Teams showed up on multiple continents to hit the course - some braving cold temperatures! In total, we had 17 teams participate, with 15 scores submitted. The winning team - the 

 from Galesburg, Illinois - will be presented with a travelling trophy.


 for all the great work she put into organizing the event. We look forward to making it an annual tradition!

Spotlight

Thanks to everyone who participated in Koppers first International Golf Challenge!

Koppers International Golf Challenge!

For the past several years, Pittsburgh employees have been gathering on the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh to support March of Dimes in their March for Babies walk. March of Dimes fights for the health of all mothers and babies before, during and after pregnancy.

Jim Hogan, Koppers Senior Global Director, FP&A

, serves as the March of Dimes Board Chair of Western PA and led Koppers fundraising efforts along with the 

which included a kick-off celebration and the popular Koppers apparel store.

For the second year in a row, Koppers team, 

, was a top five fundraising team raising over 

 with $1,000 alone coming from the online store! This total contributed to the Pittsburgh walk’s 

overall fundraising total of over $800,000

Volunteerism

Pittsburgh employees gathered on the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh to support March of Dimes in their March for Babies walk

Koppers Comes Together for Annual March of Dimes March for Babies Walk

Leigh Ann Richardson, Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs

The Manufacturing Institute’s annual award, formerly known as the STEP Ahead Award, recognizes women in STEM and production careers who exemplify leadership in their companies. Receiving this award is a great honor and encourages recipients to mentor the next generation of females in modern manufacturing careers.

In her role, Leigh Ann is responsible for Koppers 

 – from managing pesticide registrations to developing safety data sheets. Leigh’s positive attitude and dedication to Koppers mission has led Leigh to be a key team member in the workplace. She is very involved in a number of non-profit organizations in her community, including serving as her local chapter leader of She RUNS This Town, a free running organization for women on fitness journeys. 

Awards

Congratulations to MAKE Award recipient Leigh Ann Richardson, Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs in Griffin, GA!

Koppers Congratulates MAKE Award Recipient Leigh Ann Richardson

Trips to Brazil don’t come around every day, especially to cities that aren’t Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. When Pittsburgh employee 

Monica Snyder, Investor Relations Associate,

 was going to the Portuguese-speaking country of Brazil to visit family, she realized she would be close to the Koppers office.

Monica’s family lives in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, which is less than two hours away from the Koppers office in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Monica decided to plan a visit, where she was introduced to 

On her visit, Fernanda introduced Monica to the office of 13 employees, with a special visit from 

Javier Romero, Managing Director Central and South America.

 Monica also got to learn about the importance of the fast-growing market for Koppers in Brazil.

After spending the morning meeting fellow coworkers and eating delicious Brazilian cakes, 

 (salty Brazilian snack) and other delicacies, Fernanda showed Monica around the beautiful city of Joinville.

 (thank you), Monica, for making a pit stop to form connections with our international colleagues. 

hen Pittsburgh employee Monica Snyder, Investor Relations Associate, was going to the Portuguese-speaking country of Brazil to visit family, she realized she would be close to the Koppers office.

International Connections: Pittsburgh Employee Visits Brazil Office

One of the biggest questions for any student is, 

“What do you want to do when you grow up?”

 In Denmark, this question is on students’ minds at a young age. Once completing elementary and middle school, ninth graders have to decide what type of education track they’d like to pursue: upper secondary school or vocational school.

Koppers Nyborg facility wants to encourage more students to pursue the vocational track by showing them the ropes and educating them about what it’s like to work in a plant environment. The House of Natural Sciences has partnered with Nyborg Municipality and various companies in Nyborg, including Koppers, to demonstrate 

real world experiences of working in a business

. The goal of the program is to inspire the next generation, and Koppers is seeing the program as a success.

Great job Nyborg team on partnering with your community and inspiring the youth!

Koppers Nyborg facility wants to encourage more students to pursue the vocational track by showing them the ropes and educating them about what it’s like to work in a plant environment. 

