Alcoa is currently the world market dominant presence in fabricated aluminum, primary aluminum and aluminum facilities globally. Alcoa, stock symbol AA, experienced a significant decline in sales and profit from 2008 to 2009, mainly due to falling global prices for aluminum. Alcoa has operations in 44 countries around the world including Brazil, China and India, which it has stated it is counting on to recover from falling domestic sales. 26% of the revenue for Alcoa comes from primary metals and alumina, from which aluminum and aluminum based chemicals are made. 27% of Alcoa's revenue comes from flat-rolled products, or sheet aluminum, tin and foil. 19% of Alcoa revenue comes from engineered solutions such as forged and extruded aluminum products for the commercial transportation markets. 16% of Alcoa revenue comes from extruded and end products such as architectural extrusions and vinyl siding.
On October 1, 1888, the Alcoa Company was born as the The Pittsburgh Reduction Company; the name continued until 1907 when it was changed to the Aluminum Company of America. The final incarnation of the company came in 1999, when it was officially renamed Alcoa, stock symbol AA. Alcoa entered the aluminum fabrication business in 1890, when they began making aluminum teakettles per a customer's order. Alcoa was the heart of the first manned flight by the Wright Brothers; the engine of the plane was cast from aluminum sold by Alcoa. Alcoa continues to innovate and expand their business presence in the world market of aluminum and aluminum products with their current endeavors into Australian, Brazilian, Chinese, Icelandic, Russian and Saudi Arabian markets. Alcoa is looking toward the high growth emerging markets in China and Russia to offset the declined North American market and the slow growth of the European market. Stock prices for Alcoa have experienced a slight increase and small fluctuations within the last two years; this should level out with the emerging market compensating for declined North American markets.
