Alcoa's SGS Invests in Education; $25,000 Grant Aids Graduate Students at Clemson University (SGS Release)

RICHMOND, Va. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Dec. 9, 2004 - SGS in Richmond, Va. announced today that Clemson University Foundation is the recipient of a $25,000 Alcoa Foundation grant to provide funding for graduate students to gain leadership and communication skills to be effective in today's marketplace.

The funding will enable the students to work as lab assistants in Clemson University 's department of graphic communications, research technologies relative to the graphic arts, and receive and prepare training for emerging technologies in graphic communications.

" SGS is a leading service provider in the graphic arts industry. Our responsibility to our customers in the very demanding markets we serve requires the best talent available. One of our key strategic objectives is workforce development - to attract and retain talented people by developing and implementing well-defined human resources initiatives," said Dennis Wilcox, regional vice president at SGS. "In addition to this grant, our company partners with Clemson University to offer internships to students so they can apply their knowledge in an active workplace environment. The experience serves to enhance skill levels and helps to broaden the perspectives of these students. The program benefits SGS in that we get short-term task oriented work completed with no long-term commitment and we have the opportunity to evaluate these students as potential permanent hires in the future."

The grant is part of Alcoa Foundation's commitment to improving the quality of life in Alcoa communities worldwide. SGS, an Alcoa business, provides creative services, prepress services and image carriers to printers and consumer products companies. SGS employs approximately 150 in the Richmond area at its three operating locations.

In South Carolina , Alcoa employs 1,250 at four operating locations in Goose Creek , Spartanburg , McBee and Gaffney, with a capital investment of $1.5 billion. Alcoa's contribution to the South Carolina economy includes a payroll of $85 million and $5 million in annual taxes.

About SGS
SGS, headquartered in Louisville , Kentucky , supplies photographic and digital images and manufactures flexographic printing plates and rotogravure cylinders for the packaging printing industry. The business has grown to more than 30 locations in the United States , Canada and Mexico . Through its growth, SGS maintains its dedication to providing exceptional value and service to its clients and employees.

About Alcoa Foundation
Established in 1952, Alcoa Foundation is a global resource that actively invests in improving the quality of life in more than 32 countries around the world where Alcoa operates. The Foundation's grants address global and local needs in Areas of Excellence that include: Conservation and Sustainability, Global Education and Workplace Skills, Business and Community Partnerships and Safe and Healthy Children and Families. Alcoa Foundation manages Alcoa's ACTION and Bravo! programs which recognize the volunteer efforts of employees with grants to the organizations they serve. For more information about Alcoa Foundation, visit www.alcoa.com , under Community.