All about aluminium

29 December OSLO, Press Release	Self-sufficient showcase in Swiss Alps Self-sufficient with water and energy, thanks partly to Hydro’s Wicona-brand aluminium building systems, the new Monte Rosa Hut is accepting guest reservations for its first winter in the Swiss Alps. Monte Rosa Hut is built on stainless-steel foundations with a spiral interior completely made of wood. Its exterior is covered with an aluminium shell, which sparkles in the sun. Everything appears postcard perfect. But the road was not easy.
28 December OSLO, Press Release	Hydro presence in Qatar tech park shines a light on aluminium Since Hydro established a presence in Qatar Science & Technology Park, Tormod Bjørk, a senior vice president in the Technology organization of the Primary Metal business area, has determinedly represented Hydro from a ‘novice’ office of 45 square meters. Now, he plans to join the major league.
23 December MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces acceptance of offer from Amcor for the majority of Alcan Packaging businesses Rio Tinto announced today that it has accepted the offer by Amcor for the sale of the Alcan Packaging global pharmaceuticals, global tobacco, food Europe and food Asia divisions, following completion of the required Works Councils consultations.
23 December MOSCOW, Press Release	ARMENAL produces over 20,000 tpa of thin foil for first time in history UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces that, for the first time since its commissioning, the ARMENAL foil mill produced and sold over 20,000 tpa of aluminium foil, nearly twice as much as last year.
21 December FERNDALE, Washington, Press Release	Alcoa, BPA Reach Power Supply Accord for Intalco Smelter Helping Secure 528 Jobs Alcoa and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) have reached an agreement to provide power for the Intalco aluminum smelter in Ferndale, Washington. The agreement will help secure 528 jobs at the facility, along with the associated economic benefits to the local and regional economy.
21 December OSLO, Press Release	Qatalum’s first metal — «A great achievement» On December 20 the first cell in Qatalum started production of primary aluminium. Qatalum is being built in Mesaieed, Qatar, and is an equal joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro.
17 December MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL presents its unique technology to RUSNANO head UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, presented its unique aluminium production technology based on the use of inert anodes to Anatoly Chubais, head of the state-owned Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO). The head of RUSNANO visited the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter and a pilot area of RUSAL’s Engineering and Technology Centre in Krasnoyarsk. As part of the visit, the management of the two companies discussed possible cooperation in the inert anode project.
15 December MOSCOW, Press Release	The Khakas Aluminium Smelter: 750,000 tonnes in three years after commissioning UC RUSAL, the world’s largest producer of aluminium and alumina, announces the third anniversary of the Khakas smelter’s operations, which have produced over 750,000 mt of aluminium since the start-up. Ninety-nine per cent of this output are high metal grades.
14 December CLEVELAND, Press Release	Novelis Introduces Sustainable Aluminum Solutions for Architects, Engineers and Industrial Designers Novelis, the global leader in aluminum rolled products and aluminum can recycling, has introduced a new aluminum sheet product with a minimum of 70 percent post-consumer recycled content to meet the environmental sustainability requirements of architects, engineers and industrial designers. The new Novelis recycled aluminum products for green solutions are being offered by the Specialty Products Group of Novelis in North America
11 December NEW YORK, Press Release	Alumar Alumina Refinery Expansion Dedicated Alcoa has inaugurated the expansion of the Alumar alumina refinery in northern Brazil, where capacity more than doubled from 1.5 million metric tons per year (mtpy) to 3.6 million mtpy. Alcoa’s share of the expansion will be 1.1 million mtpy. The expansion capacity at the refinery will be in the first quintile of low cost alumina production globally.
8 December MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL announces appointment of independent non-executive directors to the Board UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium producer, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Elsie Leung Oi-Sie, GBM, JP and Mr Barry Cheung Chun-Yuen, JP as independent non-executive directors to its Board of Directors.
3 December MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL signs comprehensive debt restructuring deal UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces that the company has signed all the necessary documents on the comprehensive restructuring of its debt of USD 16.8 bln. The signing of the restructuring deal reinforces the competitive position of the company and allows it to concentrate on implementing its new strategic objectives.
2 December OSLO, Press Release	Hydro divests rolling mill in Spain Hydro has entered into an agreement to divest its aluminium rolling mill in Irurtzun, Spain, to the German industrial holding company Bavaria Industriekapital AG.
1 December MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto completes sale of Alcan Composites Further to the announcement of 22 September, Rio Tinto has completed the sale of Alcan Composites, part of the Alcan Engineered Products division, to Schweiter Technologies for a total consideration of US$349 million
24 November DUSSELDORF, Press Release	Alcoa Executive Hails Aluminum’s Ability for Lightweight Automotive Design That Increases Fuel Efficiency and Reduces Emissions Aluminum’s ability to offer automotive manufacturers’ lightweight design solutions that increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions while contributing to performance, was the central theme of a presentation given by Dr.-Ing. Dietrich Wieser. Alcoa’s Director Business Development Ground Transportation Europe spoke at the European Aluminium Congress in Dusseldorf, Germany taking place November 23 and 24.
20 November NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa to Idle Smelting Operations in Italy While Appealing EC Ruling on Energy Tariff Alcoa announced it will temporarily idle production at its two aluminum smelters in Fusina and Portovesme, Italy. The curtailment is a result of uncertainty in obtaining future power supply for the smelters at competitive rates and the financial impact of today’s European Commission (EC) decision that Italy’s extension of the existing electricity tariff after 2005 did not comply with European Union (EU) state aid rules and that a portion of the benefit received by Alcoa must be refunded. Alcoa is appealing the decision.
17 November OSLO, Press Release	Wicona lands Spiegel project in Hamburg Hydro’s Wicona brand is going to deliver energy-saving aluminium building systems for Spiegel Group’s new headquarters in Hamburg. This is a prestigious project that will change the look of the city and its harbor area.
12 November OSLO, Press Release	Hydro opens recycling center at Alunorf plant Hydro, Europe’s leading aluminium company, today opened a new 50,000-tonne remelting facility at the Alunorf plant in Neuss, Germany. This brings Hydro’s total recycling capacity in Germany to 150,000 tonnes of high-quality aluminium and helps to reduce carbon emissions.
10 November FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., USA, Press Release	Kaiser Aluminum Corporation Reports Third Quarter and Year-to-Date 2009 Financial Results Kaiser Aluminum Corporation on October 28 reported net income of $23 million and earnings per diluted share of $1.14 for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009. Excluding the positive impact of approximately $30 million of pre-tax, non-run-rate items, adjusted net income was $5.5 million and earnings per diluted share were $0.27 for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.
5 November NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa to Rebuild, Enhance Forging Press in Cleveland Alcoa announced today that funding has been approved for the complete repair and refurbishment of its 50,000-ton forging press at the company’s Cleveland Works.
3 November ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Reports Higher Net Income for Second Fiscal Quarter on Improved Sales Across All Geographic Regions Novelis Inc., the world’s leading producer of aluminum rolled products, today reported net income attributable to its common shareholder of $195 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 ended September 30, 2009, a 36 percent increase over net income of $143 million reported for the immediately preceding first fiscal quarter. Second quarter net income for the current year compares to a net loss of $104 million reported for the same period a year ago.
3 November MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL and FGC UES sign an agreement to ensure safe operations of the Siberian energy network UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, and the Russian Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System (FGC UES) announced the signing of an agreement to ensure safe operations of the energy network in Siberia when the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP is decommissioned.
2 November MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL and NORINCO sign a contract for aluminium delivery UC RUSAL, the world’s largest producer of aluminium and alumina, and China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), one of China’s largest diversified corporations, announced the signing of a contract for aluminium delivery. Under the contract, UC RUSAL will supply 1,680,000 tonnes of its aluminium to NORINCO between 2010 and 2016.
2 November MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces new executive appointments in its Alumina Division UC RUSAL, the world’s largest producer of aluminium and alumina, announced the appointment of Andrey Pikhtovnikov, former head of the ‘East’ Production Department of the Alumina Division, as the new managing director of the Achinsk Alumina Complex. Yuri Ovchinnikov, its current managing director, has been appointed the managing director of the Nikolaev Alumina Refinery.
