Going concern

Michael Hanley, CA
President & CEO, Alcan Bauxite and Alumina;
Senior VP, Alcan Inc.

Company profile: One of six divisions that make up Montreal-based Alcan Inc., Alcan Bauxite and Alumina has been in operation since 2002, mining and refining raw materials that eventually end up in planes, bicycles, housing materials and even pop cans. With 5,400 employees globally and 20 operating facilities in 10 countries, the division boasts the No. 1 spot worldwide in third-party sales of bauxite and No. 2 in alumina production capacity. It represents US$3 billion in revenue.

Hot factor: The ongoing industrialization of China means aluminum consumption has increased by some 25% year over year. In addition to these exporting opportunities, Alcan’s technological expertise in extracting bauxite from the ground and refining it into alumina is proving to be a hot commodity. The company is a leader in sales of its technology to third parties on five continents and uses its technological know-how as a lever to pursue other business opportunities.

Cool projects: The division recently announced a massive expansion of its Australian refinery, which will increase capacity from 2.1 million to 3.8 million tonnes of alumina per year by 2007. It’s working with partners on an environmentally friendly US$1.3-billion natural gas conversion project to power the refinery, which is currently fueled by oil. The company is also looking at expansion opportunities in India and Guinea, a West African nation with 30% of the world’s bauxite reserves.

In his own words: “When I talk about Alcan with friends and family, it comes back to the people and the values, which are integrity, accountability, trust, transparency and teamwork. These values are more than just a poster on the wall. You really see people at Alcan acting in a way that’s in line with those values and it’s very powerful.”

Rosalind Stefanac