AA

Alcoa, Inc.

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: technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling. Aluminum is a commodity that is traded on the London Metal Exchange (LME) and priced daily based on market supply and demand. Aluminum and alumina represent more than three-fourths of Alcoa’s revenues, and the price of aluminum influences the operating results of Alcoa. Nonaluminum products include precision castings and aerospace and industrial fasteners. Alcoa’s products are used worldwide in aircraft, automobiles, commercial transportation, packaging, building and construction, oil and gas, defense, and industrial applications.

Alcoa is a global company operating in 31 countries. Based upon the country where the point of sale occurred, the United States (U.S.) and Europe generated 52% and 27%, respectively, of Alcoa’s sales in 2009. In addition, Alcoa has investments and operating activities in Australia, Brazil, China, Iceland, Guinea, Russia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all of which present opportunities for substantial growth. Governmental policies, laws and regulations, and economic factors, including inflation and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, affect the results of operations in these countries.

Alcoa’s operations consist of four worldwide reportable segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions.

Bauxite Interests

Aluminum is one of the most plentiful elements in the earth’s crust. Aluminum is produced primarily from bauxite, an ore containing aluminum in the form of aluminum oxide, commonly referred to as alumina. Aluminum is made by extracting alumina from bauxite and then removing oxygen from the alumina. Alcoa processes most of the bauxite that it mines into alumina. The company obtains bauxite from its own resources and from those belonging to the AWAC enterprise, located in the countries listed in the chart below, as well as pursuant to both long-term and short-term contracts and mining leases. In 2009, Alcoa consumed 36.0 million metric tons (mt) of bauxite from AWAC and its own resources, 4.8 million mt from related third parties and 1.9 million mt from unrelated third parties. Alcoa’s present sources of bauxite are sufficient to meet the forecasted requirements of its alumina refining operations for the foreseeable future.

Energy

Alcoa produces aluminum from alumina by an electrolytic process requiring large amounts of electric power. Electric power accounts for approximately 24% of the company’s primary aluminum costs. Alcoa generates approximately 22% of the power used at its smelters worldwide and generally purchases the remainder under long-term arrangements. Power generated by natural gas, or in the alternative, by fuel oil, as purchased by the company, accounts for approximately 15% and 14%, respectively, of the company’s total refining production costs.

Patents, Trade Secrets and Trademarks

The company believes that its domestic and international patent, trade secret and trademark assets provide it with a significant competitive advantage. The company’s rights under its patents, as well as the products made and sold under them, are important to the company as a whole and, to varying degrees, important to each business segment. The patents owned by Alcoa generally concern particular products or manufacturing equipment or techniques. Alcoa’s business as a whole is not, however, materially dependent on any single patent, trade secret or trademark.

The company has a number of trade secrets, mostly regarding manufacturing processes and material compositions that give many of its businesses important advantages in their markets. The company continues to strive to improve those processes and generate new material compositions that provide additional benefits.

The company also has a number of domestic and international registered trademarks that have significant recognition within the markets that are served. Examples include the name “Alcoa” and the Alcoa symbol for aluminum products, Howmet metal castings, Huck® fasteners, Kawneer building panels and Dura-Bright® for wheels with dirt resistant surface treatments. The company’s rights under its trademarks are important to the company as a whole and, to varying degrees, important to each business segment.

Employees

Total worldwide employment at year-end 2009 was approximately 59,000 employees in 31 countries. About 37,000 of these employees are represented by labor unions. The company believes that relations with its employees and any applicable union representatives generally are good.