Alcoa and Becema Introduce New Aluminum Solution for Commercial Transportation Market in Russia

NEW YORK--September 22, 2011: Alcoa and Becema, a leading Russian producer of tanks and semi-trailers, have launched a new lightweight aluminum cement hauler for the Russian market using Alcoa's new advanced aluminum sheet alloy 1565M. The eco-friendly aluminum trailers were launched during a customer event at Becema's Krasnogorsk, Russia, plant this week.

“The aluminum trailers are reliable, safe, and provide greater payload, enabling us to meet government weight requirements”

"By using Alcoa's new advanced sheet alloy, the weight of the tank body has been reduced by 25-30 percent over base aluminum alloys. The weight has been reduced 300 percent versus a steel tank, saving approximately 2600 kilograms or more than 2 tons per tank," said Ilya Vishnevskiy, Acting Commercial Director Alcoa Russia. "Lower weight and high strength from aluminum equals cost savings in transport costs and fuel savings."

Aluminum's other advantages include improved corrosion resistance and durability, which results in fewer repairs and longer life of the vehicle, and recyclability.

"The aluminum trailers are reliable, safe, and provide greater payload, enabling us to meet government weight requirements," said Sergey Trifonov, General Director Becema. "These improvements plus aluminum's environmental benefits will help to make the new cement hauler a winner in the Russian transportation market."

Alcoa and Becema introduced the new aluminum cement trailer during "Becema Days," a special event organized by Becema that included its suppliers, customers, partners -- MAN Truck & Bus, Volvo and Daimler, among others -- as well as regional dealers from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The event also included presentations by Alcoa technology and engineering specialists on the technical features of aluminum and the future use of aluminum in commercial transportation.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world's largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa's operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 10 consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 59,000 people in 31 countries across the world.