Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental and Litigation Matters

As discussed in more detail below, certain of the Company's subsidiaries have been designated as potentially responsible parties ("PRPs") by federal and state agencies with respect to certain sites with which they may have had direct or indirect involvement and as defendants in certain litigation matters. Most such legal proceedings and environmental investigations involve unspecified amounts of potential damage claims or awards, are in an initial procedural phase, involve significant uncertainty as to the outcome or involve significant factual issues that need to be resolved, such that it is not possible for the Company to estimate a range of possible loss. For matters that have progressed sufficiently through the investigative process such that the Company is able to reasonably estimate a range of possible loss, an estimated range of possible loss is provided, in excess of the accrued liability (if any) for such matters. Any estimated range is or will be based on currently available information and involves elements of judgment and significant uncertainties. Any estimated range of possible loss may not represent the Company's maximum possible loss exposure. The circumstances of such legal proceedings and environmental investigations will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. For current proceedings not specifically reported below, management does not anticipate that the liabilities, if any, arising from such proceedings would have a material effect on the financial position, liquidity or results of operations of the Company.

The environmental claims are in various stages of administrative or judicial proceedings and include demands for recovery of past governmental costs, and for future investigations and remedial actions. In many cases, the dollar amounts of the claims have not been specified and, with respect to a number of the PRP claims, have been asserted against a number of other entities for the same cost recovery or other relief as was asserted against certain of the Company's subsidiaries. The Company accrues costs associated with environmental and litigation matters on an undiscounted basis, when they become probable and reasonably estimable. As of September 30, 2020, on a consolidated basis, the Company has recorded liabilities of $1,211 and $29,352 in Accrued liabilities and Other non-current liabilities, respectively, on the consolidated balance sheet, which represent the current estimate of environmental remediation liabilities as well as reserves related to the litigation matters discussed below. Expenses relating to these costs, and any recoveries, are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. In addition, the Company has insurance coverage available for several of these matters and believes that excess insurance coverage may be available as well. Estimates of the Company's liability for remediation of a particular site and the method and ultimate cost of remediation require a number of assumptions that are inherently difficult to make, and the ultimate outcome may be materially different from current estimates.

Environmental Matters

Certain subsidiaries of the Company's Handy & Harman Ltd. subsidiary ("HNH") have existing and contingent liabilities relating to environmental matters, including costs of remediation, capital expenditures, and potential fines and penalties relating to possible violations of national and state environmental laws. Those subsidiaries have remediation expenses on an ongoing basis, although such costs are continually being readjusted based upon the emergence of new techniques and alternative methods. HNH recorded liabilities of approximately $25,083 related to estimated environmental remediation costs as of September 30, 2020. HNH may have insurance coverage available for certain of these matters.

Included among these liabilities, certain HNH subsidiaries have been identified as PRPs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA") or similar state statutes at sites and are parties to administrative consent orders in connection with certain properties. Those subsidiaries may be subject to joint and several liabilities imposed by CERCLA on PRPs. Due to the technical and regulatory complexity of remedial activities and the difficulties attendant in identifying PRPs and allocating or determining liability among them, the subsidiaries are unable to reasonably estimate the ultimate cost of compliance with such laws.

Based upon information currently available, the HNH subsidiaries do not expect that their respective environmental costs, including the incurrence of additional fines and penalties, if any, will have a material adverse effect on them or that the resolution of these environmental matters will have a material adverse effect on the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of such subsidiaries or the Company, but there can be no such assurances. The Company anticipates that the subsidiaries will pay any such amounts out of their respective working capital, although there is no assurance that they will have sufficient funds to pay them. In the event that an HNH subsidiary is unable to fund its liabilities, claims could be made against its respective parent companies for payment of such liabilities.

The sites where certain HNH subsidiaries have environmental liabilities include the following:

HNH has been working with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection ("CTDEEP") with respect to its obligations under a 1989 consent order that applies to a former HNH manufacturing facility. An ecological risk assessment of the wetlands portion was submitted in the second quarter of 2016 to the CTDEEP for their review and approval. Company officials met with CTDEEP representatives during the third quarter of 2020 to further discuss wetlands remediation goals and plans. Additional investigation of the wetlands is expected to start in 2020, pending approval of a mutually acceptable wetlands work plan. An updated work plan to investigate the upland portion of the parcel was prepared by the Company and approved by the CTDEEP in March 2018 and completed during 2019 and 2020. Additional upland investigatory work will be required to fully define the areas requiring remediation and is also dependent upon CTDEEP requirements and approval. Based on currently known information, the Company reasonably estimates that it may incur aggregate losses over a period of multiple years of between $10,500 to $17,500. During the second quarter of 2020, the Company increased its reserve for future remediation costs by $14,000, which is our best estimate within this range of potential losses. Due to the uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the final resolution of this matter will not be material to the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of HNH or the Company.