27 October MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces new executive appointments in its Aluminium Division RUSAL, the world’s largest producer of aluminium and alumina, has announced the appointment of Yuri Moisseev, former managing director of the Nadvoitsy aluminium smelter, as the new managing director of the Bogoslovsk aluminium smelter. Alexander Krasovitski, the current director of RUSAL Production Systems Department at RUSAL Krasnoyarsk is appointed to the position of managing director of the Nadvoitsy smelter, whilst Oleg Burkatski, former managing director of the Bogoslovsk aluminium smelter, will take over from Alexander Krasovitski as the new head of this department at the Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter.
16 October OSLO, Press Release	Hydro steps up aluminium recycling Roland Scharf-Bergmann joins Hydro to lead and support its common activities in aluminium recycling, an area in which Hydro is evaluating further investments.
15 October OSLO, Press Release	Hydro raises prices for standard rolled products to general engineering For all deliveries in Q1 2010, Hydro increases the base conversion price for all uncoated standard products supplied into the general engineering industry by 25 Euro per tonne with immediate effect.
14 October NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Executive Emphasizes Aluminum Advantages for Commercial Vehicle Market at SAE Conference Low weight aluminum offers real-world fuel economy and emissions benefits to manufacturers of commercial vehicles. That was the key message Todd Summe, Division Manager, Product Design & Development for Alcoa, told attendees at the SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering & Exhibition held last week in Illinois. Summe participated in a panel discussion on sustainability issues representing the Aluminum Association’s Aluminum Transportation Group.
14 October MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto releases third quarter 2009 operations review Rio Tinto has released its third quarter operational review. Chief executive Tom Albanese said: "We are seeing early signs of a recovery in some of our key markets, although we remain cautious about the near term outlook. Our businesses continue to operate efficiently: iron ore production set a new quarterly record, with shipments to China maintained at a high level. We also benefited from higher third quarter production at all of our copper operations compared with last year. Cost reductions continue apace and we have made considerable progress on divestments this quarter enabling us to further reduce net debt."
9 October OSLO, Press Release	Hydro joins aluminium research in Japan Hydro and several of Norway’s leading research organizations have agreed to collaborate with a Japanese university and technology institute in investigating some of the most demanding challenges related to aluminium alloys.
8 October WASHINGTON, Press Release	Alcoa Defense to Supply Aluminum Armor Kits to AM General Alcoa announced today that it will supply aluminum armor kit components for AM General’s Expanded Capacity High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. The aluminum kits increase vehicle occupant protection while improving the vehicle’s mobility, dependability and performance.
7 October NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Strengthens Cash Position and Returns to Profitability in Third Quarter Alcoa today announced third quarter 2009 income from continuing operations of $73 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to a loss from continuing operations of $312 million, or $0.32 per share, in the second quarter 2009. Income from continuing operations in the third quarter of 2008 was $306 million, or $0.37 per share. Excluding restructuring and special items, income for the third quarter 2009 was $39 million, or $0.04 per share.
5 October MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto completes sale of Jacobs Ranch Rio Tinto has completed the sale of its Jacobs Ranch coal mine to Arch Coal, Inc. for a cash consideration of US$764 million, which differs from the original price of US$761 million due to slight adjustments in the closing working capital balance.
5 October MOSCOW, Press Release	ARMENAL launches full-scale production of 7-micron foil UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces the launch of full-scale production of ultra thin 7-micron foil at its ARMENAL foil mill in Armenia. Between 2007 and 2009 the facility invested over USD 6 million in production development with most of the budget allocated to organise production of thin foils, which are the most popular in the global markets.
28 September OSLO, Press Release	Qatalum construction work 90 percent finished Most elements forming Qatalum, the large aluminium plant being constructed in Qatar, are now in place.
25 September NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Announces Third Quarter 2009 Dividend The Board of Directors of Alcoa (NYSE:AA) declared (a) a quarterly common stock dividend of 3 cents per share payable November 25, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 6, 2009 and (b) a quarterly dividend of 93.75 cents per share on Alcoa’s $3.75 cumulative preferred stock payable January 1, 2010 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 11, 2009. Alcoa has paid a quarterly dividend on its common stock for more than 60 years.
25 September OSLO, Press Release	Saving water — and money — at the Qatalum Village Saving water is a big deal at the Qatalum Village in Qatar. The Qatalum aluminium project is using the most advanced water management practices, reflecting its commitment to the environment. And the initiatives have yielded considerable cost savings. At full capacity, some 10,000 construction workers at the large aluminium plant being built in Mesaieed are using the services of the nearby Qatalum Village, such as electricity, water and catering.
24 September LONDON, Press Release	Rexam plans to close beverage can factory in France Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, announces that it has entered into negotiations with employee representatives to close its beverage can making plant in Dunkirk, France, to balance capacity in the European market.
23 September MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL commissions first complex of new casthouse at Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces commissioning of the first start-up complex of new Casthouse 3 at its Irkutsk aluminium smelter (IrkAZ). The company invested approximately USD 50 million in the expansion of IrkAZ casting facility and commissioning of its 1st line.
22 September MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto to sell Alcan Composites Rio Tinto has entered into an agreement to sell Alcan Composites, part of the Alcan Engineered Products division, to Schweiter Technologies for a total consideration of US$349 million. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year, following completion by the parties of various conditions precedent to closing, including regulatory processes and employee consultations.
22 September PITTSBURGH & YOUNGSTOWN, Press Release	Alcoa and Exal Combine Efforts to Promote Water Purification System New Technology to Be Unveiled at G-20 Summit Alcoa, the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, and Exal Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of specialized aluminum packaging, have joined together to help promote newly developed water purification technology set to be introduced prior to the G-20 Summit. The event will be held at the Carnegie Science Center starting at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, September 23.
17 September MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto Alcan Divests 56% of Cable division of Alcan Engineered Products Rio Tinto has taken the first step in divesting its downstream Alcan Engineered Products business by agreeing to the sale of 56 per cent of its Cable division to Platinum Equity. Rio Tinto Alcan will remain a key supplier of aluminium rod and molten aluminium to Cable’s plants in North America.
16 September OSLO, Press Release	Aluminium in front at IAA 2009 Most of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers are unveiling their newest models at the International Motor Show 2009 in Frankfurt. Hydro is right in front, delivering lightweight aluminium components and systems to many of these models.
16 September FRANKFURT, Press Release	Aluminium in front at IAA 2009 Most of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers are unveiling their newest models at the International Motor Show 2009 in Frankfurt. Hydro is right in front, delivering lightweight aluminium components and systems to many of these models.
15 September ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Selected as Sole Supplier of Aluminum Sheet for New Jaguar XJ Novelis announced today that it has been selected as the sole supplier of aluminum sheet for the all-new Jaguar XJ sedan. Like its predecessor, this redesigned version of Jaguar’s flagship vehicle features a lightweight structure and body panels made primarily of aluminum sheet
15 September NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa’s AWAC Opens Juruti Bauxite Mine in Brazil As part of Alcoa’s ongoing effort to continually move its global primary products operations down the cost curve, Alcoa today commissioned the opening of its new bauxite operations in Juruti, Brazil. The Juruti operations, which are part of the Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC) joint venture with Alumina Limited in which Alcoa holds a 60 percent share, consist of a port facility, a mine and a 50 kilometer rail system to the port. Initial output at the mine will ramp up to 2.6 million metric tons per year (mtpy).
14 September BEIJING & NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Bohai Sheet Business Inaugurated A significant milestone was reached today for Alcoa’s growth in China with the inauguration of Alcoa Bohai sheet business at its plant in Qinhuangdao, China. Alcoa China now has the capacity to produce the highest quality aluminum sheet for the printing, transportation, electronics and packaging industries.
11 September OSLO, Press Release	Solar power getting its place in the sun A large-scale solar energy farm that uses aluminium structures from Hydro is featured in the September issue of National Geographic magazine.
11 September NEW-YORK, Press Release	Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld Named Chairman of U.S.-Russia Business Council Alcoa announced today that President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld has been appointed Chairman of the U.S.-Russia Business Council (USRBC), effective September 25, 2009. Mr. Kleinfeld succeeds Neville Isdell, who is stepping down following his retirement as Chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company.
9 September OSLO, Press Release	White paper on aluminium extrusions for solar energy structures Hydro has issued a white paper examining aluminium’s emerging role in the solar energy area, especially the use of aluminium extrusions in concentrated solar power structures, marketed by the company’s Extrusion Americas sector.
