Alcan recognized for innovation management by leading economics university in Switzerland

3 Apr 2007 , Paris, France : Alcan has been recognized by the University of St. Gallen’s Technology Management Transfer Center (TECTEM) in Switzerland as one of five companies to demonstrate its status as a "successful enterprise for practicing innovation control". The benchmarking survey of 63 European companies ranked Alcan Technology & Management Ltd. as one of only two research companies within the top five.

"This award recognizes the progress Alcan has made to meet its ambitions for profitable growth in its Engineered Products' business group by creating a culture and tools to foster innovation and customer focus in R&D and throughout its businesses," said Rod Jones, Vice President Technology & Innovation, Alcan Engineered Products.

The University, widely know for its leading economics program, commission an industrial consortium of technology and innovation managers to evaluate the survey’s results and decide on the final ranking of companies.

"Striking the right balance between creative freedom and stringent controlling is especially challenging when it comes to innovation," said Dr. Ernst Lutz, Director Innovation and Technology Management, Alcan Engineered Products." At Alcan, we have made significant efforts to strengthen our Technology & Innovation Management by encouraging the generation of ideas both within R&D and our businesses and having dedicated funds to support feasibility studies," he added.

Alcan Technology & Management Ltd, as a part of the Technology & Innovation (T&I) organization of Alcan’s Engineered Products group, is broadly responsible for R&D, and technology development for future business growth. T&I employs 250 researchers in its facilities at Neuhausen, Switzerland, and Voreppe, France.

The other companies ranked in the top five are IBM Research, Lufthansa Technik GmbH, F.Hofmann-La Roche Ltd. and Volkswagen AG.

Alcan Inc. is a leading global materials company, delivering high quality products and services worldwide. With world-class technology and operations in bauxite mining, alumina processing, primary metal smelting, power generation, aluminum fabrication, engineered solutions as well as flexible and specialty packaging today’s Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs. Alcan is represented by 68,000 employees, including its joint-ventures, in 61 countries and regions, and posted revenues of US$23.6 billion in 2006. The Company has featured on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index consecutively since 2003.