Alcoa Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. and Melbourne, Australia, has reached an agreement regarding the merger of Alcoa's North American metals distribution business, Reynolds Aluminum Supply Co. (RASCO), with the BHP Billiton Group's North American metals distribution business, Vincent Metals Goods in the U.S. and Atlas Ideal Metals in Canada, collectively known as NAMD. Alcoa and BHP Billiton will each own 50% of the independent company. The combined company will have 3,000 employees and 90 metals distribution service centers across North America.