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Note 5 Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Jul. 01, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]
Contingencies

From time to time, the Company is a party to litigation, claims and other contingencies, including environmental and employee matters and examinations and investigations by governmental agencies, which arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company records a contingent liability when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of loss is reasonably estimable in accordance with ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, or other applicable accounting standards. As of July 1, 2017 and October 1, 2016, the Company had reserves of $35.4 million and $46.0 million, respectively, for environmental matters, warranty, litigation and other contingencies (excluding reserves for uncertain tax positions) which the Company believes are adequate. However, there can be no assurance that the Company's reserves will be sufficient to settle these contingencies. Such reserves are included in accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Legal Proceedings

Environmental Matters

The Company is subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations and administrative orders concerning environmental protection, including those addressing the discharge of pollutants into the environment, the management and handling of hazardous substances, the cleanup of contaminated sites, the materials used in products, and the generation, recycling, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste. As of July 1, 2017, the Company had been named in a lawsuit and several administrative orders alleging certain of its current and former sites or operations contributed to groundwater contamination. One such order requires the Company's Canadian subsidiary to remediate certain environmental contamination at a site owned by the subsidiary between 1999 and 2006. As of July 1, 2017, the Company believes it has reserved a sufficient amount to satisfy anticipated future investigation and remediation costs at this site. Another such order demands that the Company and other alleged defendants remediate groundwater contamination at two landfills located in Northern California to which the Company may have sent wastewater in the past. The Company is currently investigating the allegations contained in this order and is currently unable to estimate its potential liability for this matter.

In June 2008, the Company was named by the Orange County Water District in a suit alleging that its actions contributed to polluted groundwater managed by the plaintiff. The complaint seeks recovery of compensatory and other damages, as well as declaratory relief, for the payment of costs necessary to investigate, monitor, remediate, abate and contain contamination of groundwater within the plaintiff’s control. In April 2013, all claims against the Company were dismissed. The plaintiff has appealed this dismissal and the appeal was heard in July 2017. The court has not yet ruled on the appeal.

Other Matters

Two of the Company’s subsidiaries in Brazil are parties to a number of administrative and judicial proceedings for claims alleging that these subsidiaries failed to comply with certain bookkeeping and tax rules for certain periods between 2001 and 2011. These claims seek payment of social fund contributions and income and excise taxes allegedly owed by the subsidiaries, as well as fines. The subsidiaries believe they have meritorious positions in these matters and intend to continue to contest the claims.
    
Other Contingencies

One of the Company's most significant risks is the ultimate realization of accounts receivable and customer inventory exposures. This risk is partially mitigated by ongoing credit evaluations of, and frequent contact with, the Company's customers, especially its most significant customers, thus enabling the Company to monitor changes in business operations and respond accordingly. Customer bankruptcies also entail the risk of potential recovery by the bankruptcy estate of amounts previously paid to the Company that are deemed a preference under bankruptcy laws.