Alcan Aluminum Recognized as 'Best of the Best' by Customers In Automotive Industries' Quest for Excellence Awards
9 August 2000
Alcan Aluminum Recognized as 'Best of the Best' by Customers In Automotive Industries' Quest for Excellence Awards
DETROIT - The Alumineering efforts of Alcan Global Automotive Products have
earned the aluminum producer recognition as one of the "best of the best"
automotive suppliers in Automotive Industries' third annual Quest for Excellence
awards.
The current issue of Automotive Industries magazine reports that Alcan was
the top-ranked company in the aluminum category of the prestigious awards
program. The publication teamed with PricewaterhouseCoopers to survey more
than 1,200 professionals in the auto industry. Respondents evaluated
suppliers on quality, price, delivery, service/response and innovation. Alcan
will receive the award at a ceremony on August 16 at the Detroit Institute of
Arts.
"Receiving this award is an extreme honor because it comes from the very
people we work to serve -- our customers," said Donald Macmillan, president of
Alcan Global Automotive Products. "I believe that Alcan won this award
because of our focus on building partnerships with our automotive customers to
better understand their needs and provide them with aluminum solutions."
"We use the term Alumineering(SM) to describe our expertise, technology
and proprietary alloys which customers can tap to make high-volume aluminum
structures and body panels that reduce vehicle weight without sacrificing
performance characteristics or safety," said Macmillan. "Over the past five
years, our customers have produced more than eight million vehicles featuring
one or more body panels made of our high-performance alloys."
Alcan has signed multi-million dollar, long-term supply agreements with
both General Motors and Ford Motor Company.
A recent project with General Motors to develop robust and cost-effective
aluminum liftgates for the 2000 Yukon, Suburban and Tahoe has further advanced
the technology and acceptance of automotive aluminum. Alcan worked with GM to
develop innovative techniques to stamp, paint and spot-weld panels in this
complex, high-volume assembly -- the first aluminum liftgate designed and
built in North America.
At Ford, Alcan's ongoing partnership provides the opportunity to help the
automaker meet its commitment to raise the fuel economy of its sport utility
vehicles (SUVs) by 25 percent in five years, Macmillan noted. The 2001 Ford
Explorer, set to debut later this year, will be one of the most aluminum-
intensive vehicles in the Ford fleet.
The Lincoln LS, the Motor Trend Car of the Year, has 40 percent of its
body covered by Alcan -- from the hood and trunk lid to the aluminum front
fenders -- and features numerous other aluminum parts in the chassis and
suspension systems. This helps the LS achieve the nearly 50/50 weight
distribution that contributes to the car's European-like driving
characteristics.
Alcan also worked closely with both Ford and GM on their hybrid-electric
concept cars, respectively the Prodigy and the Precept, which were unveiled
earlier this year. Designed to achieve up to 80 miles-per-gallon, both of
these vehicles feature aluminum unibody structures covered by aluminum body
panels made from Alcan's proprietary sheet alloys.
Alcan Global Automotive Products' parent company, Alcan Aluminium Limited,
is in the final stages of merging with the Swiss-based algroup, a recognized
leader in European automotive aluminum supply. The merger is expected to be
completed this year and will give Alcan an even greater global reach and
product offering.
"Alcan is already a leading supplier to the North American auto market,"
Macmillan said. "When we are joined with algroup, the number one European
supplier, it is clear that Alcan will be the global leader in automotive
aluminum."
Alcan Global Automotive Products is a unit of Alcan Aluminium Limited
, a multinational, market-driven, low-cost producer of aluminum
products. With operations and sales offices in over 30 countries, Alcan is
one of the most international aluminum companies in the world. It is a
leading producer of primary metal and a global producer and marketer of rolled
aluminum products.