Alcoa Investor Relations Material

Alcoa is an American industrial corporation focused on mining bauxite and manufacturing aluminum in various forms and is a major producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina combined. The name of the company is an acronym for Aluminum Company of America, and the company has a long and storied history tracing all the way back to the discovery of the incredibly useful metal. The company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and its shares trade on the NYSE.

Alcoa's origins are deeply entwined with the transformative discovery of an economical method for extracting aluminum. Prior to the late 19th century, aluminum was exceedingly rare and valued more than gold, due to the complexity of extracting it from its ore. This changed dramatically with the simultaneous but independent discoveries by Charles Martin Hall in the United States and Paul Héroult in France in 1886. They developed the Hall-Héroult process, a method of smelting aluminum oxide into aluminum using electrolysis, drastically reducing the cost of production.

In 1888, using this groundbreaking method, the Aluminum Company of America, later known as Alcoa, was founded. The company played a pioneering role in the mass production and commercialization of aluminum, revolutionizing its availability and use. Alcoa's development paralleled the evolution of aluminum from a precious metal to a cornerstone of modern industry. The company's efforts in refining and producing aluminum at an industrial scale not only marked a significant chapter in the material's history but also catalyzed its widespread application in various sectors, from transportation to packaging, and construction to consumer goods. A list of companies operating in the same industry includes names such as Rio Tinto Group, Norsk Hydro ASA, and Kaiser Aluminum, to name a few.

Alcoa is one of the global leaders in the production of bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products. The company’s primary focus lies in the mining of bauxite, a key raw material for aluminum production, and the subsequent processing of bauxite into alumina. Alcoa operates large-scale alumina refineries and aluminum smelters across the world. In addition to primary aluminum production, Alcoa has diversified its portfolio to include a range of value-added products, such as rolled aluminum and energy services. The company is involved in various environmental initiatives and technological innovations aimed at reducing carbon emissions and improving the efficiency of aluminum production. This focus on sustainability reflects a broader industry trend towards environmentally responsible manufacturing practices.