GrafTech USA LLC, a manufacturer of graphite electrodes, will expand its facility in St. Marys, Elk County, a project that will support the combined retention and creation of 82 full-time jobs at the facility.
“Nearly half of Elk County’s workforce is employed in the manufacturing industry, and this expansion will provide additional manufacturing jobs in and around St. Marys,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “This project exemplifies how strategic investments can translate into impactful opportunities for the people who live and work in Pennsylvania’s communities.”
GrafTech has committed to investing approximately $20 million into the project, increasing production at its Elk County facility, and creating at least 36 new jobs over the next three years.
“Planned improvements at our St. Marys facility will help optimize our manufacturing footprint by improving performance and production, flexibility, and cost effectiveness,” Jeremy Halford, senior vice president of Operations and Development at GrafTech, said. “Further, this expansion will benefit the larger St. Marys area, and we look forward to continued partnerships with our community. We thank the Governor’s Action Team for their efforts to assist with this project.”
The Department of Community and Economic Development provided the company with a funding proposal for the project, which includes a $226,000 Pennsylvania First Grant, $72,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of new jobs and a $43,200 workforce development grant. The Governor’s Action Team coordinated the project.
Graftech currently operates three of the highest capacity graphite electrode facilities in the world. GrafTech USA LLC, a subsidiary of GrafTech International Holdings Ltd., manufactures graphite electrodes that are essential to the production of electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals for use in the automotive, construction, appliance, machinery, equipment and transportation industries.