8 September LONDON, Press Release	Rio Tinto exports its three billionth tonne of iron ore from its Australian operations Rio Tinto has reached the historic milestone of exporting three billion tonnes of iron ore from Australia, highlighting the exponential growth of the Pilbara since its first shipment of the essential steel-making ingredient in 1966.
7 September OSLO, Press Release	Technal supplies building systems for world’s tallest student accommodation Technal, one of Hydro’s building systems brands, is supplying aluminium glazing solutions for an £80m project in Leeds, U.K. that is the world’s tallest student accommodation building.
3 September OSLO, Press Release	On top of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes Hydro scores highest among aluminium companies in this year’s Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) ranking – for the fourth year in a row.
3 September OSLO, Press Release	Great interest in 'The Great, Green Building Debate' Tickets to 'The Great, Green Building Debate' in Trondheim Wednesday were as popular as a big-name rock concert. Hydro’s president and CEO, Svein Richard Brandtzæg talked about energy use in buildings to en enthralled group of students from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
3 September NEW-YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Re-Aligns Global Primary Products Business to Sustain and Accelerate Improvements, Seize Growth Opportunities Alcoa announced today a re-alignment of its Global Primary Products (GPP) business organization that will sustain and accelerate the many improvements the operations have made, and seize growth opportunities as the economy recovers.
3 September NEW-YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Named Component of Dow Jones Sustainability Index for Eighth Consecutive Year Alcoa announced today that it has been selected for the eighth consecutive year as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). The DJSI follow a best-in-class approach and include sustainability leaders from industries worldwide and serve as an important guide for investors to assess a company’s sustainability portfolio. Selection to the indices is based on a thorough analysis of a company’s economic, environmental and social performance. The company was once again named a component of the North American Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
1 September OSLO, Press Release	Audi again chooses Hydro’s aluminium structures Hydro has been asked to deliver the front crash management systems for one of Audi’s future high-volume models, underlining the company’s position as the leading global supplier of lightweight crash management components.
27 August MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL and RusHydro agree on major issues on launching Boguchanskaya HPP ahead of schedule RUSAL and RusHydro, the partners in the BEMO project, held an extended meeting to discuss the launching of the Boguchanskaya HPP, part of the BEMO project, ahead of schedule.
26 August MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL’s statement on RusHydro’s position In relation to RusHydro’s acting head Vasily Zubakin saying that after the accident RusHydro will find reasons to avoid fulfilling obligations under its contracts, RUSAL, as the largest consumer of energy generated by the Sayano-Shushenskaya Hydro Power Plant, issued a statement.
20 August MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces underlying earnings of $2.6 billion Rio Tinto announced its first-half results. Its underlying earnings slumped 54%.
18 August MELBOURNE, Press Release	Amcor offers to acquire parts of Alcan Packaging Amcor has offered to acquire parts of Alcan Packaging for US$2025 million from Rio Tinto. The Alcan Packaging businesses which Amcor has agreed to acquire include: Alcan Packaging Global Pharmaceuticals, Alcan Packaging Food Europe, Alcan Packaging Food Asia and Alcan Packaging Global Tobacco.
17 August MOSCOW, Prime- TASS	Accident at major Russian hydropower plant kills 7 people Seven people were killed and 11 people were injured in an accident that occurred early Monday at Russia’s Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower plant on the Yenisey River in the constituent republic of Khakasia, Dmitry Kudryavtsev, head of the Emergency Situations Ministry’s Siberian branch, told ITAR-TASS.
12 August MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP Billiton Results for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 Today BHP Billiton released its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2009. While Underlying EBIT decreased by 25.0 per cent to US$18,214 million, we generated record net operating cash flows (up six per cent to US$18,863 million). The outstanding cash flow result has allowed us to reduce our net debt to US$5,586 million and continue to invest strongly in our capital and exploration programs (US$10,735 million).
10 August MOSCOW, Prime TASS	Russia’s RUSAL may pay debts through IPO, cash flow Russian aluminum producer United Company RUSAL may repay a large part of its debts with funds raised from an initial public offering (IPO) scheduled within two years, the company said Monday citing Oleg Mukhamedshin, RUSAL’s director for capital markets.
6 August MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL CEO visits Guinea UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that Oleg Deripaska, RUSAL’s CEO, visited Guinea during his tour of the company’s production facilities. As part of the Guinea visit the head of RUSAL had a series of meetings with the management of the company’s operations in Guinea and representatives of local communities.
4 August MELBOURNE, Press Release	Jac Nasser To Be BHP Billiton Chairman — Don Argus To Retire In Early 2010 The BHP Billiton Board today announced that Jac Nasser will succeed Don Argus as Chairman when Mr Argus retires as Chairman and a Non-executive Director in early 2010.
3 August ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis First Quarter Pre-Tax Income of $273 Million Shows Significant Improvement over Previous Quarter Novelis Inc., a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, today reported pre-tax income of $273 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, which ended June 30, 2009. This represents a $211 million increase as compared to pre-tax income of $62 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009. Net income attributable to the company’s common shareholder was $143 million for the first quarter, a $159 million increase over the $16 million loss recorded in the previous quarter.
3 August LONDON, Press Release	Rexam to reduce beverage can capacity in Russia Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, announces that it is to cease making beverage cans and can ends at its Dmitrov plant near Moscow to address the continued weakness in the Russian beverage can market.
3 August OSLO, Press Release	L’Aquila project chooses Domal for reconstruction Hydro’s Domal brand will serve as an exclusive supplier of aluminium building systems for one of the projects to reconstruct L’Aquila, the medieval Italian city that was leveled in April from one of the deadliest earthquakes in its history.
31 July NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Completes Deal to Acquire Bauxite and Alumina Interests in Suriname Alcoa today announced that Alcoa World Alumina LLC has completed its previously announced transaction to acquire BHP Billiton’s bauxite and alumina refining interests in Suriname. Terms are not disclosed.
30 July MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL and Coordinating Committee agree terms of long-term restructuring UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, today announces that it has agreed the principal terms of a long-term debt restructuring with the Coordinating Committee which represents more than 70 international lenders. According to the agreement, RUSAL will settle its debt to international banks within seven years. The agreement puts RUSAL on a strong and stable financial footing and ensures that the business is capable of weathering the current economic environment.
30 July OSLO, Press Release	Hydro lands Bohn order for aluminium tubing Bohn Mexico, one of the best-known suppliers of refrigeration components in North America, has elected to replace its copper tubes with aluminium tubing from Hydro. The substitution of materials will affect about one-third of Bohn’s production of evaporators in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration market.
28 July NEW YORK & CHINA, Press Release	Alcoa Partners with CIMC in China to Develop Energy-Efficient, Sustainable Aluminum Fuel Tanker Trailer Alcoa and CIMC Vehicles (Shandong) Co., Ltd., a leading specialty truck manufacturer in China, announced today that they have formed a strategic partnership, to design and develop a new, energy-efficient, aluminum fuel tanker trailer for the Asian market. Kevin Kramer, President, Alcoa Growth Initiatives, and Xiaoxu Liu, General Manager CIMC Shandong, formalized the partnership in Jinan City, Shandong Province. Alcoa will apply its world-class design, engineering and manufacturing expertise with CIMC Shandong’s fabrication knowledge to produce the lightweight, environmentally-friendly tanker trailer.
27 July LINTHICUM, Press Release	Hydro Aluminum extruded frames selected for world’s first hybrid solar facility Hydro’s Extrusion Americas unit has signed an agreement with Florida Power & Light (FPL) to supply custom aluminum extrusions for the first hybrid solar/fossil fuel energy generating facility in the world. When it comes online in early 2010, the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center will produce 75MW. It will be the world’s second-largest solar plant and the largest outside of California.
23 July MONTEREY, Press Release	Century Aluminum Reports Second Quarter 2009 Results Century Aluminum Company reported a net loss of $33.9 million ($0.46 per basic and diluted share) for the second quarter of 2009. Reported second quarter results were negatively impacted by a charge of $9.2 million ($0.12 per basic and diluted share) related to ongoing costs associated with the production curtailments at the Ravenswood, WV and Hawesville, KY primary aluminum smelters. Lower of cost or market inventory adjustments of $26.9 million ($0.36 per basic and diluted share) favorably impacted the quarterly results.
