more bad news

[tarafied1]

Our biggest competitor, Alcoa, is laying off 90 workers. Can't be good for my company either...
http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20100105/NEWS/301059988

[Midlife]

Alcoa has competition? 

Does the name come from ALuminum COmpany of America?

[tarafied1]

Yes it does, I'm surprised anyone knew that. Alcoa used to be the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, when smelting aluminum made it "cheap" they grew fast. In the 20's the government forces them to split. They formed Alcoa, as you said, the Aluminum Company of America and Alcan, the Aluminum Company of CAnada. I started working for Alcan in 1990. They did a hostel take over of a french company in 2004 and the European government wanted them to sell off assets. Rather than sell assets, they decided to spin off all the rolling mills which include the one here in KY, one in Germany, Brazil, two in Korea and several others here in the USA. The new and separate company is called Novelis. There are other aluminum companies but the only top tier suppliers are us and Alcoa. We have been slowly kicking their butts in the market and gaining their market share but competition is fierce and there is overcapacity so we have not made a profit in 2009.

[tarafied1]

Alcan's US corporate headquarters are in Mayfield (Cleveland) and when we spun-off our HQ became Atlanta. We were recently bought by a company in India so I have no idea where our HQ is now! We still have offices in Atlanta and Mayfield.

[daveSanborn]

We were recently bought by a company in India so I have no idea where our HQ is now!

My guess is it's any one of the thousands of 7-11's or cheap hotels scattered across our country.

[tarafied1]

 :lol
yeah we used to have a million Canadian jokes, now we are working on some new ones!

[RapidRabbit]

My uncle works for an Alcan plant up here in Wi.

[tarafied1]

small world!

speaking of WI, I'm up there in Ft Atkinson at least once a month. How far are you from Ft Atkinson, Janeville, Madison area?

[RapidRabbit]

small world!

speaking of WI, I'm up there in Ft Atkinson at least once a month. How far are you from Ft Atkinson, Janeville, Madison area?

I'm about 2 hours from Madison. I get down to Madison for work once and awhile.

[tarafied1]

well maybe this spring/summer I'll let you know when I'm coming up and I could drive up and check out that Vert?!

[RapidRabbit]

well maybe this spring/summer I'll let you know when I'm coming up and I could drive up and check out that Vert?!

Sounds good to me.
If the weather is good we can even get the boat out and hit the lake. I'm about a half mile off Lake Winnebago. :ecit

[daveSanborn]

I'm about a half mile off Lake Winnebago.

They actually named a lake after an RV?  Wow.....

[RapidRabbit]

They actually named a lake after an RV?  Wow.....

 

 :lol :lol :lol

[tarafied1]

They actually named a lake after an RV?  Wow.....

:lol