Alan Cransberg and Geoff Cromer Assume New Positions in Alcoa Primary Products Organization

PITTSBURGH--Sept. 16, 2004--Alcoa announced today that effective immediately Alan Cransberg, 45, has been promoted to President, Alcoa Primary Metals North America, with responsibility for Alcoa's 13 primary aluminum smelters in the U.S. and Canada. He manages a consolidated capacity of 2.75 million metric tons of aluminum production per year. He had been President of Alcoa Primary Metals USA. He will be located in Alcoa's New York office and will continue to report to Bernt Reitan, Vice President of Alcoa and Group President of Alcoa Primary Products.

Succeeding Mr. Cransberg as President, Primary Metals USA is Geoffrey C. Cromer, 47, currently location manager at Alcoa's Rockdale, Texas, Operations. Mr. Cromer will relocate to Knoxville, Tennessee.

Biographical information follows:

Alan Cransberg

Mr. Cransberg began his Alcoa career in West Australia following graduation from the University of West Australia in 1979 with an honors degree in civil engineering. He joined Alcoa of Australia in the Alcoa Mining Group working at several West Australian locations in engineering, business analysis, planning and supervisory positions. He joined the West Australian refinery system in 1990 completing various management roles at the Kwinana alumina refinery before being appointed Pinjarra alumina refinery location manager in 1998. In 2001, Mr. Cransberg moved to the United States to become the location manager of Alcoa's Point Comfort, Texas, alumina and chemicals complex. He was named to his most recent position as president of Primary Metals, USA in 2003, responsible for Alcoa's U.S. smelting system and its mining/power generation assets.

Geoffrey C. Cromer

Geoff Cromer joined Alcoa shortly after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 1979 with a degree in mechanical engineering. During his career, he has assumed position of increasing responsibility in Alcoa manufacturing facilities in Davenport, Iowa; Cleveland, Ohio; and Rockdale, Texas.

He was based in Davenport for 18 years where he held engineering and production management positions including Ingot Superintendent. In 1997, Mr. Cromer moved to Cleveland, Ohio to Alcoa's Wheel and Forged Products Division as Aerospace and Industrial Products Manufacturing Manager. He then served as Reynolds Metals Integration Manager, when Alcoa acquired Reynolds Metals Company in 2000. Subsequently, he was named North America Auto Wheels Manufacturing Manager for Alcoa, responsible for plants in Beloit, Wisconsin; Lebanon, Virginia and Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. In 2001, Mr. Cromer transferred to Alcoa's Rockdale (Texas) Operations as Smelter and Cast House Plant Manager. In 2003 he was named location manager at Rockdale, where his responsibilities include Sandow and Three Oaks lignite mines, Sandow power generating units 1-3 and aluminum smelting and cast house operations.