Alcoa plans to cut 6,500 jobs

PITTSBURGH -- Alcoa Inc., the world's largest aluminum company, will slash 6,500 jobs at facilities in the Americas and Europe and is closing a plant in Pennsylvania.

The cuts, part of a restructuring to make the company more efficient, represent 4.6 percent of Alcoa's worldwide work force of 140,000.

Alcoa said the job reductions announced Monday will result in an after-tax charge of as much as $250 million in the fourth quarter.

The layoffs include the closing of a plant in Lebanon County, Pa., that will affect 240 workers, company spokes-man Jake Siewert said. The plant makes products for the automotive and container industries.

Officials of the Pittsburgh-based company said recent acquisitions made the job reductions necessary.