22 July OSLO, Press Release	Norsk Hydro’s second quarter 2009: Solid cash flow and cost savings, markets remain weak Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items of NOK 618 million in the second quarter, compared with a NOK 493 million loss in the first quarter, as the weak global economy continued to weigh on historically low aluminium markets. Results in downstream operations improved due to seasonally stronger demand and swift adjustments made early in the downturn.
22 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP BILLITON issues production report for the year ended 20 June 2009 BHP BILLITON issued production report for the year ended 20 June 2009. Annual production was solid despite weak and volatile demand conditions and weather related interruptions.
17 July MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces H1 2009 results UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, has provided an H1 update on the success of its Cost Efficiency Leader programme, which is aimed at counteracting the consequences of the global economic downturn and increasing the efficiency of the company.
16 July CLEVELAND, Press Release	Alcoa Launches Seventeen-Inch Classic Dually Wheels Alcoa Automotive Wheels, a Cleveland, Ohio based business unit of Alcoa, Inc., today announced the extension of their Classic aftermarket catalog to include new seventeen-inch dually fitments for ¾-ton and 1-ton trucks.
15 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces second quarter 2009 results Chief executive Tom Albanese said: "Markets remained tough in the second quarter, as expected, particularly in aluminium. The production curtailments announced in January in this product group have started to take effect and are reflected in this report. We continue to press ahead with actions to reduce costs across the board, align production with demand, and bring down levels of net debt. We have successfully completed our US$15.2 billion rights issue this month and during the course of this year we have agreed divestments to the value of US$3.7 billion."
10 July OSLO, Press Release	Hydro raises price for rolled products Hydro is increasing its basic fabricating price for all uncoated aluminium rolled products in the general engineering segment. The price increase will take immediate effect for all deliveries not already contractually agreed and for all alloys and quality grades.
10 July MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP Billiton Announces First Production from the Alumar Alumina Refinery Expansion Project BHP Billiton yesterday announced first production from the expansion of the Alumar alumina refinery in Brazil. The project, which involved upgrading the existing plant to eliminate bottlenecks and adding an extra line, is now more than 98% complete. Full mechanical completion is expected in September and the final ramp-up to full production will by the second half of the year.
10 July MOSCOW, Prime TASS	Basic Element sells emission reduction units to US fund En+ Group, a part of Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska’s holding Basic Element, has concluded an agreement to sell 1 million emission reduction units to U.S. investment fund Natsource, En+ Group said Friday. En+ Group is selling the ERUs from United Company RUSAL’s Bratsk Aluminum Smelter, whose emissions were reduced thanks to the launch of a new production system, the company said.
9 July NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Second Quarter 2009 Results — Solid Cash Performance Alcoa yesterday announced it generated cash from operations in the second quarter of 2009 of $328 million, a $599 million improvement from the first quarter. This improvement was driven by the Company’s wide-ranging financial and operational initiatives to reduce costs, increase cash, and strengthen its balance sheet.
8 July MOSCOW, Press Release	ARMENAL’s H1 results exceed its nominal design capacity UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announced a marked increase in output from its ARMENAL foil mill, Armenia. In June, the foil mill produced nearly 2,500 tonnes of foil, a 12% improvement on its nominal design capacity, taking ARMENAL’s half-year production to over 10,000 tonnes.
6 July LONDON, Press Release	Rio Tinto reaches agreement to sell Alcan Packaging Food Americas division for US$1.2 billion Rio Tinto has signed an agreement to sell its Alcan Packaging Food Americas division to Bemis Company, Inc for a total consideration of US$1.2 billion of which US$ 200 million may be in the form of shares in Bemis Company, Inc. Completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
1 July CLEVELAND, Press Release	Tim Myers to Lead Alcoa’s Wheel and Transportation Products Business Alcoa announced today that effective immediately Tim D. Myers, 43, has been named President, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, with responsibility for forged wheels and aluminum structures. This global business serves the commercial vehicle, defense and automotive markets with products used in a range of applications including forged aluminum wheels, and niche products such as Dura-Bright® and Dura-Flange® wheels, LvL One™ truck wheels, and M-Series™ medium truck wheels, as well as a variety of other aluminum components. AWTP has operations in North America, Europe, Russia, South Africa, Australia and Japan. Myers succeeds Kevin B. Kramer, who has been appointed President, Growth Initiatives. Myers had been vice president and general manager, Commercial Vehicle Wheels, accountable for Alcoa truck wheel plants worldwide and sub-assembly and logistics sites in North America.
1 July NORCROSS, Press Release	Alcoa’s Kawneer Business Introduces AA^®3350 ISOPORT^® Window Designed to Enhance Energy Efficiency Alcoa announced today that its Kawneer business, the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum building products and systems for commercial construction, introduced its new AA®3350 ISOPORT® Window, designed to enhance the views and energy efficiency of commercial and institutional applications. Available in single-hung, double-hung or fixed with an innovative polyamide thermal break design and factory glazing, the AA®3350 ISOPORT® Window is highly versatile, leading the way in thermal performance at a competitive price.
30 June NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Names Kevin Kramer to New Position as President, Growth Initiatives Alcoa announced today that Kevin B. Kramer, 49, has been named to the newly created position of President, Growth Initiatives. In this role, he is responsible for supporting commercialization strategies for organic growth across Alcoa, including the commercialization of research and development initiatives, and identifying and developing new applications that respond to market trends and customers’ needs. In addition, he will support the development and execution of global marketing programs for aluminum applications across existing and new market opportunities. Mr. Kramer had been President of the Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products business, which includes forged wheels and aluminum transportation structures globally.
29 June ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Reports Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Novelis Inc., a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, today reported pre-tax income of $67 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, which ended on March 31, 2009. This compares to pre-tax income of $117 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2008. Fourth-quarter results include $145 million of unrealized gains on derivatives, a $122 million gain on a debt exchange transaction and $81 million of restructuring charges.
26 June NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Expands Position in Oil and Gas Market Alcoa announced today that it has reached an agreement with Noble Corporation to acquire Noble’s intellectual property pertaining to welded aluminum risers used in offshore oil and gas exploration and development. Noble, a leading drilling contractor, designs and deploys welded aluminum riser systems using Alcoa’s advanced extrusions and forgings, including the same highly engineered alloys used by the aerospace industry. Advances in metallurgy and joining technology have made aluminum risers more durable and corrosion resistant. This acquisition enables Alcoa to partner with manufacturers in the oil and gas industry to develop lightweight welded aluminum risers for deepwater applications.
25 June DUBAI, Press Release	DUBAL continues to invest in future markets With the prevailing global financial crisis having affected virtually every economic sector, the international aluminium industry has not escaped unscathed. Not only have major and minor producers the world over shut down excess or unprofitable capacity and slashed jobs, but also investments in future markets have largely been put on hold. Contrary to these dynamics, Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (“DUBAL”) – the world’s largest primary aluminium producer with a captive power station, and one of the lowest-cost producers in the sector – continues to operate at its full capacity of 960,000 metric tonnes per year, while pro-actively investing in future growth opportunities.
25 June MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL CEO visits ALSCON aluminium smelter in Nigeria UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that Oleg Deripaska, RUSAL’s CEO, visited the ALSCON aluminium smelter during his tour of the company’s production facilities. As part of the Nigerian visit of the official Russian delegation chaired by RF President Dmitry Medvedev the head of RUSAL had a series of consultations with Nigerian government authorities and businessmen.
24 June SAMARA, Press Release	Alcoa Russia’s Samara Plant Launches New Coating Line for Aluminum Sheet Alcoa Russia’s Samara Plant today commissioned a new state-of-the-art coating line for production of high-quality coated sheet used in the packaging market for aluminum soft drink and beer cans as well as serving the building and construction markets. The new coating line is the only one of its kind in Russia and raises Alcoa to the worldwide leadership position in all aspects of can material production capability.
19 June IKOT ABASI, Press Release	UC RUSAL ALSCON begins local sale of aluminium UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce the start of domestic sale of aluminium produced at its Nigerian smelter – ALSCON. To date the total volume of contracts with local customers for ALSCON aluminium amounts to about 1000 tonnes.
