RAVENSWOOD ALUMINUM PLANT MUST BE SOLD

(09/30/2003)
A Ravenswood aluminum plant will go on the market if a proposed agreement announced yesterday, according to the US Department of Justice.

The Justice Department says if Alcan Incorporated's purchase of Pechiney is successful, Pechiney's Ravenswood rolling mill must be sold.

The Justice Department says without the sale, Alcan's purchase of the French company's assets would hurt competition in the brazing sheet market.

"Brazing Sheet" is an aluminum alloy used to produce radiators, oil coolers, heaters and air conditioning units for motor vehicles.

The Ravenswood plant employs about 950 people and had about 100 million dollars in sales last year.

There will be a 60-day period for comment.

The European Union yesterday tentatively approved Canadian-based Alcan's purchase of Pechiney. Under that agreement, Alcan must sell several European-based operations