Alcan Inc. is Canada's largest aluminum company and the world's second largest behind Alcoa (however Alcan is largest by sales). Alcan mines bauxite (aluminum ore) and makes and recyles aluminum sheets, foil, wire and cable, and parts for doors, windows and auto parts. Alcan operates in more than 56 countries and sells to the packaging, transportation and construction industries.

In the 1950s, at the invitation of the British Columbia government, Alcan undertook the Kemano Project , the damming and reversal of the upper part of the Nechako River for hydroelectric generation. It was arguably one of the most ambitious engineering projects of the 20th century, because it required not only the construction of Kenny Dam , but also the boring of a 16 kilometre-long tunnel straight through the Coast Mountains to the generating plant at Kemano , which was also built into the mountainside.

In 1999, Alcan made a failed attempt to make a three-way merger between it and Algroup (Alusuisse Lonza Group) of Switzerland and Pechiney of France. The proposed merger was blacked by the European Commission due to fears of anti-competition. After the deal fell through, Alcan acquired Algroup in 2000. Then in 2003, Alcan acquired Pechiney, completing the original three-way merger plan of 1999.

Alcan is based in Montreal, Quebec and had revenues of $25.7 billion and 73,000 employees worldwide in 2003.

Alcan is also one of the common names for the Alaska Highway that connects Dawson Creek, British Columbia, with Fairbanks, Alaska. The name originates from ALaska CANada highway.

External links

• Alcan
• Alcoa