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Filed by Alcan Inc.
                          Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933,
                             as amended, and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14d-2
                             of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

                                                  Subject Company: Pechiney
                                                   Registration Statement No. 333-106851
                                                              Date: October 7, 2003

 

Further information

Alcan has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement to register the Alcan Common Shares to be issued in the proposed transaction, including related tender/exchange offer materials. Investors and Pechiney securityholders are urged to read the registration statement and related tender/exchange offer materials (when available) and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they contain important information. Investors and Pechiney securityholders may obtain a free copy of the registration statement and related tender/exchange offer materials (when available) and other relevant documents at the SEC's Internet web site at www.sec.gov and Pechiney securityholders will receive information at an appropriate time on how to obtain transaction-related documents for free from Alcan.

This communication is for informational purposes only. It shall not constitute an offer to purchase or buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Pechiney, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The solicitation of offers to buy Alcan Common Shares will only be made pursuant to a prospectus and related materials that Alcan expects to send to Pechiney securityholders. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be effected prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Forward-Looking Statement

Certain statements made in this communication are forward-looking statements. Although Alcan's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements by their nature involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. Many factors could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including those listed under "Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements " and "Risk Factors" in the preliminary prospectus included in the registration statement we have filed with the SEC in connection with our proposed offer for certain securities of Pechiney. See the previous paragraph for information about how you can obtain a free copy of the registration statement.

Press Release

A

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

ALCAN LAUNCHES OFFER FOR PECHINEY IN FRANCE

Paris, France; Montreal, Canada - October 7, 2003 - Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL) announces that following the clearance by the French Commission des opérations de bourse of the documentation for its offer in France for Pechiney (NYSE: PY, PARIS: PEC) and the publication in France of such documentation, the French Conseil des marchés financiers has published the notification of the opening of the offer. Accordingly, the French offer is made and open for acceptance beginning today.

Alcan's offer in the U.S. is expected to open soon following completion of a review by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pechiney's annual disclosure documentation. Pechiney securities may not yet be tendered pursuant to Alcan's U.S. offer.

Alcan is a multinational, market-driven company and a global leader in aluminum and packaging, as well as aluminum recycling with 2002 revenues of US$12.5 billion. With world-class operations in primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum as well as flexible and specialty packaging, Alcan is well positioned to meet and exceed its customers' needs for innovative solutions and service. Alcan employs 54,000 people and has operating facilities in 42 countries.

Pursuant to article 7 of the COB Regulation No. 2002-04, this press release was remitted to the Commission des opérations de bourse prior to its release.

Alcan has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") a registration statement to register the Alcan Common Shares to be issued in the proposed U.S. offer, including related tender/exchange offer materials. Investors and Pechiney securityholders are urged to read the registration statement and related tender/exchange offer materials (when available) and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they contain important information. Investors and Pechiney securityholders may obtain a free copy of the registration statement and related tender/exchange offer materials (when available) and other relevant documents at the SEC's Internet web site at www.sec.gov and Pechiney securityholders will receive information at an appropriate time on how to obtain transaction-related documents for free from Alcan.

The Alcan common shares offered in the French offer, which is not being made to holders of Pechiney securities located in the United States or Canada, or to holders of Pechiney American Depositary Shares wherever located, will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

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