Alcoa celebrates 40 years on tour

More than 630,000 visitors have toured Alcoa’s operations in Western Australia over the last 40 years – a similar number to the entire population of the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Since 1978, Alcoa has been offering tours of its bauxite mining and rehabilitation along the Darling Scarp, stretching between Jarrahdale in the north to Waroona in the south, and its three alumina refineries near Kwinana, Pinjarra and Waroona.

Visitors ranging from Prime Ministers and high-profile international organisations through to students and curious members of the public have been given a first-hand insight into Alcoa’s mining and refining processes along with its commitment to environmental excellence.

Alcoa of Australia Chairman and Managing Director Michael Parker said the company was proud to be celebrating 40 years of tours in 2018.

“This milestone demonstrates Alcoa’s ongoing transparent approach to how we conduct our business in WA and more broadly,” Mr Parker said.

“We are proud of our operations and to open our doors so that people can see, hear and learn about what we have achieved, how we work and our plans for the future. Our commitment to tours is integral to Alcoa continuing to be a welcomed and valued member of the WA community.”

Alcoa offers tours to primary, secondary and tertiary students with resources and activities linked to their curriculum. Universities from across the world – including from the United Kingdom, United States, Thailand and Singapore – regularly bring their students to WA to take part in Alcoa’s tours.

Free public tours are offered weekly. They currently take in the Pinjarra Alumina Refinery and Huntly Bauxite Mine or the Wagerup Alumina Refinery and Willowdale Bauxite Mine further to the south.

Tailored tours are also offered to visiting interest groups and VIPs. In recent years they have included Mr Mahamadou Issoufou, President of Niger, who visited with a large entourage last year and high-powered international representatives from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) who visited in 2007.

Tours are just one part of Alcoa’s proud history in Western Australia, where it employs more than 3750 people and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the State’s economy.

To find out more about Alcoa’s tours or book a spot on the next bus, contact the Alcoa Discovery Centre on 9530 2400 or tourcentre@alcoa.com.au.

Ends

Media contacts:
Sonia Nolan, Senior Communications Adviser, 0401 034 103, sonia.nolan@alcoa.com.au
Jane McGuire, Senior Communications Adviser, 0410 694 676, jane.mcguire@alcoa.com.au

About Alcoa
Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminum products, with a strong portfolio of value-added cast and rolled products and substantial energy assets. Alcoa is built on a foundation of strong values and operating excellence dating back nearly 130 years to the world-changing discovery that made aluminum an affordable and vital part of modern life. Since inventing the aluminum industry, and throughout our history, our talented Alcoans have followed on with breakthrough innovations and best practices that have led to efficiency, safety, sustainability and stronger communities wherever we operate. Visit us online on www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.