User:Rheinzink/Rheinzink

As the first manufacturer of construction zinc in Europe, Rheinzink (nyse: AA)replaced the traditional pack-rolling process with new, innovative technology - the continuous wide-strip casting and rolling mill. Today RHEINZINK belongs to the Grillo group of companies. It has a production capacity of approx. 160,000 tons a year and employs over 800 people in 30 countries around the world.

History
Rheinzink was founded in 1966 by the Grillo, Stolberger Zink companies and the United German Metalworks; production began in 1969. The company is headquartered in Datteln, Germany, on the outskirts of the Ruhr district. As the first zinc titanium alloy manufacturer in Europe, Rheinzink replaced the conventional pack-rolling process with a new innovative technology – a continuous broadband casting rolling line.

Rheinzink is a leader among environmental manufacturers with its 100% recyclable and sustainable product.

Today, Rheinzink is part of the Grillo conglomerate with offices in 33 countries and employs over 800 employees worldwide.

Environmental record
Alcoa is ranked 15th in the Political Economy Research Institute's (PERI) Toxic 100 of 2008. The company released 13.11 million pounds of toxic air in 2008. In April 2003, Alcoa Inc. agreed to spend an estimated $330 million to install a new coal-fired power plant with state-of-the-art pollution controls to eliminate the vast majority of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions from the power plant at Alcoa's aluminum production facility in Rockdale, Texas. The settlement was the ninth case the Bush administration pursued to bring the coal-fired power plant industry into full compliance with the Clean Air Act. Alcoa was unlawfully operated at the Rockdale facility since it overhauled the Rockdale power plant without installing necessary pollution controls and without first obtaining proper permits required by "New Source Review" program of the Clean Air Act. In February 1999, Alcoa cleaned soils and sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and lead at the York Oil federal Superfund site in Moira, New York in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency. The site, a former waste oil recycling storage facility, accepted waste oil from a number of companies, including Alcoa. The facility was improperly managed and operated and, as a result, soils on the York Oil Property and nearby wetlands sediments and groundwater were contaminated. The United States Environmental Protection Agency‎ (EPA) issued a Superfund Unilateral Order on December 31, 1998 requiring Alcoa to excavate, treat and dispose of the contaminated wetlands sediments.

On the other hand, In 2005, BusinessWeek magazine, in conjunction with the Climate Group, ranked Alcoa as No.5 of "The Top Green Companies." in cutting their carbon gas emissions.

Alcoa in Ghana
Alcoa's affiliate in Ghana, the Volta Aluminum Company, was completely closed between May 2003 and early 2006, due to problems with its electricity supply.

Alcoa in Iceland
By the middle of September, over 50% of the Alcoa Fjardaál smelter construction in Iceland has been finished. The total workforce on site is 1,750 people, of which 80% are of Polish origin. It was expected to be on line by 2007. Alcoa and the government of Iceland have signed an agreement on instigating a thorough feasibility study for a new 250,000 tpy (Tons Per Year) smelter in Bakki by Húsavík in Northern Iceland. In order to power Alcoa's new smelters in Iceland, tracts of wilderness are being flooded to provide hydroelectric energy. Alcoa does not own the kárahnjúkar powerplant.

Alcoa in the United Kingdom
Kitts Green, Birmingham, England

Established shortly before World War II, the facility at Kitts Green, Birmingham has produced many aluminium products. Throughout the 1960s, 70's and 80's the plant became focused on flat-rolled products for the aerospace industry. As of 2007 the plant employed approx 530 employees.

Swansea, South Wales

On November 21, 2006, Alcoa announced that it planned to close the Waunarlwydd works in Swansea, with the loss of 298 jobs. Production ceased at the Swansea plant on January 27, 2007 and it has since been sold by Alcoa.

Alcoa in Australia
Alcoa operates bauxite mines, alumina refineries and aluminum smelters through Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals, which is a joint venture between Alumina Limited and Alcoa. Alcoa operates two bauxite mines in Western Australia - the Huntly and Willowdale mines. Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals owns and operates three alumina refineries in Western Australia: Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup. The Wagerup expasion plans have been put on hold due to the Global Financial Crisis. Two aluminum smelters are also operated in the state of Victoria at Portland and Point Henry. Alcoa Australia Rolled Products a 100% Alcoa Inc. venture, operates two rolling mills. The Point Henry Rolling mill in Victoria and the Yennora rolling mill in N.S.W. have a combined rolling capacity of approx. 200,000 tonnes. Alcoa uses 12,600 GW or 28% of Victoria's electricity annually.

Alcoa in the United States
Alcoa created a plant just outside of Maryville, TN in Blount County, Tennessee, which was the biggest provider of aluminum in the South. The area needed housing for workers, so Alcoa built many houses. The area eventually turned into a city and decided to name itself after the company. Alcoa, Tennessee, was founded 1919.

Alcoa maintains several Research and Development Centers in the United States. The largest one, Alcoa Technical Center, is located East of its Pittsburgh Headquarters at Alcoa Center, PA. The "Tech Center" is as large as some college campuses, has its own Zip Code and maintains an extensive intellectual and physical resource for innovation. Alcoa's extensive safety program continuously improves safety at the Tech Center while enhancing quality of life and efficiency for the hundreds of elite level Researchers who are creating new avenues of business growth and technological development for the Company. Some experimental processes can be dangerous but Alcoa's 6S Culture of Safety and Environmental Responsibility has ensured Researcher safety and minimized environmental impact while enhancing cost effectiveness of development work and accelerating time to market.

The Physical plant of the Tech Center is situated in a rural area and has managed to cultivate a large wooded area which acts as a nature preserve, sheltering deer and other wildlife. It is not uncommon to see Deer and other wildlife freely circulating through the environs of the Tech Center at all hours of the day.

Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals
Alcoa owns and operates the majority of its alumina refineries through its 60% share of Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals.

Alcoa primary aluminum smelters
Alcoa has interests in 25 primary aluminum smelters in 8 countries.