Product Warranty Obligations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Product Warranty Obligations [Abstract]

5. Product Warranty Obligations

The Company records a liability for product warranty obligations at the time of sale to a customer based upon historical warranty experience. The Company also records a liability for specific warranty matters when they become known and are reasonably estimable. The Company's product warranty obligations are included in other accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

Changes in product warranty obligations are as follows (dollars in thousands):

	For the year ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Balance at beginning of year	$	22,478		$	20,729		$	17,539
Payments, net of extended warranty receipts		(11,195	)		(13,178	)		(14,208	)
Charged to operations		23,097			14,927			17,398
Balance at end of year	$	34,380		$	22,478		$	20,729

Product warranty obligations are included in the balance sheets as follows (dollars in thousands):

	December 31,
	2011		2010
Other accrued liabilities	$	19,187	$	17,155
Other long-term liabilities		15,193		5,323
Balance at end of year	$	34,380	$	22,478