Segment Information

9 Months Ended

Aug. 04, 2012

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Information

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. Operating results are regularly reviewed by the Company's chief operating decision maker, its CEO, to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess performance. More specifically, management 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 general and administrative expenses, corporate office expenses, shared services costs, information technology costs, professional fees, the impact of foreign currency exchange gains and losses and Passaic environmental costs.

The Company reorganized its internal reporting structure and management responsibilities for the Passaic matter and the associated closed facility during the third quarter of 2012 as a result of developments with the environmental matters, as described in Note 9. These costs were previously reported under the Color & Specialty Compounds segment, but will now be reported in Corporate. Historical results have been reclassified to conform to these changes.

During the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company reorganized its internal reporting structure 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, operating earnings (loss) and total assets by reportable segment and the reconciliation to consolidated operating earnings for the three and nine months ended August 4, 2012, and July 30, 2011:

	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	August 4, 2012			July 30, 2011			August 4, 2012			July 30, 2011
Net sales: (a)(b)
Custom Sheet and Rollstock	$	149,371		$	149,025		$	451,026		$	426,578
Packaging Technologies	58,395			64,989			181,944			179,094
Color and Specialty Compounds	74,681			77,702			229,581			203,378
	$	282,447		$	291,716		$	862,551		$	809,050
Operating earnings (loss): (b)
Custom Sheet and Rollstock	$	6,871		$	6,366		$	18,680		$	19,058
Packaging Technologies	4,031			6,855			12,911			17,855
Color and Specialty Compounds	2,077			2,854			6,074			264
Corporate	(7,839		)	(7,750		)	(24,504		)	(23,574		)
	$	5,140		$	8,325		$	13,161		$	13,603

Notes to Table:

(a) Excludes intersegment sales of $13,678 and $15,504 in the third quarter of 2012 and 2011, respectively and intersegment sales of $47,451 and $40,275 in the first nine months of 2012 and 2011, respectively

(b) Excludes discontinued operations.

	August 4, 2012		October 29, 2011
Assets:
Custom Sheet and Rollstock	$	263,976	$	268,635
Packaging Technologies	146,749		145,096
Color and Specialty Compounds	88,967		94,267
Corporate and other (c)	37,450		41,704
	$	537,142	$	549,702