[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE ROPPE CORPORATION ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 50TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to pay tribute to a 
special company in Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. This year, the 
Roppe Corporation of Fostoria, OH, will celebrate 50 years of dedicated 
service.
  Mr. Speaker, the Roppe Corporation is one of the nation's leading 
suppliers of rubber and vinyl flooring products and accessories. The 
Roppe Rubber Corporation was founded in 1955, by Thony Roppe and 
production began in 1956. With only seven employees, the Roppe Rubber 
Corporation focused exclusively on rubber products.
  Through the expansion of its trucking fleet and an increased customer 
base, Roppe has grown and flourished since its beginning. Due to the 
expansion of products and services that Roppe Rubber offered, it 
officially changed its name, in 1990, to the Roppe Corporation.
  In 1993, the Miller family purchased the Roppe Corporation where 
Donald Miller continues to serve as chairman of the board, nearly 47 
years after beginning his service at Roppe. With expanded facilities 
and dedicated leadership, the Roppe Corporation has become a premier 
employer in the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio. By maintaining 
its factory in Fostoria, OH, Roppe has become a permanent fixture in 
the community.
  Today, Roppe has become the world's largest rubber wall base 
manufacturer. Roppe has over 45 distributors with 105 locations in the 
United States and exports products worldwide. The Roppe Corporation has 
grown in annual sales to $60,000,000 and now owns ATECO, Tri County 
Broadcasting, Seneca Millwork, Custom Corner, The Fostoria Focus, and 
Flexco.
  Mr. Speaker, the real success of the Roppe Corporation comes not only 
from its products, but from its people. The employees of the Roppe 
Corporation provide customers with the service and dependability that 
are expected of a first-class company. Beyond the walls of Roppe, its 
employees are model citizens by providing for and leading their 
community. In all but 1 of the past 20 years, Roppe employees were the 
highest per capita givers to the Fostoria United Way campaign. Each 
year, we can count on the employees of Roppe to give of their time and 
their means to the community of Fostoria, OH.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute 
to the employees and the legacy of the Roppe Corporation. As all who 
benefit from this fine company gather to celebrate its 50th anniversary 
of service, I am confident that the good people of Fostoria, OH, will 
continue the successes of the Roppe Corporation into the future.

                          ____________________