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Alcan Aluminum Plant

Alcan, who's worldwide headquarters are located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada manufactures aluminum. The aluminum products manufactured by Alcan are used for many important projects worldwide. Aluminum products manufactured by Alcan are widely used in the construction of aerospace materials, as well as construction products and materials to complete transportation projects. Alcan is involved in all phases of the aluminum manufacturing process, including mining bauxite ore, refining alumina, smelting the processed aluminium and developing a finished product.

A Brief History of Alcan

In 1902 Alcan Incorporated was established as a division of Alcoa, or Aluminum Company of America. The company was initially known as Aluminum Company of Canada, which was eventually shortened to Alcan. This name change occurred in 1945. Alcan continued to expand, acquiring Canadian companies Aluminium du Canada and Alcan Aluminum Limited. In 1982, Alcan purchased The British Aluminum Company.

In its continued plans to expand, Alcan attempted to merge with Pechiney, a French company, and Algroup, a company based in Switzerland. This move, in 1999, was halted initially because of concerns over a developing monopoly in the world's aluminum supply. Alcan managed to add these companies to its stable eventually, purchasing Algroup in 2000, and Pechiney in 2003. The acquisition of these two companies separately allowed Alcan to go against the wishes of the European Union who led the concerned parties about the potential of a monopoly.

Alcan is the largest producer of rolled aluminum products in the world. Rolled aluminum is used for a variety of products, perhaps most commonly, soft drink cans. Their business holdings cover all areas of the aluminum process, from mining to post production. Alcan's expansion has led it to opening operations in over 40 countries worldwide. One of the reasons that Alcan has operations spread throughout the world is because of their interest in bauxite mining. They have bauxite mines in several countries in Africa, Australia, Brazil, India and other countries. The massive reach of Alcan means that they have over 50,000 employees worldwide.

What is Aluminum?

Aluminum is a common metal, the third most common element on earth. Widely used, aluminum is the second most often mined metal on earth. Lightweight and very soft, aluminum makes an excellent choice in manufacturing because it is easily combined with other metals. By combining it with other metals it is possible to get the best of both metals, a product that is lightweight but very strong as well. Aluminum is also an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. Another benefit of aluminum is that it is not magnetic. A non-magnetic surface is an asset for many applications. Aluminum is a strong and pliant material, and can withstand extreme cold without becoming brittle. It also reflects light as well as heat, and is impervious to corrosion. Aluminum is widely used, and is contained in everything from deodorant to paint to automobile parts. One attractive benefit of aluminum that is making it more popular is its ability to be recycled. Aluminum products, once they reach the end of their life, are easily recycled into new and different components. This makes aluminum an attractive product in our current climate.

How is Aluminum Manufactured?

Aluminum is a naturally occurring mineral. It is a component of bauxite, or aluminum, ore, as well as other elements. It is never found in a pure state in nature. Although aluminum may be located in sulphur, silicon or other elements, the aluminum is most easily extracted from bauxite ore. The bauxite is removed from the earth through mining. Once the bauxite is removed, it must be heated to remove the aluminum from the bauxite. The removal process, called reduction, requires heating to nearly 2,000 degrees.

How Aluminum Workers May Be Exposed to Asbestos

Asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral, was widely used in the industrial setting prior to 1980. The properties of asbestos made it a valuable resource in the aluminum trade. Asbestos was impermeable to heat and flame. This made it the ideal product to use when processing aluminum. The aluminum reduction and processing phases require extreme levels of heat. To protect the workers from the extreme heat as well as open flames, protective clothing made from asbestos fibers were worn by those employed in the plant. Additionally, the pots, boilers and other equipment used by the employees of the manufacturing plant were wrapped in asbestos insulation, to keep the heat and provide a more comfortable working environment for the workers.

The amount of asbestos that was used in the process of separating and manufacturing aluminum means that many people that worked in aluminum manufacturing jobs may have suffered from asbestos exposure. Asbestos exposure can lead to mesothelioma or asbestosis, serious medical conditions. Although asbestos was not used in new products after 1978, many older manufacturing plants may have kept their existing insulation or protective equipment in place for years after it was determined that asbestos exposure was hazardous to worker's health.

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