Note 11 - Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

11.	Commitments and Contingencies :

Operating Leases

The Company leases certain warehouses, sales offices, machinery and equipment and vehicles under long-term operating lease agreements. The leases expire at various dates through 2024. In some cases, the leases include options to extend. Rent and lease expense was $8.7 million, $8.2 million and $7.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The future annual minimum lease payments as of December 31, 2015 are as follows:

(in thousands)		2016				2017				2018				2019				2020				Thereafter				Total
Lease payments		$	6,636			$	5,783			$	4,842			$	3,697			$	3,006			$	4,771			$	28,735

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is party to various legal actions that it believes are ordinary in nature and incidental to the operation of its business. In the opinion of management, the outcome of the proceedings to which the Company is currently a party will not have a material adverse effect upon its results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

In the normal course of business, the Company periodically enters into agreements that incorporate indemnification provisions. While the maximum amount to which the Company may be exposed under such agreements cannot be estimated, it is the opinion of management that these indemnifications are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or financial condition.

At December 31, 2015, approximately 305 of the hourly plant personnel are represented by nine separate collective bargaining units. The table below shows the expiration dates of the collective bargaining agreements.

Facility		Expiration date
Minneapolis plate, Minnesota		March 31, 2017
Detroit, Michigan		August 31, 2017
Duluth, Minnesota		December 21, 2017
St. Paul, Minnesota		May 25, 2018
Milan, Illinois		August 12, 2018
Locust, North Carolina		March 4, 2020
Romeoville, Illinois		May 31, 2020
Minneapolis coil, Minnesota		September 30, 2020
Indianapolis, Indiana		January 29, 2021