employees from across the world to participate in the Alcoa University. The week-long event is designed to increase the understanding and working knowledge of the Alcoa Business System (ABS) - the way that we manage our business to drive continuous improvements in cost, quality, time and safety.
One of the three Warrick Operations employees to attend, Glenn Miller, Warrick Controller, said, "the experience was very rewarding with significant time in the classroom learning a variety of skills. Then we implemented what we learned in kaizen events around the plant where we observed processes and looked for improvement opportunities. I've already found ways to apply what I learned to my daily job."
The group conducted kaizen events (continuous improvement opportunities) in the Cold Mill, Super Slitter and Pack/Ship. Their results have laid the ground work for future improvements, or kaizens.
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Warrick Power Plant Project Update
As spring approaches, the Warrick Power Plant Strategic Environmental Project is gaining steam with relocation of underground utilities and preparation for the first mass concrete pour. If the weather holds, plans are set to lay the foundation for the stack for Units 1, 2 and 3 beginning at midnight on April 15. For approximately 12 hours, 25 trucks every hour will bring in 3000 yards of concrete for the project.
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Educational Talent Search visits Warrick
Students from Harrison, North and Central High Schools in Evansville visited Warrick Operations on March 9th as part of the Educational Talent Search program designed to encourage students to further their education after high school. The students observed production work, mechanical and electrical work, in addition to technical, engineering and process control system positions.
Tedra Little, Community Coordinator for Educational Talent Search, remarked, "the students were surprised at the size of the plant and the amount of material that is recycled rather than wasted. They especially liked hearing the personal stories of the employees and how Alcoa gives people the chance to move up through apprenticeships and other educational opportunities paid for by the company. They now realize that what they are doing today can translate into a great job tomorrow."
A special thanks to Jeff France for organizing the visit and to Ed Wynn and Bob Martin for their assistance in the tour and their personal stories of why and how they furthered their education after high school.
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Employee Safety Rewarded With Weather Radios
The November 2005 tornado that ripped through the tri-state impacted more than 50 Alcoa employees and retirees. Today, just the hint of severe weather sends us all to our televisions to track the storms and prepare to take action. Alcoa employees now have another tool to warn them that severe weather is approaching. In recognition of record-setting safety performance in 2005, all Warrick Operations' employees have been given NOAA weather radios to help keep them and their families alert in the event of severe weather. The next time Mother Nature strikes in the middle of the night, she will find Alcoa employees well-prepared.
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