Koppers Denmark Inspiring Future Generations

 Koppers employees packed donations from the Inspired Home Exhibit Show at McCormick Place Chicago.

Stickney Team Brings Hope to Local Families

Check out how our facilities in Millington, Susquehanna, Ashcroft, and Somerville are supporting sports teams in their local communities!

Koppers Performance Chemical facility in 

 (a boys team and a girls team) for the upcoming season. Melissa Hendrick Hughes, Steven Knight and James Erfurdt of the Koppers team met with Mark Healy and Tammy Walls, city representatives, to present the check at the City Of Millington.

Millington looks forward to getting more involved in their community in the future!

Koppers Susquehanna is a proud sponsor of the 

Muncy and Montgomery Area High School sports teams

! The Koppers team makes t-shirts that are thrown out to the crowd as prizes during games.

This partnership helps build school spirit and community pride in the area. Way to go!

Brooklyn Gustafson, daughter of Koppers Ashcroft BC Millwright Josh Gustafson

, was part of the local hockey playoff championship team.

Koppers Ashcroft donated $250 to help the team host the OMAHA playoff championship tournament. ​​​​​​​

Congrats to Brooklyn and her team, and way to go Ashcroft for being great community members!

 recently sponsored the Somerville Independent School District for their annual track relay!

Donations

Koppers Has Team Spirit!

On March 8, 2023 - also known as International Women's Day - 

 team held a carpark BBQ for all employees, contractors and visitors. 

This was also an opportunity for Koppers Mayfield to support 

 that provides a free, 24-hour telephone crisis support service in Australia. Volunteer crisis supporters provide suicide prevention services, mental health support and emotional assistance, in addition to training on domestic violence prevention, as well as valuable online information and resources for the public. 

CMC Mayfield has had a long history of supporting Lifeline fundraising through volunteer days and has benefited from Lifeline training and support through on-site sessions on mental health and suicide awareness over the years.

By way of support, CMC Mayfield presented a 

 to the Lifeline representative (Breelan Bell - Corporate and Community Partnerships Coordinator) who was there on the day. Breelan spoke about the work that Lifeline does and supplied information, flyers, and posters about Lifeline services in response to interest from employees.

Thank you, Mayfield, for supporting this worthy cause and for your empowerment of women!

Koppers CMC Mayfield team held a carpark BBQ for all employees, contractors and visitors. 

Mayfield's Car Park BBQ for International Women's Day

Read below for more Women's History Month Changemaker spotlights, sponsored by our Employee Recourse Group LINKWomen. 

We're continuing to spotlight female changemakers throughout March!

Women's History Month Changemaker Spotlights

Andrew Gill, Team Leader in Hubbell, Michigan, recently showcased what it means to be an innovator at Koppers.

In his free time, Andrew created training aids for distillers and the Larox pressure filter used at the Hubbell facility. The impressive models were scaled to resemble the actual equipment, with all angles and nuances of equipment actually duplicated.

The Hubbell team processes scrap copper to manufacture basic carbonate for use in Koppers wood preservation chemicals. The distillers are used for the evaporation stage of the process. The filter washes and presses the product to eliminate water and any remaining chemicals. Then, the product is dried to powder form and packaged into bulk tote bags.​​​​​​​

Nearly 100% of the material is used, and any additional trace metals are returned to the recycling industry.

Having models of key process equipment will improve training and safety measures. These training aids allow Koppers to provide demonstrations without having to continually shut down equipment. Being able to see the internal configuration of equipment is vital in understanding how it operates. It also leads to safer operation because it gives our team an understanding on how the equipment works and any potential hazards can be seen and discussed.



The models are available to all employees, visitors and vendors. Maintenance and operations will be the primary users. Hubbell will be incorporating these models in all plant tours. ​​​​​​​

Way to go, Andrew!! Thank you for using your skills to make Koppers safer!!

Hubbell Team Leader Goes Above and Beyond to Support Training Efforts

 (C&E) team meets in person each quarter to discuss key initiatives and ways to support the business. 

