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Welcome to our new neighbor, Alcoa

Fresh white signs bearing the new name “Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products” went up last week at the Weathersfield Township plant formerly known as RTI International Metals.

After being approved overwhelmingly on Tuesday by RTI shareholders, Alcoa’s $1.5 billion acquisition of RTI, first announced in March, became official on Thursday.

Eric Roegner, the new president of Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products, or ATEP, made it a point to visit the Weathersfield plant Thursday to welcome employees to his company. It was at least the second time in about four months that top executives at Alcoa visited here to talk to employees in preparation for the merger.

We think that bodes well for the future of the local plant and its workers. During an April visit to the Weathersfield plant that at one time served as the RTI headquarters, Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfled told local workers, “Get ready for more business.”

This week he said this: “By combining the talent and advanced technology of RTI and Alcoa, we significantly increase Alcoa’s aerospace market reach. Through this and our other investments and innovations, we are positioning the company to capture even more profitable growth and create greater sustainable value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Overall, the acquisition is expected to allow Alcoa’s multi-material aerospace portfolio to reach heights never before achieved. That is great news for the company that now is part of our community.

We feel confident the local manufacturing plant, staffed by hundreds of hard-working steelworkers, will play a significant role in achieving the company’s new goals. Workers here have helped make the almost 65-year-old plant successful. We are proud of what our strong Mahoning Valley workforce has accomplished, and now we look forward to their role in helping Alcoa progress.

We feel strongly that Alcoa will be a good neighbor. The company already is working to make in-roads here. Last week, in fact, Alcoa Foundation – established 60 years ago to extend the company’s values to benefit the communities where it operates – announced a $40,000 grant to Niles City Schools for hands-on training to help develop the next generation of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) professionals.

We welcome Alcoa and wish the company well for a long and successful future here in the Mahoning Valley.

editorial@tribtoday.com

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