18 June OSLO, Press Release	New test center for intelligent building solutions The new "Wicona Test Center" – one of the most advanced of its kind – opens a window to an energy-efficient future for buildings. Centrally localized in Germany, the center is a showcase for Hydro’s advanced building systems of aluminium. Hydro’s President and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg will inaugurate the Wicona Test Center in Bellenberg, Germany, on Tuesday, June 23
18 June MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP Billiton Board Appointment BHP Billiton Chairman Don Argus today announced the appointment of a new Non-executive Director, Mr Wayne Murdy to the BHP Billiton Board, effective 18 June 2009.
15 June LONDON, Press Release	LME approves Listing of ENRC Aluminium ENRC, a leading diversified natural resources group, is pleased to announce that The London Metal Exchange (‘LME’) has approved with immediate effect the listing of primary aluminium ingots produced at ENRC’s aluminium smelter, Kazakhstan Aluminium Smelter (‘KAS’), located in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.
11 June TORRANCE, California, Press Release	Alcoa Fastening Systems Expands into Casablanca, Morocco Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) announced today that it is continuing its global growth strategy and has completed the acquisition of assets from Demicron SNC, which will be integrated into the AFS organization as Alcoa Fixations Maroc. Demicron SNC operates from a single location in Casablanca with less than 50 employees. Demicron SNC has a solid reputation within the European aerospace industry as a quality manufacturer of precision specialty machined aerospace parts, complex progressive dies, forging and stamping tools; and has been a reliable partner to AFS for more than two years. Terms were not disclosed.
9 June ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Appoints Tadeu Nardocci to Lead European Operations Novelis Inc. today announced that Antonio Tadeu Coelho Nardocci has been appointed President, Novelis Europe, effectively immediately. Mr. Nardocci succeeds Arnaud de Weert who has left the company to pursue other interests.
8 June MOSCOW,	Lufthansa visits the Krasnoyarsk smelter The Krasnoyarsk aluminium smelter became the region’s first production facility to be visited by representatives of Lufthansa as part of the German airline’s trip to the Krasnoyarsk region. The guests wanted to know how the smelter was operating amidst the economical crisis and whether it was forced to cut back production levels or lay-off staff.
5 June BEIJING, Press Release	Rio Tinto withdraws its recommendation for Chinalco transaction Aluminum Corporation of China (“Chinalco”) confirms this morning the announcement made by the Rio Tinto Group (“Rio Tinto”) concerning the withdrawal of the Rio Tinto boards’ recommendation for the transaction announced jointly by Chinalco and Rio Tinto on February 12 and the termination of the Co‐operation and Implementation Agreement signed on that date.
5 June MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto Board appointment Sam Walsh, Chief executive, Rio Tinto Iron Ore, has been appointed to the boards of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited as an executive director, effective immediately.
5 June BOGOSLOVSK, Press Release	Bogoslovsk wings for Boeing aircrafts UC RUSAL’s Bogoslovsk aluminium smelter successfully completes a scheduled audit by VSMPO and Boeing. The Bogoslovsk smelter (BAZ) has been supplying aluminium to VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation for more than 10 years. In turn, VSMPO uses the Bogoslovsk aluminium to produce spare parts for Boeing aircrafts.
29 May ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Takes Aluminum Can Recycling to New Heights Aluminum company Novelis Inc. announced today that it recycled an estimated 39 billion aluminum beverage cans in the past year, a new company record. Novelis is the world’s largest producer of flat-rolled aluminum and the world’s leading recycler of used beverage cans.
28 May PITTSBURGH, Press Release	Alcoa Supports the Illinois Army National Guard Recycling Program Alcoa announced today that more than 50 U.S. Army National Guard facilities in Illinois, through support from the Illinois Recycling Association, will enhance their recycling programs by using recycling bins donated by Alcoa. More than 1,000 green, 22-gallon bins have been shipped from Alcoa Recycling in Tennessee to the Illinois Army National Guard State Headquarters at Camp Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, for distribution throughout the State.
19 May MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL representative to chair International Aluminium Institute UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that Artem Volynets, RUSAL’s Director for Corporate Strategy, has been appointed the Chairman of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the global forum representing more than 80% of world primary aluminium production.
15 May MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto and Chinalco obtain clearance from Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States Rio Tinto and Chinalco announced today that they have obtained clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ("CFIUS") regarding the proposed issue of convertible bonds to Chinalco and the indirect minority investment in Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, as contemplated by the strategic transaction announced by Rio Tinto and Chinalco on 12 February 2009. Rio Tinto and Chinalco jointly filed a voluntary notice with CFIUS in connection with the transaction. The receipt of CFIUS clearance satisfies a regulatory pre-condition to the transaction.
14 May MOSCOW, Prime TASS	RUSAL plans to sign agreement in June on foreign debt extension Russia’s United Company RUSAL plans in June to sign an agreement with Western banks to extend U.S. $7.4 billion of debt for a period of seven to eight years, the company said Thursday.
13 May OSLO, Press Release	Aluminium use at all-time high More aluminium than ever before is being used in North America-produced passenger cars and trucks. The light metal accounts for 8.6 percent of average vechicle curb weight this year, compared to 2 percent in 1970 and 5.1 percent in 1990.
13 May PITTSBURGH, Press Release	Sustainable Architectural Aluminum Products From Alcoa’s Kawneer Business Contribute to Energy Efficiency of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Alcoa announced today that a range of its Kawneer architectural aluminum products are contributing to the “green” campus of the newly constructed $625 million Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. The facility incorporates Kawneer products that maximize daylighting and thermal performance, including curtain wall, sunshades and thermally broken windows and doors.
12 May TOKIO, Prime Tass	Putin urges Japanese companies to invest in Russia Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on Japanese investors Monday to invest in various Russian industries. Additionally, he called on Japanese investors to take part in the construction of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline and to build facilities in Russia’s Far East jointly with aluminum producer United Company RUSAL.
11 May OSLO, Press Release	Hydro executive to chair UN building initiative Hydro’s Birgitte Holter has been selected to chair the United Nations Environment Program’s Sustainable Buildings and Climate change Initiative. "We want to put buildings high on the post-Kyoto negotiations agenda," she says.
7 May ATLANTA, Press Release	Novelis Sees Increased Use of Aluminum Sheet in Automobiles Novelis Inc., the world’s leading producer of aluminum sheet for automobiles, has seen an increase of more than 20 percent in the number of automotive applications of its lightweight material compared to a year ago. About 90 models of cars and light trucks today use Novelis aluminum sheet for a variety of body panels or structural parts.
7 May DUBAI, Press Release	DUBAL hosts 14th World Aluminium Conference This year’s Commodity Research Unit (“CRU”) World Aluminium Conference– the 14th in the series – will be held at the Grand Hyatt Dubai from 10 to 12 May, with Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (“DUBAL”) as the event’s co-host. So says Khalid E Buhumaid (Vice President: Corporate Relations & International Affairs; and official spokesperson of DUBAL), who adds that CRU 2009 is particularly important as it is the first major industry forum following the start of the prevailing global economic recession.
6 May OSLO, Press Release	Hydro exploring Angola hydropower and aluminium smelter opportunity Hydro and the Government of Angola signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday to explore the feasibility of an integrated project for hydropower and aluminium production.
6 May PARANAM, Press Release	Alumina Production at Suriname Refinery to be Curtailed by 870,000 Metric Tons Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco) today announced that production at the Paranam, Suriname alumina refinery was being curtailed by approximately 40% or 870,000 metric tons per year (mtpy). The refinery, which has a production capacity of 2.2 million mtpy, is owned jointly with N.V. BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS). Suralco has an entitlement to 55% of the alumina produced at this facility or approximately 1.2 million mtpy.
5 May OSLO, Press Release	GM, Chrysler announcements sting Hydro Hydro does not rule out further reductions in its production of extruded aluminium automotive components and systems as result of the announcements that automakers General Motors and Chrysler are suspending vehicle production at most of their assembly plants in North America.
1 May OSLO, Press Release	Hydro shows building-integrated photovoltaics in aluminium systems Hydro’s Technal brand is bringing new product concepts to the Spanish building systems market, and moving forward in the development of building-integrated photovoltaic solutions that can conserve energy and also produce energy.
30 April NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Agrees to Sell Its Wire Harness and Electrical Distribution Business to Platinum Equity Alcoa announced today that it has agreed to sell its wire harness and electrical distribution business to Platinum Equity, a California-based private equity group. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. The wire harness and electrical distribution business is the largest part of the Alcoa Electrical and Electronic Solutions business which the Company announced was for sale in January.
