Alcan invests in a new conversion centre in Shanghai

Alcan Inc. today announced that it will invest in a new conversion centre in Shanghai, China to serve the fast-growing Chinese and Asia-Pacific composites market. The new facility will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2008.
   
"This new conversion centre will enable Alcan to offer leading-edge composite core material and will allow us to improve our lead times and services to our customers in the rapidly expanding Chinese and Asia-Pacific wind energy, marine and mass transportation markets," said Pierre Monéton, President, Product Market Unit, Core Materials, Alcan Composites.
   
The new greenfield conversion centre is under construction in the Tangzhen industrial area in Shanghai, China. It is currently being equipped for the transformation of AIREX(R) plastic foam and BALTEK(R) balsa-based core materials used by fabricators to make innovative sandwich structure solutions. In addition to the transformation capacity, the new centre will include sales and technical services to provide Alcan's customers with local market knowledge and expertise. When fully operational, the new conversion centre will employ 40 people.
   
This investment further illustrates Alcan Composites' commitment to value-driven growth in expanding Asian markets. Another recent example is the acquisition of a dedicated paint line for ALUCOBOND(R) aluminum composite material in Changzhou in April 2006 to complement an existing manufacturing plant that was created in 1998 for Asian architectural markets.

   
Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL) is a leading global materials company, delivering high quality products and services worldwide. With world-class technology and operations in bauxite mining, alumina processing, primary metal smelting, power generation, aluminum fabrication, engineered solutions as well as flexible and specialty packaging today's Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs. Alcan is represented by 68,000 employees, including its joint-ventures, in 61 countries and regions, and posted revenues of US$23.6 billion in 2006. The Company has featured on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index consecutively since 2003.