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Indemnifications and Guarantees
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Indemnifications and Guarantees  
Indemnifications and Guarantees

 

22.  Indemnifications and Guarantees

 

General Guarantees

 

The company or its appropriate consolidated direct or indirect subsidiaries have made certain indemnities, commitments and guarantees under which the specified entity may be required to make payments in relation to certain transactions. These indemnities, commitments and guarantees include indemnities to the customers of the subsidiaries in connection with the sales of their packaging and aerospace products and services; guarantees to suppliers of subsidiaries of the company guaranteeing the performance of the respective entity under a purchase agreement, construction contract or other commitment; guarantees in respect of certain foreign subsidiaries’ pension plans; indemnities for liabilities associated with the infringement of third party patents, trademarks or copyrights under various types of agreements; indemnities to various lessors in connection with facility, equipment, furniture and other personal property leases for certain claims arising from such leases; indemnities to governmental agencies in connection with the issuance of a permit or license to the company or a subsidiary; indemnities pursuant to agreements relating to certain joint ventures; indemnities in connection with the sale of businesses or substantially all of the assets and specified liabilities of businesses; and indemnities to directors, officers and employees of the company to the extent permitted under the laws of the State of Indiana and the United States of America. The duration of these indemnities, commitments and guarantees varies and, in certain cases, is indefinite. In addition many of these indemnities, commitments and guarantees do not provide for any limitation on the maximum potential future payments the company could be obligated to make. As such, the company is unable to reasonably estimate its potential exposure under these items.

 

The company records a liability for payments under promissory notes and other evidences of incurred indebtedness and for losses for any known contingent liabilities, including those that may arise from indemnifications, commitments and guarantees, when future payment is both reasonably estimable and probable. Finally, the company carries specific and general liability insurance policies and has obtained indemnities, commitments and guarantees from third party purchasers, sellers and other contracting parties, which the company believes would, in certain circumstances, provide recourse to any claims arising from these indemnifications, commitments and guarantees.

 

Debt Guarantees

 

The company’s obligations under its senior notes and senior credit facilities are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, on a joint and several basis, by certain of the company’s domestic subsidiaries. All obligations under the guarantees of the credit facilities are secured, with certain exceptions, by a valid first priority perfected lien or pledge on (i) 100 percent of the stock of each of the company’s present and future direct and indirect wholly owned material domestic subsidiaries and (ii) 65 percent of the stock of each of the company’s present and future wholly owned material first-tier foreign subsidiaries. These guarantees are required in support of the notes and credit facilities referred to above, terminate upon maturity of the obligations and certain other events as described in the note indentures and credit agreements and would require performance upon certain events referred to in the respective guarantees. The maximum potential amounts which could be required to be paid under the domestic guarantees are essentially equal to the then outstanding principal and interest under the respective note indentures and credit agreements. The company is not in default under the above note indentures or credit facilities. The condensed consolidating financial information for the guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries is presented in Note 23. Separate financial statements for the guarantor subsidiaries and the non-guarantor subsidiaries are not presented because management has determined that such financial statements are not required by the current regulations.

 

Accounts Receivable Securitization

 

Ball Capital Corp. II is a separate, wholly owned corporate entity created for the purchase of accounts receivable from certain of the company’s wholly owned subsidiaries. Ball Capital Corp. II’s assets will be available first to satisfy the claims of its creditors. The company has been designated as the servicer pursuant to an agreement whereby Ball Capital Corp. II may sell and assign the accounts receivable to a commercial lender or lenders. As the servicer, the company is responsible for the servicing, administration and collection of the receivables and is primarily liable for the performance of such obligations. The company, the relevant subsidiaries and Ball Capital Corp. II are not in default under the above credit arrangement.