In 1986, Handy & Harman Electronic Materials Corporation ("HHEM"), a subsidiary of HNH, entered into an administrative consent order ("ACO") with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ("NJDEP") with regard to certain property that it purchased in 1984 in New Jersey. The ACO involves investigation and remediation activities to be performed with regard to soil and groundwater contamination. HHEM is actively remediating the property and is continuing to investigate effective methods for achieving compliance with the ACO. Pursuant to a settlement agreement with the former owner/operator of the site, the responsibility for site investigation and remediation costs and other related costs are contractually allocated 75% to the former owner/operator and 25% jointly to HHEM and HNH, all after having the first $1,000 paid by the former owner/operator. As of September 30, 2020, total investigation and remediation costs of approximately $9,600 and $3,100 have been expended by the former owner/operator and HHEM, respectively, in accordance with the settlement agreement. Additionally, HHEM had been reimbursed indirectly through insurance coverage for a portion of the costs for which it is responsible. There is no assurance that the former owner/operator or guarantors will continue to timely reimburse HHEM for expenditures and/or will be financially capable of fulfilling their obligations under the settlement agreement and the guaranties. There is no assurance that there will be any additional insurance reimbursement. A reserve of approximately $1,200 has been established for HHEM's expected 25% share of anticipated costs at this site, which is based upon the recent selection of a final remedy, on-going operations and maintenance, additional investigations and monitored natural attenuation testing over the next 30 years. On December 18, 2019, the State of New Jersey ("State") filed a complaint against HHEM, the Company and other non-affiliated corporations related to former operations at this location. The State is seeking unspecified damages, including reimbursement for all cleanup and removal costs and other damages that the State has incurred, including the lost value of, and reasonable assessment costs for any natural resource injured as a result of the alleged discharge of hazardous substances and pollutants, as well as attorneys' fees and costs. The Company intends to assert all legal and procedural defenses available. Based upon currently available information, the Company has determined that a range of potential loss cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. There can be no assurance that the resolution of this matter will not be material to the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of HHEM, HNH or the Company.

HNH's subsidiary, SL Industries, Inc. ("SLI"), may incur environmental costs in the future as a result of the past activities of its former subsidiary, SL Surface Technologies, Inc. ("SurfTech"), in Pennsauken, New Jersey ("Pennsauken Site"), in Camden, New Jersey and at its former subsidiary, SGL Printed Circuits in Wayne, New Jersey. At the Pennsauken Site, in 2013, SLI entered into a consent decree with both the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and has since completed the remediation required by the consent decree and has paid the EPA a fixed sum for its past oversight costs. Separate from the consent decree, in December 2012, the NJDEP made a settlement demand of $1,800 for past and future cleanup and removal costs and natural resource damages ("NRD"). To avoid the time and expense of litigating the matter, SLI offered to pay approximately $300 to fully resolve the claim presented by the State. SLI's settlement offer was rejected. On December 6, 2018, the State filed a complaint against SLI related to its operations at the Pennsauken Site. The State is seeking treble damages and attorneys' fees, NRD for loss of use of groundwater, as well as a request for relief that SLI pay all

cleanup and removal costs that the State has incurred and will incur at the Pennsauken Site. The State did not specifically identify its alleged damages in the complaint. SLI intends to assert all legal and procedural defenses available to it. Based upon currently available information, the Company has determined that a range of potential loss can no longer be reasonably estimated at this time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the resolution of this matter will not be material to the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of SLI, HNH or the Company.

SLI reported soil contamination and a groundwater contamination in 2003 from the SurfTech site located in Camden, New Jersey. Substantial investigation and remediation work have been completed under the direction of the licensed site remediation professional ("LSRP") for the site. Additional soil excavation and chemical treatment could be initiated in the fourth quarter of 2020. Post-remediation groundwater monitoring will be conducted, and a full-scale groundwater bioremediation is expected to be implemented following completion of soil excavation. A reserve of $2,600 has been established for anticipated costs at this site, but there can be no assurance that there will not be potential additional costs associated with the site which cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the resolution of this matter will not be material to the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of SLI, HNH or the Company.

SLI is currently participating in environmental assessment and cleanup at a commercial facility located in Wayne, New Jersey. Contaminated soil and groundwater have undergone remediation with the NJDEP and LSRP oversight, but contaminants of concern in groundwater and surface water, which extend off-site, remain above applicable NJDEP remediation standards. A reserve of approximately $1,200 has been established for anticipated costs, but there can be no assurance that there will not be potential additional costs associated with the site which cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the resolution of this matter will not be material to the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of SLI, HNH or the Company.

