Alcan Inc. was one of the world’s largest producers of aluminum and aluminum products. Its headquarters were in Montreal, Canada. Alcan was involved in all aspects of the aluminum business: bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminum smelting, manufacturing, sales, and recycling. In addition, Alcan owned hydroelectric power plants that produced the energy required for aluminum smelting.
Alcan was formed in 1902 as a Canadian firm owned by the Aluminum Company of America (now Alcoa Inc.), a business based in the United States. In 1928, Alcan became an independent company and took control of most of Alcoa’s business outside the United States. In 2007, Alcan was acquired by the large metal and mining conglomerate Rio Tinto. The aluminum operations of Rio Tinto were renamed Rio Tinto Alcan after the merger.
