GrafTech

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GrafTech International LTD
Type Public
Traded as NYSE: GTI
Industry Chemicals, Materials Science
Founded 1886
Headquarters Parma, Ohio, United States
Number of locations 16 manufacturing facilities
Area served Worldwide
Key people Joel L. Hawthorne (Chairman & CEO)
Products Synthetic Graphite and carbon electrodes, natural graphite, other graphite materials and systems
Services Graphite material sciences
Revenue Decrease US$ 1.25 billion (FY 2012)
Operating income Decrease US$ 156.5 million (FY 2012)
Net income Decrease US$ 117.6 million (FY 2012)
Total assets Increase US$ 2.3 billion (FY 2012)
Total equity Increase US$ 1.35 billion (FY 2012)
Employees 2,990
Divisions Engineered Solutions
Industrial Materials
Subsidiaries Seadrift Coke L.P.
Website www.graftech.com
References: [1]

GrafTech International Holdings Inc., commonly referred to as GrafTech, is an American multinational corporation incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Parma, Ohio. GrafTech has been manufacturing carbon and graphite products for over 125 years, and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange as GrafTech International Ltd. since 1995.

The company’s operations are divided into two lines of business: Engineered Solutions and Industrial Materials. GrafTech's customers are located in over 65 countries and represent a wide range of industries and end markets, including steel manufacturing, automotive products, advanced energy and electronics. GrafTech operates 27 facilities, including 20 principal manufacturing facilities[2] on four continents and employs approximately 3 000 people.

Company history

GrafTech’s business was founded in 1886 as the National Carbon Company, which then merged with Union Carbide in 1917, and the business that would later become GrafTech began to operate as the Carbon Products Division of Union Carbide.

Union Carbide was reorganized in 1989, with the Carbon Products Division renamed as the UCAR Carbon Company.[3] In 2002, the company was rebranded as GrafTech.

In late 2010, GrafTech acquired two companies: Seadrift Coke LP, a manufacturer of needle coke, which is an essential component in the production of graphite electrodes; and C/G Electrodes LLC, which manufactures graphite electrodes.

In February 2011, the company acquired Micron Research Corporation, a manufacturer of superfine-grained graphite. In October 2011, GrafTech acquired advanced carbon composite manufacturer Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI).

Notable Events

1886: The National Carbon Company, GrafTech’s predecessor, is founded.

1914: Introduces the first 12-inch diameter graphite electrodes.

1956: Receives an Oscar® for the development and production of a high-efficiency yellow flame carbon for motion picture color photography.

1956-1978: Develops high performance carbon fibers; this work is recognized in 2003 with a National Historic Chemical Landmark from the American Chemical Society.

1985: Develops advanced technology for carbon/carbon composites used in spacecraft.

1990: Introduces first 30-inch diameter graphite electrodes for UHP DC arc furnaces

1995: Develops new graphite for the US Advanced Battery Consortium for lithium batteries in electric vehicles. Initial public offering. [4]

1999: Develops first natural graphite-based heat spreaders for electronic thermal management.

2004: Introduces optimized pinless joint design for large-diameter graphite electrodes.

2007: Commercializes high-temperature insulation solutions for the polysilicon and solar industries .

2010: Launches high thermal conductivity SPREADERSHIELD™ products for electronics and lighting applications.

2003-2011: Wins seven R&D 100 Awards in nine years.

2011: Dedicated two historical markers awarded by the Ohio Historical Society. One is for pioneering battery research made at Parma by Lewis Urry and National Carbon Company. The other recognizes the Lakewood facility’s long history and National Carbon Company.

Segments and Products

GrafTech’s Industrial Materials segment is focused on the global steel market. This segment represents approximately 80 percent of the company’s sales and includes the following product lines:

  • Graphite electrodes: Consumable product used to conduct electricity to melt scrap steel in electric arc furnaces.
  • Needle coke: Primary raw material in the production of graphite electrodes.
  • Refractories: Insulating brick technology for hearth walls installed in modern integrated steel furnaces worldwide.

The Engineered Solutions segment addresses a number of other high-growth markets, represents approximately 20 percent of corporate sales and includes the following product lines:

  • Advanced Graphite Materials: A wide range of highly-engineered synthetic graphite products that are used in a variety of end markets, including solar, oil and gas exploration, and transportation.
  • Flexible Graphite: Thin, lightweight, flexible graphite solutions used to dissipate heat in applications requiring significant thermal management, including flat panel displays, smartphones and LED lighting.

Markets

Steel

Electronics

Energy

  • Polysilicon
  • Oil and gas
  • Solar
  • Semiconductor
  • Fuel cell
  • Nuclear
  • Solid state lighting
  • Heating and cooling
  • Energy storage

Industrial

  • Metallurgical
  • Machine shop
  • Thermal
  • Chemical
  • Automotive
  • Building materials

Aerospace

  • Commercial aerospace
  • Defense

Controversies

On April 1, 1998, a class action lawsuit against UCAR International, Inc. ("UCAR"), for artificially inflating stock price in the class period was announced. In 2000, the class members won a settlement of $ 40.5 million.[5]

In 2001, GrafTech, at the time UCAR Carbon, was fined €50.4 million by the European Commission[6] and $110 million by the United States Department of Justice[7] for participating in an international price-fixing cartel with seven other firms in the market for graphite electrodes.

References

  1. ↑ "GrafTech International Ltd. (GTI)". Yahoo! Finance. 
  2. ↑ GrafTech International - About Us
  3. ↑ Union Carbide Corporation, History
  4. ↑ "GrafTech 10K Statement 2002". GTIH. 
  5. ↑ "Class Action against UCAR International". 
  6. ↑ "European Commission fine for graphite electrode cartel". 
  7. ↑ "United States Department of Justice fine for graphite electrode cartel". 

External links

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