Cleveland company GrafTech looks to hire more veterans

CLEVELAND - A Cleveland-area company wants to put servicemen and women back from war, back to work.

The manufacturer, GrafTech, is looking to hire veterans for dozens of open positions.

GrafTech is a leading manufacturer of graphite material science products. At their Lakewood facility, they make consumer electronic products, like smart phones and flat-screen televisions.

"We've been very successful hiring veterans. About 10 percent of our work team in Ohio is veterans. We find great skills with veterans, great leadership, great discipline," said CEO of GrafTech Craig Schular.

GrafTech already has 42 veterans working there and it is looking to hire up to 45 more in northeast Ohio.

Sen. Sherrod Brown was at GrafTech Wednesday highlighting the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, a new law that provides tax credits to companies that hire unemployed veterans.

"We are finally putting the government on the side of listen, we have plenty of money to send you off to war. We ought to be finding ways that are finding you guys jobs, putting you back to work and providing for your families," said Brown.

The jobs opening in Lakewood will be operational or operations support. At its headquarters in Parma, it is looking to fill technical or administrative positions.