From Monopoly to Competition: The Transformations of ALCOA, 1888 1986

Alcoa has a long, distinguished history, as detailed here. Its rise paralleled the rise of the United States as a world power. The use of aluminium grew mightily in a hundred years. Especially for aviation, where steel has simply proved too heavy for many airplane parts. The book describes the expansion of Alcoa into a global multinational, as it searched for more deposits of bauxite and cheap electricity to process it. Australian readers should note the prominent description of Alcoa's Australian operations. Culminating perhaps in its alumina refinery in Wagerup, Western Australia.