Alcoa 1998 Annual Report Download - page 18

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Currently, the proportion of
Alcoa’s business that originates in
Asian operations is less than 10% –
a number that will have to grow. These
activities include production of
closures in Japan and China,
alumina chemicals in two
Japanese plants, and can sheet in
Moka, Japan. Alcoa and Kobe Steel have a
joint-venture company in Japan marketing
automotive products used by Japanese
carmakers there and worldwide. In
China, several joint ventures have been developed
over the past four years with local partners. In addition
to closures, Alcoa plants in China are producing
alumina-based refractories, and two plants – one in
eastern China and another in the west – are making
ultra-thin (6-micron) aluminum foil. Alcoa World
Alumina is in its third year of an historic contract to
ship 400,000 mt
of alumina to
China annually for 30
years. Alcoa Fujikura Ltd.
supplies aerial fiber-optic
cable for large Chinese electric
and telecommunications lines. And in
China as well as several other Asian
countries, feasibility studies are now under-
way to consider new refining, smelting, and
fabricating facilities.
16
Alcoa will grow its business in Asia.
It’s the third largest market in
the world. Not expanding there is
not an option.
Alain Belda, President, Alcoa
‘‘
’’
Pacific Rim
Hua Ya Quan
Shanghai, China