BETTENDORF, Iowa–Alcoa showcased the advanced manufacturing capabilities of its
Davenport, Iowa, plant today, during a tour by U.S. President Barack
Obama. President Obama also announced that Alcoa was joining the
President’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.
Davenport is the manufacturing hub of Alcoa’s $3 billion aerospace
business and the world’s premier aerospace supply plant, producing
high-tech products for all major aircraft, including Airbus’ A380, the
world’s largest passenger plane, and Boeing’s 747-8 and 777.
“Alcoa is showing us the future we can build here in eastern Iowa and
across the country,” said President Obama in remarks at the plant today.
“At companies like Alcoa reinvention is a way of life…that spirit is at
the heart of our American story.”
President Obama, accompanied by Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld
and Davenport Works Vice President and General Manager Malcolm Murphy,
met with Alcoa employees and saw how Davenport’s products make ground
and air transportation lighter, stronger and safer.
“Alcoa has been at the center of the aerospace industry since the very
beginning,” Kleinfeld said. “Nothing would fly without aluminum. Today’s
visit recognizes the teamwork and passion that keeps Alcoa at the
forefront of innovation and advanced manufacturing in the U.S. and
abroad.”
After touring the Davenport facility, the President spoke to about 400
Alcoa employees and members of the community, highlighting his newly
announced Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), a national effort
bringing together industry, universities, and the federal government to
invest in emerging technologies to create high quality manufacturing
jobs and enhance competitiveness. Obama announced that Alcoa was joining
the partnership effort, which was launched last week in Pittsburgh.
“The idea is to create jobs now and to make sure America stays on the
cutting edge of manufacturing for years to come,” President Obama said.
“They have a saying at Alcoa, nobody is perfect, but a team can be.
“As a team, America can perfect itself, but we have to start working as
a team.”
Alcoa’s Davenport Works employs 2,200 people and more than 25 percent of
its revenue comes from global exports.
About Alcoa Davenport
Opened in 1948, Alcoa Davenport is situated on the Mississippi River,
about seven miles from downtown Davenport, Iowa. The plant employs 2,200
people in high-tech aluminum sheet and plate manufacturing for the
aerospace, defense, automotive and building and construction markets.
Alcoa has invested more than $200 million over the past decade to
maintain Davenport’s position as the world’s premier aerospace supply
plant. Davenport remains the only facility that can manufacture airplane
wings as a monolithic structure, delivering enhanced structural
integrity and lighter weight aircraft, and today produces wings for
almost all planes made by Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer. The
plant also produces unique armor products for the U.S. military,
including the Humvee and MRAP, and delivers automotive solutions that
are enabling lighter, more fuel efficient automotive vehicles. Alcoa
Davenport is at the forefront of sustainability leadership, and recently
became home to a pair of American Bald Eagles and their baby – Freedom –
whose progress has been followed by hundreds of thousands via live
webcam – www.alcoa.com/eaglecam.
For more information visit www.alcoa.com/davenport.
About Alcoa
Alcoa (NYSE:AA) 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 nine 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. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com.