Mayor DeGeeter to give State of the City speech at GrafTech

2/20/2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2012

Contact: Jeannie Roberts (440) 885-8181 or (216) 346-9935
GrafTech: Betsy Keck (216) 676-2315

PARMA, Ohio -- Mayor Tim DeGeeter will deliver his first State of the City address on the campus of one of Parma’s most successful businesses. GrafTech International will host DeGeeter’s address on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at its headquarters at 12900 Snow Road. The event will be held in the auditorium.

“I am looking forward to my first State of the City,” DeGeeter said. “Parma has a lot of good things going for it, and we are working hard to protect our quality of living during difficult economic times. I want to share with everyone our vision for a healthy Parma in which to live and work.”

The selection of the off-site location reflects DeGeeter’s desire to showcase the success of Parma’s diverse manufacturing climate. GrafTech’s Snow Road location is an Ohio Historic Landmark as the location for the discovery of the alkaline battery, the world’s first carbon fiber, and other accomplishments. The site is GrafTech International’s World Headquarters and home to its Corporate Research and Development.

“I am honored to highlight one of Parma’s most innovative and forward-thinking corporations, a leader in graphite material science and the only company of its kind in the United States,” DeGeeter said. “GrafTech is a wonderful example of combining successful business practice and corporate social responsibility.”

GrafTech International, one of Parma’s original corporate citizens, is a global company with 125 years in the graphite materials industry. Its customers are located in more than 65 countries and represent a wide range of industries and end markets, including steel manufacturing, advanced energy and latest generation electronics. GrafTech operates 19 principal manufacturing facilities on four continents and employs more than 3,200 people.

Craig Shular, GrafTech’s Chairman and CEO added, “GrafTech is honored to host Mayor DeGeeter and the City of Parma for the State of the City address. Parma has been an outstanding home for our Corporate Headquarters and Research and Development Center, and we are delighted that the Mayor has decided to highlight Team GrafTech's contributions to this community.”

GrafTech has been at the Snow Road location, which employs about 250 people, since 1956.