Litigation Matters

On December 8, 2017, a stockholder class action, captioned Sciabacucchi v. DeMarco, et al., was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware by a purported former stockholder of HNH challenging the Company's acquisition, through a subsidiary, of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of HNH not already owned by the Company or any of its affiliates. The action named as defendants the former members of the HNH board of directors, the Company and SPH GP, and alleged, among other things, that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the former public stockholders of HNH in connection with the aforementioned acquisition. The complaint sought, among other relief, unspecified monetary damages, attorneys' fees and costs. On July 9, 2019, the Company entered into a settlement of the case, solely to avoid the substantial burden, expense, inconvenience and distraction of continued litigation and to resolve each of the plaintiff's claims against the defendant parties. In the settlement, the defendants agreed to pay the plaintiff class $30,000, but denied that they engaged in any wrongdoing or committed any violation of law or breach of duty and stated that they believe they acted properly, in good faith, and in a manner consistent with their legal duties. The settlement was approved by the court on December 2, 2019. Our insurance carriers agreed to contribute an aggregate of $17,500 toward the settlement amount. The Company recorded a charge of $12,500 in Selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, which consisted of the legal settlement of $30,000, reduced by the $17,500 of insurance recoveries. The settlement was paid on December 17, 2019. The Company made a demand of an aggregate of $10,000 in further contributions from two insurance carriers, which the carriers declined, and it is pursuing claims in court to endeavor to recover this sum, although there can be no assurance as to the outcome of this litigation.

On April 13, 2018, a purported shareholder of STCN, Donald Reith, filed a verified complaint, Reith v. Lichtenstein, et al., 2018-0277 (Del. Ch.) in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The plaintiff seeks to assert claims against the Company and certain of its affiliates and against the members of STCN's board of directors in connection with the acquisition of $35,000 of STCN's Series C Preferred Stock by an affiliate of the Company and equity grants made to three individual defendants. The complaint includes claims for breach of fiduciary duty as STCN directors against all the individual defendants; claims for aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty against the Company; a claim for breach of fiduciary duty as controlling stockholder against the Company; and a derivative claim for unjust enrichment against the Company and the three individuals who received equity grants. The complaint demands damages in an unspecified amount for STCN and its stockholders, together with rescission, disgorgement and other equitable relief. The defendants moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to plead demand futility and failure to state a claim. On June 28, 2019, the Court of Chancery issued an opinion denying in substantial part the motion. The Company will continue to vigorously defend itself against these claims; however, the outcome of this matter is uncertain.

A subsidiary of BNS Holdings Liquidating Trust ("BNS Sub") has been named as a defendant in multiple alleged asbestos-related toxic-tort claims filed over a period beginning in 1994 through September 30, 2020. In many cases these claims

involved more than 100 defendants. There remained approximately 30 pending asbestos claims as of September 30, 2020. BNS Sub believes it has significant defenses to any liability for toxic-tort claims on the merits. None of these toxic-tort claims has gone to trial and, therefore, there can be no assurance that these defenses will prevail. BNS Sub has insurance policies covering asbestos-related claims for years beginning 1974 through 1988. BNS Sub annually receives retroactive billings or credits from its insurance carriers for any increase or decrease in claims accruals as claims are filed, settled or dismissed, or as estimates of the ultimate settlement costs for the then-existing claims are revised. As of both September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, BNS Sub has accrued $1,349 relating to the open and active claims against BNS Sub. This accrual includes the amount of unpaid retroactive billings submitted to the Company by the insurance carriers and also the Company's best estimate of the likely costs for BNS Sub to settle these claims outside the amounts funded by insurance. There can be no assurance that the number of future claims and the related costs of defense, settlements or judgments will be consistent with the experience to-date of existing claims and that BNS Sub will not need to significantly increase its estimated liability for the costs to settle these claims to an amount that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.

OMG is party to litigation with the U.S. Government regarding whether materials purchased by OMG from a foreign supplier are subject to antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders ("ADD/CVD Orders"). The ADD/CVD Orders were issued in 2015 by the U.S. Government, and this matter has been subject to ongoing litigation since 2016, at which time OMG paid $949 to the U.S. Government and recorded an additional $4,100 accrual for its then expected resolution of this matter. On August 28, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an opinion in favor of OMG on the matter. The U.S. Government can appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court within 150 days of the decision ("Appeal Deadline"). If no appeal is filed by the Appeal Deadline, OMG will have no liability with respect to the ADD/CVD Orders. OMG will continue to vigorously defend itself against these claims; however, the outcome of this matter is uncertain.

In the ordinary course of our business, the Company is subject to other periodic lawsuits, investigations, claims and proceedings, including, but not limited to, contractual disputes, employment, environmental, health and safety matters, as well as claims associated with our historical acquisitions and divestitures. There is insurance coverage available for many of the foregoing actions. Although the Company cannot predict with certainty the ultimate resolution of lawsuits, investigations, claims and proceedings asserted against the Company, it does not believe any currently pending legal proceeding to which it is a party will have a material adverse effect on its business, prospects, financial condition, cash flows, results of operations or liquidity.