Rio Tinto Alcan, a world leader in the aluminium business, has announced it is to launch the first aluminium alloy building wire in China.

"We are excited to offer our STABILOY™ aluminium alloy building wire to the Chinese market," said Ian Hewett, president of Alcan Cable, a business unit of Rio Tinto Alcan. "STABILOY™ is a proven and reliable alternative to copper feeder conductors and delivers significant cost savings."

According to the company, some of the distinctive features of STABILOY™ aluminium alloy building wire include its light weight and flexibility which translates directly into installation ease. It says its STABILOY™ aluminium alloy building wire is a very secure and reliable wiring solution, produced using state of the art technology to manufacture a unique alloy formulated specifically for electrical feeder conductor applications in residential and commercial buildings.

Alcan Cable's newest manufacturing plant is currently under construction in the Tianjin Airport Industrial Park, with operations dedicated to STABILOY™ aluminium alloy building wire scheduled to begin in early 2009.

Alcan Cable operates six manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Canada.