The venture gives Alcoa a way into the lucrative Japanese market, something that has stymied foreign steel and aluminum manufacturers for a number of years.

The John Deere plant has called back some 2,000 workers, and the town has managed to attract two small businesses, a plastics company and an aluminum manufacturer.

In his financial disclosure forms, Mr. O'Neill, the recently retired chairman of Alcoa, the large aluminum manufacturer, reported $59.2 million in compensation from Alcoa in 2000.

Alcoa, a large aluminum manufacturer, is located in Riverdale, Iowa.

The Novelis company was spun-off from Canadian mining and aluminum manufacturer, Alcan Inc. and incorporated in 2005.

Alcoa, the aluminum manufacturer, cited rising energy costs as contributing to its decision to close plants and lay off 6,500 workers.

Alcan was a Canadian mining company and aluminum manufacturer.

During that time, it grew to become one of the world's largest aluminum manufacturers.

As the chief executive of Alcoa, the leading aluminum manufacturer, he remained outspoken about public policy and did not always back consensus Republican positions.

This brings us to "Competition and Conflict," about the efforts of aluminum manufacturers to persuade everyone from architects to housewives that the metal was superior to more familiar materials.