29 April NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa’s Suralco To Acquire Joint Venture Interests of BHP Billiton in Suriname Alcoa World Alumina LLC and Billiton Suriname Holdings B. V. have reached an agreement in principle where Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco), an Alcoa subsidiary, will acquire the bauxite and alumina refining interests of N.V. BHP Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS), a BHP Billiton subsidiary, in Suriname. Terms are not disclosed.
29 April OSLO, Press Release	Economic downturn leads to Norsk Hydro’s first-quarter losses Hydro had an underlying loss before financial items of NOK 493 million in the first quarter of 2009, down from an underlying EBIT of NOK 868 million in the previous quarter. The results reflect the deepening global economic downturn, with historically low aluminium prices and a further fall in already weak downstream markets.
28 April RIO DE JANEIRO, Press Release	Vale partners with DUBAL to its alumina project Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (Vale) announces that Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (DUBAL), which operates one of the largest single site aluminum smelters in the world and the industrial flagship of Dubai, has become a partner in its subsidiary Companhia de Alumina do Pará (CAP).
23 April CLEVELAND, Press Release	Lamborghini Selects Alcoa Wheels for Murciélago LP 670–4 SuperVeloce Alcoa Auto Wheels has been selected by Automobili Lamborghini to supply lightweight wheels for the Murciélago LP 670–4 SuperVeloce (SV). The forged aluminum wheels reduce un-sprung weight and contribute to the SV’s 100kg (220 lb.) mass reduction over the standard Murciélago.
22 April MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP BILLITON production report for the nine months ended 31 March 2009 Against a backdrop of weak demand, BHP Billiton achieved sound operational results, albeit with lower production compared to the December 2008 quarter. This quarter’s production reflects management proactive and decisive actions in response to the challenging market conditions. These actions include previously announced production curtailments in Samarco, Samancor Manganese and across our metallurgical coal operations.
21 April MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL announces Q1 results of Cost Efficiency Leader programme UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, today provides a Q1 update on the impact of its Cost Efficiency Leader programme, aimed at counteracting the consequences of the global economic downturn and increasing the efficiency of the company’s business.
20 April MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto appoints Chairman Jan du Plessis assumes the role of chairman of the boards of Rio Tinto with effect from today, 20 April 2009. He joined the boards of Rio Tinto as a non executive director on 1 September 2008 and his appointment as chairman was announced on 18 March 2009.
19 April CLEVELAND, Press Release	Alcoa Announces Ratified Contract Extension with UAW Local 1050 Alcoa (AA) announced today that members of the United Auto Workers Local 1050 at the company’s Cleveland Works facility have ratified a two-year extension of their current labor agreement with the Company.
17 April OSLO, Press Release	Bentley chooses coated aluminium tube from Hydro for flex-fuel vehicle The compatibility of aluminium with alternative fuels is an important topic for automotive applications. Hydro has already passed one test: It is delivering coated aluminium tubes for Bentley’s dazzling new flexible-fuel vehicle.
16 April DUBAI, Press Release	DUBAL in JV with Vale to develop alumina refinery in Brazil Aiming to secure the raw materials required to fuel the company’s future growth strategy, Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (“DUBAL”) – the world’s largest modern aluminium smelter with a captive power station – has entered into an agreement with Vale to develop a green-field alumina refinery in Brazil’s northern State of Pará. The transaction is subject to the fulfillment of certain customary conditions.
16 April OSLO, Press Release	Hydro: A century on the Oslo stock exchange It is 100 years today since Hydro was first listed on the stock exchange. Shares in the company were first traded on the stock exchange in Kristiania, as Oslo was then called, on April 16, 1909. Later that year the share was also listed on the stock exchanges of Brussels, Geneva and Paris.
16 April São Paulo, Press Release	Brazilian aluminum industry confirms consumption record in 2008 The Brazilian Aluminum Association – ABAL- announced the performance of the Brazilian aluminum market in 2008. According to the entity, the domestic consumption of aluminum transformed products grew for the fifth consecutive year, and closed 2008 at 1,023.9 thousand ton, a volume 11.4% above the volume reached in 2007.
15 April MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto first quarter 2009 operations review Chief executive Tom Albanese said: "First quarter production was in line with reduced market demand and iron ore was further affected by heavy rains. We have acted swiftly where necessary to reduce costs and conserve cash. Markets remain volatile and the timing of global economic recovery uncertain. We made good progress on divestments in the quarter with sales of $2.5 billion agreed. We remain committed to delivering the Chinalco transaction and our focus is on successfully navigating the regulatory processes before putting it to a shareholder vote."
13 April NORCROSS, Ga., Press Release	Alcoa Kawneer Introduces New Institutional Solutions Brochure Demonstrating Its Capabilities for Education, Healthcare and Public Buildings Alcoa’s Kawneer business, the leading manufacturer of architectural aluminum building products and systems for commercial construction, has introduced a new institutional solutions brochure that offers architects an array of information and projects-specific examples that shows the flexibility and sustainability of Kawneer’s comprehensive product portfolio. The brochure showcases Kawneer’s strong knowledge of the institutional market, specifically in the education, healthcare and public buildings segments.
8 April NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Reports 1st Quarter 2009 Results Alcoa on April 7, 2009 reported a 27 percent sequential drop in revenue resulting in a loss of $480 million for the first quarter of 2009, reflecting the impact of the economic downturn on its core industrial and commercial markets as well as an historic decline in aluminum prices. In the quarter, the Company launched a series of operational and financial actions that successfully increased cash, strengthened liquidity and significantly improved the Company’s cost structure.
7 April MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto Alcan responds to downturn in commodity prices Rio Tinto Alcan today announced it will slow the construction of the Yarwun alumina refinery expansion in Gladstone and curtail annual bauxite production at its Weipa mine to 15 million tonnes (from 19.4 million tonnes in 2008) due to the sharp fall in alumina and aluminium demand and prices in recent months.
1 April Melbourne, Press release	German anti-trust clearance for Chinalco transaction received Rio Tinto notes that Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) has received approval from the German Federal Cartel Office for Chinalco’s proposal to enter into a strategic partnership with Rio Tinto, as announced on 12 February 2009.
31 March Oslo, Press release	Hydro to close precision tubing plant in Michigan Hydro has decided to consolidate its aluminium precision tubing operations in North America as result of the extremely challenging situation in the automotive industry, and will consequently close its aluminium tubing plant in Michigan.
31 March New York, Press release	Alcoa Completes Exchange with ORKLA ASA For 2 Norwegian Smelters and Anode Plant Alcoa today announced it has completed its exchange of stakes with ORKLA ASA for its Elkem Norwegian smelting partnership, which includes aluminum smelters in Lista and Mosjoen, as well as one of the world’s most modern anode plants, also in Mosjoen. Orkla, in turn, received Alcoa’s 45 percent share of the SAPA soft-alloy extrusion profile joint venture.
26 March Oslo, Press release	Hydro curtails aluminium production at Sunndal Hydro has decided to temporary close the oldest production line at its Sunndal plant, representing an annual production of about 100,000 tonnes. The closure is a result of the demanding market situation for aluminium.
17 March MELBOURBNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto appoints new Chairman Rio Tinto announces that Jan du Plessis will be appointed as Chairman of the Boards with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of Rio Tinto Limited on 20 April 2009. He joined the Boards as a non executive director on 1 September 2008.
17 March MONTEREY, Press Release	Century Aluminum Announces Receipt of $79.7 Million Federal Income Tax Refund Century Aluminum Company on March 16 announced the receipt of a federal income tax refund of $79.7 million. This refund is in addition to the $10.1 million refund received from the Internal Revenue Service in February 2009 for estimated federal income taxes paid in the 2008 tax year.
13 March OSLO, Press Release	Last day for Søderberg technology in Hydro On Friday, March 13, at 09.01 am, the power in the Søderberg potroom at the aluminium plant at Karmøy in Norway was switched off. This marks the end of production in the very last electrolytic cell in Hydro to use the old Søderberg technology. With the closure of its Søderberg production, Hydro has met important environmental requirements. But Friday’s closure of the Søderberg potroom at Karmøy was in essence marked by sadness.
12 March MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL announces new appointments UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces the appointment of Mikhail Erenburg as the Executive Director of the Company. Prior to this new appointment, Mr. Erenburg held the post of the Director of the Aluminium Division.
