Ferro Announces Streamlined Business Structure

• Press Release
• Source: Ferro Corporation
• On 8:45 am EDT, Monday October 5, 2009

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ferro Corporation (NYSE: FOE - News) announced today a new, streamlined business structure designed to drive product development, customer engagement and growth.

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Symbol	Price	Change
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Effective immediately, Ferro is organized in two operating groups reporting to James F. Kirsch, Chairman, President and CEO.

The Electronics, Color and Glass Materials Group will combine the Company’s Electronic Material Systems and Color and Glass Performance Materials businesses. This operating group will leverage Ferro’s core strengths in particle engineering, color and glass science, formulation, and surface chemistry to drive growth and maintain the Company’s leading market positions. The Electronics, Color and Glass Materials Group will be managed by Operating Vice President Mike Murry.

The Polymer and Ceramic Engineered Materials Group will combine the Company’s Polymer Additives, Specialty Plastics, Performance Coatings and Pharmaceuticals businesses. This operating group will leverage high-volume manufacturing capabilities to drive a world-class cost structure and enhanced cash flow while maintaining leading market positions. The Polymer and Ceramic Engineered Materials Group will be managed by Operating Vice President Peter Thomas.

Ferro will continue to provide financial results based on six reporting segments: Color and Glass Performance Materials, Electronic Material Systems, Polymer Additives, Specialty Plastics, Performance Coatings, and Pharmaceuticals.

About Ferro Corporation

Ferro Corporation (http://www.ferro.com) is a leading global supplier of technology-based performance materials for manufacturers. Ferro materials enhance the performance of products in a variety of end markets, including electronics, solar energy, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, building and renovation, appliances, automotive, household furnishings, and industrial products.

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the Company has approximately 5,400 employees globally and reported 2008 sales of $2.2 billion.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Ferro press release may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Federal securities laws. These statements are subject to a variety of uncertainties, unknown risks and other factors concerning the Company’s operations and business environment, which are difficult to predict and often beyond the control of the Company. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by these forward-looking statements, and that could adversely affect the Company’s future financial performance, include the following:

• Our products are sold into industries where demand is unpredictable, cyclical or heavily influenced by consumer spending, and such demand may be impacted by macro-economic circumstances and uncertainties in credit markets.
• We are subject to a number of restrictive covenants in our credit facilities, and those covenants could affect our flexibility in funding strategic initiatives and lead to challenges in meeting our liquidity requirements, particularly if weak economic conditions continue for a prolonged period.
• We depend on external financial resources and the economic environment and credit market could interrupt our access to capital markets, borrowings, or financial transactions to hedge certain risks, which could adversely affect our financial condition.
• Interest rates on some of our borrowings are variable, and our borrowing costs could be affected adversely by interest rate increases.
• Many of our assets are encumbered by liens that have been granted to lenders, and those liens affect our flexibility to dispose of property and businesses.
• We have significant deferred tax assets, and our ability to utilize these assets will depend on our future performance.
• We are subject to certain continued listing requirements with the NYSE, including share price, shareholders’ equity and market capitalization, and noncompliance with these NYSE rules could result in the delisting of our common stock from the NYSE.
• We depend on reliable sources of energy and raw materials, including petroleum-based materials and other supplies, at a reasonable cost, but availability of such materials and supplies could be interrupted and/or the prices charged for them could escalate.
• The markets in which we participate are highly competitive and subject to intense price competition.
• We strive to improve operating margins through sales growth, price increases, productivity gains, improved purchasing techniques, and restructuring activities, but we may not be successful in achieving the desired improvements.
• The global scope of our operations exposes us to risks related to currency conversion rates and changing economic, social and political conditions around the world.
• We have a growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region where it can be difficult for a U.S.-based company to compete lawfully with local competitors.
• Regulatory authorities in the United States, European Union and elsewhere are taking a much more aggressive approach to regulating hazardous materials, and those regulations could affect our sales.
• Our operations are subject to operating hazards and, as a result, to stringent environmental, health and safety regulations and compliance with those regulations could require us to make significant investments.
• We are a defendant in several lawsuits that could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and/or financial performance unless they are successfully resolved.
• Our businesses depend on a continuous stream of new products, and failure to introduce new products could affect our sales and profitability.
• We are subject to stringent labor and employment laws in certain jurisdictions in which we operate, party to various collective bargaining arrangements, and our relationship with our employees could deteriorate, which could adversely impact our operations.
• Employee benefit costs, especially post-retirement costs, constitute a significant element of our annual expenses, and funding these costs could adversely affect our financial condition.
• Our restructuring initiatives may not provide sufficient cost savings to justify their expense.
• We are exposed to intangible asset risk.
• We have in the past identified material weaknesses in our internal controls, and the identification of any material weaknesses in the future could affect our ability to ensure timely and reliable financial reports.
• We are exposed to risks associated with acts of God, terrorists and others, as well as fires, explosions, wars, riots, accidents, embargoes, natural disasters, strikes and other work stoppages, quarantines and other governmental actions, and other events or circumstances that are beyond our control.

Additional information regarding these risk factors can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2008.

The risks and uncertainties identified above are not the only risks the Company faces. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that it currently believes to be immaterial also may adversely affect the Company. Should any known or unknown risks and uncertainties develop into actual events, these developments could have material adverse effects on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

This release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management’s best analysis only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

Ferro Corporation
INVESTOR CONTACT:
David Longfellow
Director, Investor Relations, Ferro Corporation
Phone: 216-875-7155
E-mail: longfellowd@ferro.com
or
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Abood
Director, Corporate Communications, Ferro Corporation
Phone: 216-875-6202
E-mail: aboodm@ferro.com