Editorial Contact:      Bonita A. Cersosimo
                        1 412 553 4462

Investor Relations:     Edgar M. Cheely, Jr.
                        Randall J. Killeen
                        1 412 553 2231


    ALCOA COMPLETES CASH TENDER OFFER FOR CORDANT; ANNOUNCES SUBSEQUENT
            OFFERING PERIOD; AND EXTENDS TENDER OFFER FOR HOWMET

      PITTSBURGH, May 22, 2000 -- Alcoa announced today the completion of
its $57 per share cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of common
stock of Cordant Technologies Inc. The tender offer expired at 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDST) on Friday, May 19, 2000, at which time
approximately 34,534,734 shares of Cordant common stock were validly
tendered, including guaranteed deliveries. Payment for the shares of
Cordant common stock purchased during the initial offering period will be
made promptly through ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., the
depositary for the tender offer. After payment for the deposited shares,
Alcoa will own approximately 93.5% of the total issued and outstanding
shares of Cordant common stock.

      As previously announced, Alcoa will provide a subsequent offering
period of three business days for the Cordant tender offer, which begins
today at 9:00 a.m. EDST and expires at 11:59 p.m. EDST on Wednesday, May
24, 2000. During this subsequent offering period, shares of Cordant will be
accepted and promptly paid for as they are tendered. The same price paid
during the initial offering is extended through the subsequent offering
period: $57 per share, net to the seller in cash, to Cordant stockholders.
Shares that are tendered during the subsequent offering period may not be
withdrawn.

      Alcoa also announced today that it has extended its $20 per share
cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Howmet International
Inc. The tender offer, as extended, will expire at 5:00 p.m. EDST on June
2, 2000. Alcoa emphasized that it will not under any circumstances extend
the Howmet offer beyond Friday, June 2, 2000. As of the close of business
on May 19, 2000, the number of shares of Howmet common stock that had been
validly tendered was 1,098,100, including guaranteed deliveries.

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Alcoa (NYSE: AA)
Cordant Technologies (NYSE: CDD)
Howmet International (NYSE:  HWM)