This time, the group tried something different by heading to a 

 at Gaynor’s School of Cooking! The C&E team had fun while making Chicken Satay, Crispy Pork Wontons, and Spicy Red Pepper Dip.

Other items on the agenda included C&E Dashboards, Employee Engagement Training, Engagement Survey results and action planning. Plus, the group had a visit from CEO Leroy Ball to discuss his vision for C&E.

Awesome work, team! We can't wait to see what you cook up next.

Koppers Culture & Engagement (C&E) team meets in person each quarter to discuss key initiatives and ways to support the business. 

What's Cookin' with Culture & Engagement

Stephanie Apostolou, Koppers General Counsel,

 recently represented Koppers during two different community events.

The first was during a segment for local news program Pittsburgh Today Live as part of their efforts to highlight STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Koppers partnered with 

. JA BizTown is an experiential learning town for elementary and middle school students. The program helps students connect what they learned in school with the realities of the business world and everyday life. At the Koppers "storefront," students make and sell slime!

Stephanie, also a board member for JA, participated in an interview for the segment to share how Koppers values and supports STEAM education. Shoutout to 

Melina Vendetti and Alex Bui of the Culture & Engagement team 

for staffing the Koppers storefront at BizTown during filming! 

Pittsburgh Penguins Her Hockey L.I.F.T. (Leading & Inspiring Females to Thrive)

, in celebration of Gender Equality Month. Stephanie joined three other women in male-dominated industries to discuss building strong connections, being your own advocate, finding balance, and more.

Thanks and kudos go to Stephanie for representing Koppers incredibly well!

Stephanie Apostolou, Koppers General Counsel, recently represented Koppers during two different community events. 

General Counsel Stephanie Apostolou Represents Koppers in the Community!

Leroy is back with an update on two key things he wants you to know for March! Plus, he answers a question from Fernanda Santos from our Brazilian operations about growth potential in Latin America!

Announcements

Leroy is back with an update on two key things he wants you to know for March! 

CEO Leroy Ball's March 412 Video Update

Employees at the Nyborg plant were recently invited to see the inside of the facility's new 

TK4 is one of five feed stock tanks used to feed the tar process at Nyborg.

The old Tank 4 was a riveted tank originally from 1916, and it had been in TAR service for approximately 30 years. The tank was experiencing reduced effectiveness and structural integrity.

The new tank will prevent buildup of sediment and thereby supply the process with a more uniform quality of tar. Since it is a welded tank, the risk of leaks will be highly reduced.

The replacement of the tank has also allowed the team to insulate the bottom of the tank, which is a big improvement for the climate.

The heating coils are under construction and the final shell plate is soon to be installed. Then the tank will be ready for strength testing, coating and insulation. 

Tank 4 is expected to be taken into service in June 2023.

Employees at the Nyborg plant were recently invited to see the inside of the facility's new Tank 4.

Nyborg Team Gathers to View Site Improvements

 is a time to both celebrate the immense accomplishments and victories of women throughout time, and also to remember that the struggle for freedom, equality, and pursuit of happiness is far from over for many women across the globe.

We are excited to share women changemakers in the rail and chemical industries throughout the month!

Women’s History Month is a time to both celebrate the immense accomplishments and victories of women throughout time

Koppers Celebrates Women's History Month with Changemaker Spotlights

the state of Georgia was hit by a dozen tornadoes

 in just one day, according to the National Weather Service. Four of these tornadoes hit Spalding County, home to our Performance Chemicals Research & Development Center in Griffin, GA. With 

, there was significant damage to homes, businesses, trees and vehicles.

 (KPC) team stepped up to care for their community. KPC made a $5,000 donation to the Griffin Spalding Tornado Relief 2023 fund, in addition to donating food to the local distribution/relief center and helping friends and neighbors clear trees, limbs and debris.

, Executive Assistant in Griffin, provided a meal for 50 volunteers at the Donation Center and helped a friend relocate his business due to the wreckage.

We are so proud to see our team step up during to support their community, and are glad to report that all KPC team members in Griffin are safe an uninjured.

