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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

14.  Commitments and Contingencies

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Company had reserved $32.3 million and $28.6 million, respectively, for warranty claims included in product warranties, as well as other non-current liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. In the normal course of business, the Company provides its customers a warranty covering workmanship, and in some cases materials, on products manufactured by the Company. Such warranty generally provides that products will be free from defects for periods ranging from 12 to 60 months. If a product fails to comply with the Company’s warranty, the Company may be obligated, at its expense, to correct any defect by repairing or replacing such defective products. The Company provides for an estimate of costs that may be incurred under its warranty at the time product revenue is recognized. These costs primarily include labor and materials, as necessary, associated with repair or replacement. The primary factors that affect the Company’s warranty liability include the number of units shipped and historical and anticipated warranty claims. As these factors are impacted by actual experience and future expectations, the Company assesses the adequacy of its recorded warranty liability and adjusts the amounts as necessary. Below is a table summarizing the warranty activity for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and the year ended December 31, 2016:

 

($ in millions)

 

Nine Months Ended

September 30, 2017

 

 

Year Ended December 31, 2016

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

28.6

 

 

$

32.4

 

Accruals for warranties issued during the period

 

 

24.6

 

 

 

20.4

 

Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the

   period

 

 

(22.5

)

 

 

(23.7

)

Currency translation

 

 

1.6

 

 

 

(0.5

)

Balance at end of period

 

$

32.3

 

 

$

28.6

 

 

Product liability reserves in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 were $22.8 million and $21.7 million, respectively, and were estimated using a combination of actual case reserves and actuarial methods. Based on the Company’s experience in defending product liability claims, management believes the current reserves are adequate for estimated case resolutions on aggregate self-insured claims and insured claims. Any recoveries from insurance carriers are dependent upon the legal sufficiency of claims and solvency of insurance carriers.

As of September 30, 2017, various product-related lawsuits were pending. To the extent permitted under applicable law, all of these are insured with self-insurance retention levels and/or coverage with outside insurers. The Company’s self-insurance retention levels vary by business and have fluctuated over the last 10 years. As of September 30, 2017, the largest self-insured retention level for new occurrences currently maintained by the Company is $2.0 million per occurrence and applies to product liability claims for cranes manufactured in the United States.

The Company is involved in numerous lawsuits involving asbestos-related claims in which the Company is one of numerous defendants. After taking into consideration legal counsel’s evaluation of such actions, the current political environment with respect to asbestos-related claims and the liabilities accrued with respect to such matters, in the opinion of management, ultimate resolution is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations or cash flows of the Company.

The Company is also involved in various legal actions arising out of the normal course of business, which, taking into account the liabilities accrued and legal counsel’s evaluation of such actions, in the opinion of management, the ultimate resolution, individually and in the aggregate, is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

It is reasonably possible that the estimates for warranty costs, product liability, environmental remediation, asbestos-related claims and other various legal matters may change based upon new information that may arise or matters that are beyond the scope of the Company’s historical experience. Presently, there are no reliable methods to estimate the amount of any such potential changes.