Alcoa Inc. announced that it will eliminate about 500 jobs by permanently closing two potlines this summer at its smelter in Baie-Comeau, Que., while also delaying construction of more efficient facilities at the smelter for three years. The company announced that the job cuts will be made through retirements and attrition at the smelter, which currently has about 1,400 employees. One of the potlines had been expected to be shut down later the year 2013 and the second in 2015. Instead, they will both be closed by August. The closure will leave the smelter with two operating potlines - the long rows of high-voltage reduction pots where aluminum is smelted. The company announced that the decision will remove 105,000 tones of annual capacity, leaving the facility with the capability of producing 282,000 tones of metal annually. This announcement come a couple of weeks after the company announced a 15-month review to cut worldwide production by 460,000 tones or 11% of its global output. The company announced that the review was in response to a more than 33% drop in the price of aluminum since 2011. It has already idled 568,000 tones of production capacity, or 13% of its global network.

Alcoa Inc. announced that Robert Wilt, currently Chief Operating Officer of Alcoa's Global Primary Products (GPP) business, has been named President of Global Primary Products effective June 1, 2013. Wilt will succeed Chris Ayers, who is leaving Alcoa to become President and CEO of Wireco World Group. Robert Wilt has been named President of Alcoa's Global Primary Products (GPP) business, succeeding Chris Ayers who is leaving the company. Wilt had been Chief Operating Officer for the GPP business. Ayers joined Alcoa in February 2010 as Chief Operating Officer of Alcoa Cast, Forged and Extruded Products.

Alcoa announces Michelle Kiely and Frank Sewell have joined the company's Community Advisory Board. Kiely is director of membership development for the Knoxville Chamber, and Sewell is executive director of the Knoxville Recycling Coalition.