Facts: Weber brand grills

A look at Weber-Stephen Products Co., maker of Weber brand grills:

LOCATION: Headquarters in Palatine, Ill., with a manufacturing facility in Huntley, Ill.

WHAT IT DOES: Manufactures and distributes charcoal and gas grills in all 50 states and about 40 countries. Employs 2,200 workers.

HISTORY: George Stephen created the first Weber kettle grill from a metal harbor buoy in the early 1950s while employed at Weber Brothers Metal Works. Weber started selling gas grills in the mid-1980s.

OWNERSHIP: The private, family owned company is run by CEO Jim Stephen, son of founder George Stephen.

COMPETITION: Weber competes with WC Bradley Co., maker of the Char-Broil, as the two major players in the U.S. outdoor grill market.

MARKET: The U.S. outdoor grill industry had nearly $2.3 billion in sales in 2005, according to market research firm The NPD Group.