Alcoa Recognized as Having the Best Safety Performance in the Aluminum Industry

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that it was the recipient of the International Aluminium Institute’s award for Best Safety Performance in the Worldwide Aluminum Industry for 2006 during the organization’s Annual General Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, last week. The IAI is the global forum of the world's aluminum producers. The Institute has 25 member companies; together these companies represent more than 80% of world primary aluminum production.

Alcoa’s Poços de Caldas, Brazil, Operations was honored in two categories: Best Performing Mine and its 96,000-metric-ton-per-year aluminum smelter won in the Best Performing Smelter in the category of greater than 1.3 million hours worked. Alcoa’s San Ciprian alumina refinery in Spain won as the Best Performing Refinery in the less than 2 million hours worked category.

Data for 18 mines, 35 refineries and 102 smelters worldwide was collected and evaluated by the Institute. The top performers in safety are determined following a rigorous multi-stage assessment that includes reviews of Total Recordable Incident Frequency, Lost Time Incident Frequency, and Incident Severity Rate, together with improvements on the previous year’s performance. Short-listed plants also carry out a self-assessment, followed by an on site assessment by the IAI.

“We are extremely proud that Alcoa is leading the way in safety performance in the worldwide aluminum industry,” said Alcoa Chairman Alain Belda. “This accomplishment is a result of the dedicated effort of all Alcoa employees to work safely and a firm belief that safety is the highest internal priority at Alcoa.”

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also markets Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems. The Company has 97,000 employees in 34 countries and has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com

Note to Editors: The "c" in "Poços" should have a cedilla.