Canadian Heritage Gallery
Canadian Enterprises Gallery

Profile
Image One
Image Two

The Alcan Group is a multicultural and multilingual enterprise reflecting the differing corporate and social characteristics of over 30 countries in which it operates. Today Alcan employs approximately 33,000 people and is a global producer and marketer of flat-rolled aluminum products in the world.

The history of Alcan begins in Shawinigan, Quebec, where hydroelectric power facilities had earlier been developed. The first primary aluminum was produced in 1901 in Canada by the company, then a subsidiary of Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), itself a pioneer producer of aluminum. The Canadian operations were incorporated in 1902 as Northern Aluminum Company, but in 1925, its name was changed to Aluminum Company of Canada.

After becoming an independent entity in 1928, over the next decade the company pursued its goal of developing aluminum fabricating activities in Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe that could provide outlets for the aluminum ingots from its Canadian smelters. During the Second World War, with unprecedented demand for aluminum, smelter production increased five-fold, and fabricating plants were rapidly built in Canada and the United Kingdom.

As demand continued to grow in the post-war period, new hydroelectric and smelting projects were initiated in Quebec and in British Columbia. Alcan's fabricating capacity expanded to many countries, including the United States. During the 1970s, smelting operations and bauxite mining sites were begun in Australia, Europe, South America, Africa and the Caribbean. Pursuant to a reorganisation in 1987, the Company changed its name to Alcan Aluminium Limited.

Committed to a process of continual environmental improvement, Alcan has made remarkable strides in minimizing the impact of its operations on the environment. Air emissions, water effluents, resource management and waste reduction are all areas where Alcan has worked to ensure environmental improvement.