6 March MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL signs a standstill agreement UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, today announces that it has signed a standstill agreement in relation to the restructuring of its debt to the international lending banks. The standstill will be effective for a period of two months with the possibility of extension for a further month and will provide RUSAL with additional liquidity.
4 March MOSCOW, Press release	RUSAL’S ARMENAL foil mill reaches design capacity UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, is pleased to announce that ARMENAL, the group’s foil mill located in Armenia, reached its design capacity of 25,000 tonnes.
4 March BRUSSELS,	EU Clears Alcoa Buy Of Elkem The European Commission Tuesday cleared a plan by U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. (AA) to buy all of Elkem, a Norwegian aluminum company.
3 March MONTEREY, Press release	Century Announces the Curtailment of One Potline at Hawesville, KY Smelter Century Aluminum of Kentucky, a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, today announced the orderly curtailment of one potline at its Hawesville, Kentucky Aluminum smelter. The Hawesville smelter produces approximately 250,000 tonnes of primary aluminum annually from five potlines. The potline curtailment will begin immediately and will be completed over the next several days. The action will reduce plant primary aluminum production by approximately 4,370 tonnes per month and will impact approximately 120 employees.
27 February MOSCOW, Prime-TASS	Russian metals merger plans abandoned after Medvedev meeting Following a meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, shareholders of major Russian metal and mining companies have abandoned their merger plans for the Russian metals industry, business daily Vedomosti reported Friday, citing sources close to the businessmen.
26 February BEIJING, Press release	Xiong Weiping appointed President of Chinalco and Secretary-General of the Executive Committee It was announced today that Mr. Xiong Weiping is to replace Mr. Xiao Yaqing as President and Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of Chinalco. Mr. Xiao Yaqing and Mr. Xiong Weiping both welcomed the decision and said they would ensure a smooth handover.
24 February OSLO, Press release	Hydro adjusts to slower building market Although activity in the building industry in Europe remains relatively stable, in the midst of the global economic crisis, Hydro has made adjustments in its aluminium building systems operations that will result in annualized cost savings of more than EUR 5 million. Until now, the most significant portion of the cost savings has been generated from the process to integrate the Spain-based Alumafel Group with the rest of Hydro’s aluminium building systems unit in Portugal and Spain. The savings are in line with the estimates Hydro made prior to the July 2008 acquisition.
19 February MONTEREY, Press release	Century Reports 2008 Financial Results Century Aluminum Company today reported a net loss of $700.2 million ($14.27 per basic and diluted share) for the fourth quarter of 2008. Reported fourth quarter results were impacted by a charge for goodwill impairment of $94.8 million ($1.93 per basic and diluted share), a tax charge of $522.9 million ($10.66 per basic and diluted share) related to the recording of a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and an inventory write down to market value of $55.9 million ($1.14 per basic and diluted share).
16 February NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Continues to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Primary Aluminum Production Through Operational Excellence Alcoa announced today that it continues its leadership position on climate change by achieving a 36 percent reduction in total direct greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 from its worldwide primary aluminum production process, a 3 percent reduction over 2007 levels.
12 February NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Forms Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Henan Province in China on Aluminum Projects Alcoa announced today that it has formed a strategic cooperation agreement with the People’s Government of Henan Province in China to jointly establish world class projects for the fabricated and primary aluminum industry. The agreement was signed yesterday at Alcoa’s New York headquarters by Alcoa President and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld and Governor Guo Gengmao of Henan. Henan is located in central China and is the country’s largest producer of non ferrous metals.
12 February MOSCOW, Prime Tass	UC Rusal agrees terms for restructuring $7.5 bln debt United Company Rusal, Russia’s largest aluminum producer, has agreed on terms for restructuring a U.S. $7.5 billion debt to banks, business daily Kommersant reported Thursday, citing a document on the restructuring terms sent to the government by UC Rusal’s controlling shareholder Oleg Deripaska.
12 February MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces pioneering strategic partnership with Chinalco Joint ventures and convertible bonds to deliver US$19.5 billion in cash to Rio Tinto The Boards of Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited announce today that they are unanimously recommending to shareholders a transaction with Aluminium Corporation of China, a leading Chinese diversified resources company. The transaction will forge a pioneering strategic partnership through the creation of joint ventures in aluminium, copper, and iron ore as well as the issue of convertible bonds to Chinalco, which would, if converted, allow Chinalco to increase its existing shareholding in Rio Tinto.
12 February MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto announces underlying earnings of $10.3 billion — up 38 per cent The major strategic partnership with Chinalco announced today provides additional flexibility in addressing the Group’s commitment to reduce net debt by a further $10 billion by end of 2009.
11 February Munich, Media	New BMW is built with unique lightweight aluminum technology The new BMW 7 Series saloon, which made its debut in November 2008, cruises out of showrooms with lightweight door components made from a unique aluminium product called Novelis Fusion™. This is the first automotive application of this innovative, multi-layered product, which Novelis has dubbed "The new aluminium™."
11 February OSLO, Press Release	Further production curtailment at SØRAL Sør-Norge Aluminium AS (SØRAL), owned 49.9 percent by Hydro, will reduce its aluminium production by another 25 percent, resulting in a total reduction of 50 percent at the smelter at Husnes, Norway. Last december, SØRAL’s board of directors announced that it was contemplating a 25 percent reduction of its 2009 hot metal production at Husnes. On Tuesday, the SØRAL board decided to temporary curtail the production of one of the two potlines at the Husnes facility, effective as of March 1.
9 February MELBOURNE, Press Release	Jim Leng resigns from Rio Tinto’s Boards Rio Tinto announces that Jim Leng, a non-executive Director, has resigned from the Boards with immediate effect and will therefore not take up the post of Chairman of the Boards in April as previously planned.
9 February MOSCOW, Press Release	Rusal announces new appointment RUSAL, the world’s largest alumina and aluminium producer, announces the appointment of Pyotr Sinshinov as Deputy CEO.
5 February OSLO, Press Release	Further reductions at Neuss smelter likely Further production curtailment could be initiated shortly at Hydro’s primary aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany. The plant, with a production capacity of 230,000 tonnes, could be mothballed if the competitive situation does not improve significantly.
5 February MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces «Cost Efficiency Leader» initiative — comprehensive programme to increase efficiency during the global economic downturn UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces that it has implemented a comprehensive programme designed to reduce costs, optimise the production process and strengthen the company’s position as the world’s most effective aluminium producer cost-wise. The programme will further enhance RUSAL’s competitiveness and support the sustainability of the group’s operations during the global economic downturn.
4 February MONTEREY, Press Release	Century Announces the Curtailment of Ravenswood, WV Smelter Century Aluminum of West Virginia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Aluminum Company, today announced its intention to conclude the orderly curtailment of the remaining plant operations at its Ravenswood, WV aluminum smelter by February 20. On December 17, pursuant to the Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the company informed employees of the possibility of curtailment of the entire plant at the end of a 60 day period; it also began the immediate, orderly curtailment of one of the plant’s four potlines.
2 February MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto response to press speculation As previously announced, the Boards of Rio Tinto are continuing to consider a range of options. In this regard, Rio Tinto confirms that it has held discussions with Chinalco regarding Chinalco acquiring minority interests in various operating businesses of the Rio Tinto group and also investing in convertible instruments.
30 January NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Sites Around the World Featured in Discovery Channel Program on How Aluminum is Made When Discovery Channel wanted to better understand aluminum, one of the world’s most recyclable materials, for its new television series, “How Stuff Works,” they came to Alcoa. The program, which is based on the website How Stuff Works, deconstructs everyday commodities such as corn, wheat, iron and aluminum. To produce the aluminum segment, the Discovery Channel visited Alcoa facilities in Western Australia, Tennessee, Iowa, Indiana and Pennsylvania.
30 January TORRANCE, Press Release	Alcoa Fastening Systems Announces Successful Deployment of Trolley-Tray Fastener Kitting System Alcoa Fastening Systems announced on 29 January the successful deployment of its unique Trolley-Tray fastener kitting system at the new Airbus A320 Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, China. The Tianjin approach follows a similar deployment of this system at the A320 FAL in Hamburg, Germany.