During trying times, the Koppers Performance Chemicals (KPC) team stepped up to care for their community.

Griffin Team Steps Up During Natural Disaster

Pittsburgh's Engineering and Business Solutions teams recently volunteered to 

pack senior boxes at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

The team packed 1,040 boxes which equated to an incredible 

! The food bank was thrilled and very appreciative, and plans to deliver the food boxes to seniors in the area.

Manager, Railroad Products & Services Engineering, put together the below video to recognize the Koppers team members involved in this project. Way to go, team!

Pittsburgh's Engineering and Business Solutions teams recently volunteered to pack senior boxes at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. 

Engineering & Business Solutions Teams Give Back!

Tune in to this month's video to hear Hubbell's Julie Baccus ask Leroy about what he'd like to do if he wasn't the Koppers CEO.

Plus, catch an update on the Carbon Materials & Chemicals business earning new patents associated with our participation in the EV battery market and why cash flow is a big focus for Koppers in 2023.

CEO Leroy Ball's February 412 Update

The Hubbell, Michigan, team recently had its first annual Chili Cook-Off where they gathered together for some friendly competition and lots of fun!

Jared Loukus, Plant Operator, was named the 2023 Chili Champ for his White Chicken Chili. Way to go, Jared!! Julie Baccus, Inventory Controll Assistant, was a close second.

As the winner of this event, Jared was asked to choose the dish for the February Cook-Off ... He chose DESSERTS! Can't wait to see what the team whips up next.

Hubbell's Chili Champ!

A group of Koppers female team members recently gathered for the 

first Koppers College Women in Leadership program

Sessions were led by Development Dimensions International and included topics like 

building your network, developing a personal brand, risk taking

 and more! The pilot program offered great opportunities for relationship building and included sessions in Pittsburgh, PA, and Stickney, IL, where participants also got a tour of the plant! 

Koppers College Pilots Women in Leadership Program!

Each week this month we will be sharing brief spotlights about Black changemakers in science and manufacturing fields. Our first two entries are 

Koppers Celebrates Changemakers this Black History Month

A new year calls for a new kind of video! CEO Leroy Ball is back with his monthly updates, now with an updated format for 2023!

Check out his January 412 Video (the 4-1-1 from Koppers Headquarters in Pittsburgh, aka the 4-1-2) where he covers one employee question and two big-picture topics -- all in just about 4 minutes!

NEW Format! | Leroy's January 412 Video Update

Koppers Ashcroft recently hosted a free skate open to the public in support of the Guns and Hoses charity. This is the third annual hockey game where teams Guns and Hoses (made up of local law enforcement and fire department personnel) battle it out for a day of fun and friendly competition.

The name of the game is to raise money for Honour Ranch, a refugee and recovery center for Canadian Armed Forces personnel, first responders, veterans and their families. Since its opening in 2019, the ranch has provided more than 10,000 nights of free accommodation for their clients.

Koppers employee DJ Rickey is a volunteer firefighter in the community and he traded in his hose for a hockey stick. An incredible amount of more than 

Thank you to DJ and the Ashcroft team for “playing” it forward in your community!

Ashcroft Team Takes to the Ice to Make a Difference!

Growth & Innovation, Railroad Structures and Strategic Planning

, a student consulting program, from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, that helps companies and organizations solve complex business challenges through a hands-on, action-based approach. This semester, STAR will be developing a strategic marketing plan for KRS and its diverse portfolio.

As an alumna of the Kenan-Flagler Business School, Ashley Coup, Manger Corporate Growth & Innovation, saw this as a perfect opportunity to work with the talented MBA students on a project benefitting Koppers.

Ashley; Fran Wisniewski, Vice President Long Range Planning; and Mike Tweet, Vice President Railroad Structures will hold weekly meetings with the students to work on the project, which will be completed at the beginning of May.

This project is one example of how Koppers is continuing to seek creative solutions from sources outside of our organization to continue to protect what matters and preserve the future.

