SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
----------------------
SCHEDULE 13G*
(Rule 13d-102)
INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
TO RULES 13d-1(b), (c) AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED
PURSUANT TO 13d-2(b)
Graftech International Ltd.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
(Title of Class of Securities)
384313102
(CUSIP Number)
March 16, 2006
(Date of event which requires filing of this statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule 13G is filed:
[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
[X] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
(Page 1 of 8 Pages)
----------------
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the
Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 2 of 8 Pages
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Tontine Capital Partners, L.P.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP **
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) SEC USE ONLY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF (5) SOLE VOTING POWER
-0-
SHARES ______________________________________________________________
BENEFICIALLY (6) SHARED VOTING POWER
6,539,700
OWNED BY ___________________________________________________________
EACH (7) SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
REPORTING ______________________________________________________________
PERSON WITH (8) SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(9) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT
IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES ** [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED
BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
6.68%
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
PN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 3 of 8 Pages
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP **
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) SEC USE ONLY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF (5) SOLE VOTING POWER
-0-
SHARES ______________________________________________________________
BENEFICIALLY (6) SHARED VOTING POWER
6,539,700
OWNED BY ___________________________________________________________
EACH (7) SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
REPORTING ______________________________________________________________
PERSON WITH (8) SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(9) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT
IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES ** [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED
BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
6.68%
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
OO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 4 of 8 Pages
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Jeffrey L. Gendell
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP **
(a) [X]
(b) [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) SEC USE ONLY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF (5) SOLE VOTING POWER
-0-
SHARES ______________________________________________________________
BENEFICIALLY (6) SHARED VOTING POWER
6,539,700
OWNED BY ___________________________________________________________
EACH (7) SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
REPORTING ______________________________________________________________
PERSON WITH (8) SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(9) AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
6,539,700
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(10) CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT
IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES ** [ ]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(11) PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
6.68%
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(12) TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON **
IN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
** SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 5 of 8 Pages
Item 1(a). Name of Issuer:
The name of the issuer is Graftech International Ltd. (the "Company").
Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
The Company's principal executive offices are located at 12900 Snow Road,
Parma, Ohio 44130.
Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing:
This statement is filed by:
(i) Tontine Capital Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
("TCP") with respect to the shares of Common Stock directly owned
by it;
(ii) Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C., a limited liability company
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware ("TCM"), with
respect to the shares of Common Stock directly owned by TCP; and
(iii) Jeffrey L. Gendell ("Mr. Gendell"), with respect to the shares of
Common Stock owned directly by TCP.
The foregoing persons are hereinafter sometimes collectively referred
to as the "Reporting Persons." Any disclosures herein with respect to
persons other than the Reporting Persons are made on information and
belief after making inquiry to the appropriate party.
Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
The address of the business office of each of the Reporting Persons is 55
Railroad Avenue, 3rd Floor, Greenwich, CT 06830.
Item 2(c). Citizenship:
TCP is a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware. TCM is a limited liability company organized under the laws of the
State of Delaware. Mr. Gendell is a United States citizen.
Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the "Common Stock")
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 6 of 8 Pages
Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 384313102
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) or
(c), check whether the person filing is a:
(a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act,
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act,
(c) [ ] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the
Act,
(d) [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940,
(e) [ ] Investment Adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1
(b)(1)(ii)(E),
(f) [ ] Employee Benefit Plan or Endowment Fund in accordance
with Rule 13d-1 (b)(1)(ii)(F),
(g) [ ] Parent Holding Company or control person in accordance
with Rule 13d-1 (b)(1)(ii)(G),
(h) [ ] Savings Association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act,
(i) [ ] Church Plan that is excluded from the definition of an
investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940,
(j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
Not applicable.
Item 4. Ownership.
A. Tontine Capital Partners, L.P.
(a) Amount beneficially owned: 6,539,700
(b) Percent of class: 6.68% The percentages used herein and in the
rest of Item 4 are calculated based upon the 97,879,203 shares of Common Stock
issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2006, as set forth in the Company's
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.
(c)(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0-
(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 6,539,700
(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: -0-
(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 6,539,700
B. Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C.
(a) Amount beneficially owned: 6,539,700
(b) Percent of class: 6.68%
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 7 of 8 Pages
(c)(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0-
(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 6,539,700
(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: -0-
(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 6,539,700
F. Jeffrey L. Gendell
(a) Amount beneficially owned: 6,539,700
(b) Percent of class: 6.68%
(c)(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote: -0-
(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote: 6,539,700
(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition: -0-
(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition: 6,539,700
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
Not applicable.
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
TCM, the general partner of TCP, has the power to direct the affairs of
TCP, including decisions respecting the disposition of the proceeds from the
sale of the shares. Mr. Gendell is the Managing Member of TCM and in that
capacity directs their operations.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
Not applicable.
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
Not applicable.
Item 10. Certification.
Each of the Reporting Persons hereby makes the following certification:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for
the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in
CUSIP No. 384313102 13G Page 8 of 8 Pages
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or
effect.
SIGNATURES
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief, the
undersigned certify that the information set forth in this statement is true,
complete and correct.
DATED: March 27, 2006
/s/ JEFFREY L. GENDELL
------------------------------------------
Jeffrey L. Gendell, individually, and as
managing member of
Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C., and
as general partner of
Tontine Capital Partners, L.P.