28 January LONDON, Press Release	Vedanta Resources Unaudited Results for the Third Quarter and Nine Months Ended 31 December 2008 Aluminium production in Q3 was a record 122,000 tonnes, a 23% increase over the corresponding prior quarter, primarily due to the ramp up and stepped commissioning of the first phase of the 500,000 tpa Jharsuguda aluminium smelter. To date 228 pots have been commissioned at Jharsuguda, supported by three units of the captive power plant (“CPP”).
28 January OSLO, Press Release	Impairments affect Hydro’s fourth quarter results Norsk Hydro ASA will write down the value of certain fixed assets and inventories by approximately NOK 3.5 billion with effect for its fourth quarter results. The impairments are a result of deteriorating market conditions and high input costs. Hydro continues to implement significant corrective measures to meet the unprecedented market situation with reduced production, lower investments and major cost improvement initiatives.
28 January MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL announces new appointment UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces the appointment of Eugueny Fyodorov as the Director of the RUSAL Engineering and Construction Division.
27 January NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Continues Leadership Position in International Ethical Reputation Ranking Alcoa announced on 26 January that it has achieved the top ranking in the Basic Resource category of the 2008 Covalence Ethical Ranking, a methodology that gauges the reputation of international companies. Alcoa was also chosen as one of the top ten ethical companies across all industries and companies. It has been ranked first in the metals and mining industry and in the top ten among all companies since the ranking began in 2005.
26 January MOSCOW, Press Release	RUSAL converts Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter to colloidal anode paste UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces that it has completed the conversion of one potroom at its Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter (KrAZ) to the colloidal anode paste technology. The economic effect from this innovation at one potroom alone can be up to USD 1 mln annually.
26 January PITTSBURG, Press Release	Rio Tinto Alcan completes the sale of its equity stake in Ningxia aluminium smelter for US$125 million Rio Tinto Alcan has completed the sale of its 50 percent equity share of the Alcan Ningxia aluminium joint venture in China to Qingtongxia Aluminium Group Co Ltd (QTX) for gross cash consideration of US$125 million. In addition, Rio Tinto Alcan received US$13 million for the cancellation of an option right to expand at the Qingtongxia smelter complex. Alcan Ningxia joint venture owns a 160,000 tonne per year potline in Qingtongxia.
23 January NEW YORK, Press Release	Alcoa Announces Dividend The Board of Directors of Alcoa declared (a) a quarterly common stock dividend of 17 cents per share payable February 25, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 6, 2009 and (b) a quarterly dividend of 93.75 cents per share on Alcoa’s $3.75 cumulative preferred stock payable April 1, 2009 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 13, 2009. Alcoa has paid a quarterly dividend on its common stock for more than 60 years.
22 January DUBAI, Press Release	DUBAL excels in 2008 Emirates Energy Awards Aluminium giant scoops four awards for its innovative, cost-effective and replicable energy conservation and management practices.
21 January LONDON, Press Release	Corus signs Share Purchase Agreement with Klesch for sale of aluminium smelters Further to the Corus press statement of November 2008, Corus and Klesch have today announced that they have signed a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) for the acquisition of Corus’ aluminium smelters by Briand Investments B. V., an affiliate of Klesch.
21 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto Alcan curtails production and cuts costs in response to global economic conditions Rio Tinto Alcan plans to implement further production curtailments to align production with customer demand. Further to curtailments which occurred in the fourth quarter of 2008, totalling five per cent of global production, Rio Tinto Alcan plans to reduce aluminium output by another 230,000 tonnes. This brings the total production decrease to 450,000 tonnes or approximately 11 per cent of its total annualised aluminium capacity.
21 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	BHP Billiton aluminium production report for the half year ended 31 December 2008 BHP Billiton delivered a robust production performance in the first half of the 2009 financial year. This result was achieved within a challenging environment that resulted in prudent decisions being made regarding production adjustments as well as maintenance being brought forward.
20 January MOSCOW, Press Release	Sayanogorsk Aluminium Smelter launches a new gas scrubber UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, has announced the commissioning of a new gas treatment unit at its Sayanogorsk aluminium smelter (SAZ). The project investment amounted to USD 3.6 mln.
20 January OSLO, Press Release	Hydro changes structure and extends corporate management board Norsk Hydro ASA is extending its corporate management board by the addition of two members, as part of a reorganization designed to secure a more concentrated focus on operations and markets. The changes will come into effect from March 30 2009, when Svein Richard Brandtzæg takes over as President and CEO from Eivind Reiten.
19 January MOSCOW, Press Release	UC RUSAL announces management changes UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces the appointment of Oleg Deripaska as the company’s CEO. His candidacy was proposed by EN+ and supported by other shareholders of RUSAL.
16 January OSLO, Press Release	Hydro reduces primary aluminium production in Neuss by 13 percent Hydro has decided to reduce production at its primary aluminium plant in Neuss, Germany, by 30,000 tonnes by the end of January. “The Neuss smelter is at the very high end of the cost curve, mainly due to the German power cost level, which is among the highest in the world. The planned production cut in Neuss is a direct consequence of the weak market situation and global downturn in metal demand,” says Hilde Merete Aasheim, executive vice president for Hydro’s Aluminium Metal business area.
15 January OSLO, Press Release	Hydro to establish research center in Qatar Hydro will establish a research and training center in Qatar, called the Hydro Technology Center. The center will be located at the Qatar Science & Technology Park in Doha, and is scheduled to open this spring. An agreement between Hydro and Qatar Science & Technology Park was signed on Wednesday. Hydro will invest close to USD 7 million in the center over its first three years. The center will open early this year, and eventually grow to a staff of about ten people.
15 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto releases fourth quarter 2008 operations review Chief executive Tom Albanese said: "Production for the quarter was in line with expectations. We are taking firm action in response to the global economic downturn and, given the resilience of Rio Tinto’s low cost assets, expect to remain well positioned when recovery comes."
15 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	Anglesey Aluminium expects to end smelting operations in September 2009 Anglesey Aluminium Metal, jointly owned by Rio Tinto Alcan (51 per cent) and Kaiser Aluminum (49 per cent), anticipates that it will end smelting operations at the end of September 2009 when its current power contract expires.
14 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto appoints new Chairman Rio Tinto announces that Jim Leng will be appointed as Chairman of the Boards with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of Rio Tinto Limited on 20 April 2009. He joins the Boards today as Chairman Designate and a non executive director. Rio Tinto’s current Chairman, Paul Skinner, has today notified the Boards of his preference to retire from the Boards at the conclusion of the AGM on 20 April 2009.
13 January PITTSBURG, Press Release	Alcoa, NY Governor Paterson, and NYPA Finalize Power Contract For Massena Operations Alcoa today announced it hosted New York Governor David A. Paterson to celebrate finalization of a 30-year hydropower contract to supply the company’s two aluminum smelters in Massena, NY. The power agreement is contingent upon an upgrade of facilities by Alcoa.
12 January MELBOURNE, Press Release	Rio Tinto’s Board change Mr Dick Evans, chief executive, Rio Tinto Alcan, has given notice of his intention to retire and to step down from the Boards of Rio Tinto on 20 April 2009 at the conclusion of the Rio Tinto AGMs.
12 January PITTSBURG, Press Release	Alcoa Reports 4th Quarter 2008 Results Alcoa today reported its fourth quarter 2008 results which include the impact of an historic decline in metal prices; weak end markets; and restructuring, impairment, and other special charges for its previously announced actions to curtail production, reduce costs, and streamline its portfolio.
12 January OSLO, Press Release	Svein Richard Brandtzæg new chief executive of Hydro Svein Richard Brandtzæg has been named chief executive of Norsk Hydro ASA, following the resignation of Eivind Reiten, effective March 30, 2009. Reiten has informed the Board of Directors that he wishes to step down after nearly eight years heading the company.
12 January OSLO, Press Release	Wicona ready for BAU 2009 Organizers call it the most important event of the European building industry. This week is BAU 2009 week — and Wicona is in Munich with the latest in energy-saving aluminium building systems products.
11 January PITTSBURG, Press Release	Alcoa Taking Decisive Action to Address Economic Downturn Alcoa on 6 January 2009 detailed a series of specific actions to conserve cash, reduce costs and strengthen the Company’s competitiveness during the current economic downturn. Building on the Company’s commitment from October, these actions address additional production curtailments, cost and procurement efficiencies, portfolio streamlining and reduction of capital expenditures and other liquidity enhancements.

Aluminium News