Koppers Partners with University of North Carolina MBA Students

 is helping to keep a vital aeromedical rescue service in the air for people in the Newcastle and Hunter regions.

donated $25,000 from their pay to Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service since a Workplace Giving program was established in 2017

. Koppers has matched the staff donations taking the total contribution to date to $50,000. Koppers will continue to match all employee donations.

Operations Manager, Nick Moretti, Business Analyst, Jay Solanki, and Operations Team Leader, Adam Laskazeski, 

presented a check to the service’s Regional Partnerships Officer Graeme Rowe.

“...You never know if you or someone you know will need help from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter,” said Adam. “When I see the red and yellow choppers in the air, I know I am helping to potentially save someone’s life.”

Every dollar is important in ensuring that this service can be there for the community 24/7. “Donations from Koppers and other organizations keep our helicopters flying. It costs $4,500 an hour just to fly the helicopters,” said Mr. Rowe “Having Koppers match its staff workplace giving donations no doubt gives staff extra encouragement to donate – doubling the impact of their support.”

We are incredibly proud of the team for coming together around such an important issue in their community. And we're not alone in our praise - the local 

Koppers Mayfield Makes Local News for Donations to Rescue Helicopter Service

The giving continues for Koppers global teams! From adopting puppies to caring for families in need, check out the listing below for how our people are making a difference in 

Nyborg, Mayfield, Newsoms, Galesburg and Pittsburgh

Maintenance Supervisor, Tom Dean, and Plant Manager, Jim Evans, of Koppers Galesburg visited the 

 no kill shelter. Koppers donated dog food and a portable kennel. 

Previous work with the shelter includes building dog houses and tarping the outdoor kennel runs for winter.

 and is being adopted by Tom and his wife Marsha!

The Nyborg team decorated the laboratory, took pictures and put them on the info monitors for everyone to enjoy.

Additionally, they created a 2023 calendar, with each month showing a picture of mesophase, QI, or naphthalene. 

These lab techs not only acknowledge the beauty of the materials they work with, they are also generous enough to share it with us.

The team in Newsoms collected toys for the 

event held as a part of the Trooper Hill Toy Drive.

 Virginia State Trooper Robert A. Hill was tragically stuck by a passing vehicle in Southampton County Virginia in November of 2006.

Koppers Mayfield donated items for Christmas care packs for seafarers visiting the 

Port of Newcastle over Christmas to the local Mission to Seafarers

. Typical items include toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair combs, razors, deodorant, soap, sunblock, new socks, etc.

The Mission to Seafarers in Newcastle provides a place of hospitality and safety. Currently there are about 40,000 seafarers who annually enter the Port of Newcastle.

Jade Lesnik, Mayfield Procurement Analyst,

 went with Jade to the Mission to Seafarers to deliver the goods. Reverend Garry Dodds and Administration Manger, Christine Smith, received the donation and were very appreciative of the support for the seafarers.

In conjunction with the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the 

Railroad Products and Services (RPS) Team

 participated in their first Community Outreach volunteer project with The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank (WPADB).

WPADB supports 12,000 families in Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Fayette counties. The group distributes 2 million diapers a year to families in need. Many additional products are supplied as they become available such as children's clothing, formula, and accessories that families on the fringes of society need.

During the volunteer event, tasks included 

repackaging baby and adult diapers, putting together period kits, getting orders together, and various tasks around the warehouse.

 Kits will be distributed to local agency partners that can supply them to families and individuals in their communities. RPS helped WPADB prep for its first distribution in the new year as they packaged 12,240 period products, 12,300 diapers, and more!

The giving continues for Koppers global teams! From adopting puppies to caring for families in need, check out the listing below for how our people are making a difference in Nyborg, Mayfield, Newsoms, Galesburg and Pittsburgh. 

Koppers Holiday Giving Round-Up Part 2

Our global facilities support their communities year-round, but the holiday season is extra special.


Check out part one of our holiday giving round-up, below.

Our global facilities support their communities year-round, but the holiday season is extra special.  Check out part one of our holiday giving round-up.

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