Segment Information

6 Months Ended

May 05, 2012

Segment Information [Abstract]

Segment Reporting Disclosure

Segment Information

The Company is organized into three reportable segments based on its operating structure and the products manufactured. The three reportable segments are Custom Sheet and Rollstock, Packaging Technologies and Color and Specialty Compounds. The Company uses operating earnings (loss) from continuing operations, excluding the effect of foreign exchange, to evaluate business segment performance. Accordingly, discontinued operations have been excluded from the segment results below, which is consistent with management's evaluation metrics. Corporate operating losses include corporate office expenses, shared services costs, information technology costs, professional fees and the effect of foreign currency exchange that are not allocated to the reportable segments.

During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company reorganized its internal reporting and management responsibilities for a specific product line from its Color and Specialty Compounds segment to its Custom Sheet and Rollstock segment to better align its management of this product line with end markets. These management and reporting changes resulted in a reorganization of the Company's reportable segments, and historical segment results have been reclassified to conform to these changes. A description of the Company's reportable segments is as follows:

Custom Sheet and Rollstock

The Custom Sheet and Rollstock segment primarily manufactures plastic sheet, custom rollstock, calendered film, laminates and acrylic products. The principal raw materials used in manufacturing sheet and rollstock are plastic resins in pellet form. The segment sells sheet and rollstock products principally through its own sales force, but it also uses a limited number of independent sales representatives. This segment produces and distributes its products from facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Finished products are formed by customers that use plastic components in their products. The Company's custom sheet and rollstock is used in several market sectors including material handling, transportation, building and construction, recreation and leisure, electronics and appliances, sign and advertising, aerospace and numerous other end markets.

Packaging Technologies

The Packaging Technologies segment manufactures custom-designed plastic packages and custom rollstock primarily used in the food and consumer product markets. The principal raw materials used in manufacturing packaging are plastic resins in pellet form, which are extruded into rollstock or thermoformed into an end product. This segment sells packaging products principally through its own sales force, but it also uses a limited number of independent sales representatives. This segment produces and distributes the products from facilities in the United States and Mexico. The Company's Packaging Technologies products are mainly used in the food, medical and consumer packaging and graphic arts market sectors.

Color and Specialty Compounds

The Color and Specialty Compounds segment manufactures custom-designed plastic alloys, compounds and color concentrates for use by a large group of manufacturing customers servicing the transportation (primarily automotive), building and construction, packaging, agriculture, lawn and garden, electronics and appliances, and numerous other end markets. The principal raw materials used in manufacturing specialty plastic compounds and color concentrates are plastic resins in powder and pellet form. This segment also uses colorants, mineral and glass reinforcements and other additives to impart specific performance and appearance characteristics to the compounds. The Color and Specialty Compounds segment sells its products principally through its own sales force, but it also uses independent sales representatives. This segment produces and distributes its products from facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and France.

The following presents the Company's net sales and operating earnings (loss) by reportable segment and the reconciliation to consolidated operating earnings for the three and six months ended May 5, 2012, and April 30, 2011:

	Three Months Ended						Six Months Ended
	May 5, 2012			April 30, 2011			May 5, 2012			April 30, 2011
Net sales: (a)(b)
Custom Sheet and Rollstock	$	156,030		$	149,993		$	301,656		$	277,553
Packaging Technologies	61,304			62,362			123,549			114,105
Color and Specialty Compounds	80,989			70,196			154,899			125,676
	$	298,323		$	282,551		$	580,104		$	517,334
Operating earnings (loss): (b)
Custom Sheet and Rollstock	$	8,595		$	7,915		$	11,809		$	12,692
Packaging Technologies	5,174			6,358			8,880			11,000
Color and Specialty Compounds	2,677			121			3,498			(2,771		)
Corporate	(7,897		)	(7,297		)	(16,165		)	(15,644		)
	$	8,549		$	7,097		$	8,022		$	5,277

Notes to Table
(a)	Excludes intersegment sales of $16,781 and $14,012 in the second quarter of 2012 and 2011, respectively and intersegment sales of $33,773 and $24,771 in the first six months of 2012 and 2011, respectively
(b)	Excludes discontinued operations.