Alcoa 2010 Annual Report Download - page 8

can recycling capacity at Alcoa’s Tennessee Operations. Investments like this helped drive the U.S.
recycling rate from 54% to 57% in 2010, making progress toward the nationwide goal of 75% by 2015.
We were again recognized globally as among the most ethical companies, placing fi rst in the Basic
Resources category in the Covalence Ethical Rankings, a top honor that we have earned since the
ranking began in 2005. Across all industries and companies, we placed 11th out of the 581 companies
tracked. And, Alcoa was once again named the most admired metals company in the world by
Fortune magazine.
Wherever Alcoa operates, we are an active and productive member of our communities, making an
impact in the causes that are important to our employees and their families. In China, we received
the Multinational Company with Contribution to Public Welfare Award for our work improving
communities. Giving back is a value that truly comes to life each October, our worldwide Month of Service. A record 49% of Alcoans shared
their time and talents to improve their communities and aid those in need during the 2010 Month of Service. More than 29,000 Alcoans across
24 countries volunteered in nearly 1,000 volunteer events, from math and science tutoring, to boosting literacy, to beautifying parks, planting thousands
of trees and cleaning rivers. Joining our Alcoa volunteers working with students in a school in the South Bronx (New York), I saw fi rsthand the passion
and purpose of our employees and the impact they have on their communities.
Alcoa can’t wait…for tomorrow
Frankly, among all of the factors that point to a bright future for Alcoa, from market trends to customer needs, none
gives me more reason for optimism than the spirit and dedication of our 59,000 Alcoans. They pitched in to bring Alcoa
through the economic crisis and they will help us seize the opportunities ahead.
Our employees tell us that they are excited to be working for a company that lives by its Values and that is committed
to sustainability. They are encouraged that Alcoa will benefi t from megatrends such as population growth and
migration to urban areas. These demographic shifts require lasting yet cost-effective infrastructure to support them,
and an increasing focus on sustainable and environmentally compatible solutions: buildings that heat and cool
more effi ciently and emit less CO2; cars that deliver fuel effi ciency for consumers and meet government emissions
standards; trucks and trailers that are lighter, more nimble on the road, and that can take on more payload.
Our miracle metal is the solution for a world that doesn’t cease to evolve and advance. When the Wright brothers used Alcoa aluminum in the engine
casing of their fi rst rudimentary plane, few could have imagined that our metal would be applied so widely in the modern aerospace industry, from
commercial planes to the space shuttle. And when Ford made an aluminum-body Model T called the “Fordor” in the 1920s, who could have predicted
that our highly engineered metal would be used in so many automotive applications – from the engines to the wheels to the body. In countless ways,
Alcoa has pioneered the innovations that have created and advanced so many industries. Our imaginations will be stretched in the years to come when
we think about technology and ask, “What’s next?”
A quarter century ago, in the science fi ction movie Star Trek IV, one of the characters declared that the most important invention was “transparent
aluminum.” Today, that is a reality. Thanks to nanotechnology, the Alcoa Technical Center has produced the fi rst pieces of transparent aluminum.
Holding it in my hand, I felt the same excitement I had as an eight-year-old child, when my father, an aerospace engineer, brought home what he called
a miracle metal – shiny and lightweight. Hearing my dad’s enthusiasm for what that metal could do was exhilarating – it would enable engineers like
him to build spacecraft that could venture into outer space.
From transparent aluminum to all-electric cars, from today’s spacecraft to tomorrow’s next breakthrough invention, Alcoa has the technical prowess
and proven innovation to explore the ideas of the future. That’s why we can state boldly, “Alcoa has a bright future.” With the foundation of strong
fi scal discipline built during the past two years, the outstanding potential for aluminum, and the unrelenting commitment and hard work of our
employees, Alcoa is prepared to seize unprecedented growth opportunities in the global marketplace. Alcoa truly can’t wait for tomorrow. Preparation
has indeed met opportunity.
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Klaus Kleinfeld
Chairman and Chief Executive Offi cer
2010 Month of Service – Alcoa Bohai, China