Alcoa

In 1886, Charles Martin Hall , a graduate of Oberlin College ( Ohio ), almost simultaneously with the Frenchman Paul Erou (Paul Héroult), discovered the process of aluminum melting. Hall came to the conclusion that by electrolysis of the cryolite-alumina melt, aluminum can be obtained as a by-product. This technology, known as the Hall-Eru process , is today the only technology for the industrial production of aluminum and is used worldwide.

At that time, there were less than 10 aluminum plants in the USA and Europe. In 1887, Hall signed an agreement to use his technology at the Electric Smelting and Aluminum Company plant in Lokport ( eng. , New York). The technology was not introduced into production, and a year later Hall left the plant. In 1888, Hall together with Alfred Hunt founded the Pittsburgh Reduction Company , launching an experimental aluminum plant in Smallman Street in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania. In 1891, the company expanded and opened new production in New Kensington ( Pennsylvania ). In 1895, a third plant opened at Niagara Falls . By 1903, while Hall's patents were in force, the company became the only legitimate supplier of aluminum in the United States.

The company was renamed the Aluminum Company of America (“Aluminum Company of America”) in 1907. In 1910, the abbreviated name Alcoa was assigned to two districts where the main production facilities of the company were located (today one of the places was renamed), and in 1990 Alcoa was adopted as the official name of the company ^[4] .

Under President Franklin Roosevelt, the US Department of Justice charged Alcoa with illegal monopolization of the market. After a four-year trial, a judge at the US Court of Appeals for the Second District of Lörned Hand decided that the monopoly is illegal at all, even if the company's affairs are otherwise unconditional. This has become an important judicial precedent in the development of antitrust laws . ^[five]

In 2001, Alcoa formed a strategic alliance with the Chinese aluminum company Chalco , the largest aluminum producer in the country ^[6] . September 12, 2007 Alcoa sold its share.

In 2004, the company's fine chemicals division was sold to the Rhône Group , which then changed its name to Almatis, Inc.

In 2005, Alcoa began construction of Alcoa Fjarðaál , a primary aluminum smelter plant in Iceland - its first built steel production in the last 20 years, despite strong criticism from local and international non-governmental organizations regarding the controversial project to build a dam for electricity and meet the needs of the plant. Alcoa also has already completed or in some cases continues to implement projects to expand primary aluminum production in Brazil, Jamaica and Pinjarra (Western Australia).

In 2006, the corporation moved its headquarters from Pittsburgh to New York. Although the company's headquarters is located in New York, the company's operating headquarters are still located in the Corporate Center in Pittsburgh. The company employs approximately 2,000 people in the Corporate Center in Pittsburgh and 60 people in the main office in New York.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland), Alcoa was recognized as one of the three most sustainably developing corporations in the world.

In May 2007, Alcoa offered Alcan , a former subsidiary, to buy out a controlling stake for $ 27.93 billion in order to merge two companies into the world's largest aluminum producer. Alcan did not respond to the offer, and later in July 2007 announced a friendly takeover by Rio Tinto ^{[7] [8]} .

The Packaging and Consumer Business Unit (Packaging and Consumer Business) was sold in the first quarter of 2008.

On May 8, 2008, Klaus Kleinfeld was appointed CEO of Alcoa, replacing Alan Belda in this position. On April 23, 2012, after the planned retirement of A. Beld, the board of directors of the company elected K. Kleinfeld as its chairman.

On November 1, 2016, Alcoa split into two companies: Alcoa Corporation, which mines and produces aluminum, and Arconic , which produces products from aluminum and other metals. ^[9]

As of February 12, 2007, the company's market capitalization was $ 28.2 billion. In early February 2007, it was reported that the British-Australian mining company BHP Billiton and the Australian company Rio Tinto are considering the issue of buying Alcoa. The amount of the transaction can be up to $ 40 billion ^[10] .

President and CEO of the company - Klaus Kleinfeld ( Klaus Kleinfeld ).

Alcoa companies are located in 31 countries. The company operates at all major stages of industrial production: technology, mining, refining, smelting, processing, recycling. Revenue from the mining and processing of aluminum and alumina accounts for three-quarters of Alcoa’s total revenue. Other areas of the company are precision casting and fasteners used in industry and aviation. The company manufactures aluminum structures, siding , cast aluminum products, including rims for cars, as well as aluminum. The company's products are used in industry, aircraft, automotive, commercial transport, packaging, construction, oil and gas and defense industries.

The number of personnel of the company is 61 thousand people (2012). The company's revenue in 2011 was $ 24.4 billion, net profit - $ 0.094 billion.

The Alcoa company has been operating in Russia since 1993 ^[11] . The representative office is located in Moscow.

In 2005, the company included two large aluminum processing plants ^[12] : Samara Metallurgical Plant (since 2009 - Alkoa SMZ CJSC) ^[13] ) and Belokalitva Metallurgical Production Association (in the city of Belaya Kalitva, Rostov Region ), CJSC "Alcoa Metallurg Rus"). They were purchased from Russian Aluminum for $ 257 million. ^[14] In July 2007, Belokalitvinsky Metallurgical Production Association OJSC was reorganized by merging with Alcoa Metallurg Rus (AMR) ^[15] .

CJSC Alcoa SMZ produces sheet-rolling, press and forging and stamping products: rolls, including canned tape (body, key, roof), canning tape, painted tape, sheets, profiles, panels, pipes, stamping and forgings, including including large ^[16] .

CJSC Alcoa Metallurg Rus produces sheet-rolling, pressing and forging and stamping products: sheets, plates, panels; profiles, rods, pipes, stampings, forgings, aluminum dishes with non-stick coating, aluminum mat dishes, special aluminum dishes (flasks, cans, etc.) under the brand “Kalitva” using technologies and non-stick coatings from DuPont and Akzo Nobel .

The number of Alcoa employees in Russia is 5,300 (2012).

The president of Alcoa Russia is Maxim Smirnov , appointed to this position in May 2012 ^[17] .

• The official website of the company Alcoa.
• The official website of the company Alcoa in Russia.