SIFCO INDUSTRIES INC
For the period ended Sep 30, 2024. Filed Dec 26, 2024.
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FY2024 · Filed Dec 26, 2024
Contents
Item 1. Business
A. The Company
SIFCO Industries, Inc. (“SIFCO,” “Company,” “we” or “our”), an Ohio corporation, was incorporated in 1916. The executive offices of the Company are located at 970 East 64th Street, Cleveland, Ohio 44103, and its telephone number is (216) 881-8600.
SIFCO is engaged in the production of forgings, sub-assemblies, and machined components primarily for the Aerospace and Energy (“A&E”) markets. The Company’s processes and services include forging, heat-treating, chemical processing and machining. The Company’s operations are conducted in a single business segment. Information relating to the Company’s financial results is set forth in the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
In October 2024, the Company sold its European operations in order to streamline operational synergies and refocus on its core aerospace forging business. SIFCO Irish Holdings, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a Share Purchase Agreement (the “SPA”) pursuant to which it sold 100% of the share capital of C Blade S.p.A. Forging & Manufacturing, an Italian joint stock company located in Maniago, Italy, and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“CBlade”), for cash consideration.
As a result of the planned sale transaction, the Company’s financial statements have been prepared with the net assets, results of operations, and cash flows of CBlade presented as assets held for sale and discontinued operations, respectively, as of and for the years ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. All historical statements, amounts and related disclosures have been retrospectively adjusted to conform to this presentation. Refer to Note 2 —Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operationsof the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
As reported on Forms 8-K filed January 6, 2023 and February 10, 2023, the Company became aware of unauthorized access to the Company’s systems on December 30, 2022. The Company’s domestic operations were impacted by this cybersecurity incident (“Cyber Incident”), which resulted in production delays and delayed shipments due to information access limitations. The Company immediately initiated response protocols and an investigation, engaging cyber security experts to assist with the assessment of the incident and to help determine what data was impacted. The Company has since completed data recovery and restoration from the cyber incident. See Note 12 — Commitments and Contingenciesof the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
B. Principal Products and Services
Operations
SIFCO is a manufacturer of forgings and machined components for the Aerospace and Defense, Energy and Commercial Space markets. We provide our customers with envelope and precision forgings, rough and finished machined components, as well as sub-assemblies. SIFCO services both original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”), Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and aftermarket service providers with products that range in size from approximately 2 to 1,200 pounds. The Company’s strategic vision is to build a leading A&E company positioned for long-term, stable growth and profitability.
SIFCO’s long-term plan is to seek to maintain a balance of military and commercial aerospace revenues, supplemented with revenue from energy, commercial space, and other adjacent market components. In fiscal 2024, commercial and military revenues accounted for 52.4% and 47.6% of revenues, respectively, compared with 41.5% in commercial revenues and 58.5% in military revenues in fiscal 2023. The Company’s capabilities are focused on supplying critical components, consisting primarily of steel, high temperature alloys, nickel alloys, titanium and aluminum.
SIFCO operates primarily from two locations. SIFCO manufacturing facilities are located in Cleveland, Ohio (“Cleveland”) and Orange, California (“Orange”). SIFCO’s operations in Cleveland and Orange are AS 9100D and/or ISO 9001:2015 certified and the Company also holds multiple National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (“NADCAP”) certifications and site approvals from key OEM customers.
The Company’s success is not dependent on patents, trademarks, licenses or franchises.
Raw Materials
SIFCO generally has multiple sources for its raw materials, which consist primarily of high-quality metals essential to its business. Suppliers of such materials are located principally in North America and Europe. SIFCO generally does not depend on a single source for the supply of its raw materials. Due to the limited supply of certain raw materials, some material is provided by a small number of suppliers; however, SIFCO believes that its sources are adequate for its business. In recent years, the Company occasionally experienced delays in the supply chain, which, if such delays reoccur, could affect our ability to timely obtain materials and components from our suppliers in the quantities we require or on favorable terms. As a result of increased supply chain lead times and inflationary pressures, the Company has experienced increases in pricing for raw materials, which could affect our customer demand and cost. However, SIFCO believes that its ability to pass through raw material costs under certain contractual agreements and discrete orders limits this exposure. For those contractual agreements under which pass through pricing is not permissible, a material adverse effect upon the profitability of one or more of the affected contracts, future period financial reporting and performance may result.
Products
SIFCO’s products are made primarily of steel, high temperature alloys, nickel alloy, titanium and aluminum. SIFCO’s product offerings include: OEM and aftermarket components for aircraft and industrial gas turbine engines; steam turbine blades; structural airframe components; aircraft landing gear components; aircraft wheels and brakes; critical rotating components for helicopters; and commercial/industrial products. SIFCO also provides heat-treatment, surface-treatment, non-destructive testing and select machining and sub-assembly of forged components.
Industry
The performance of the domestic and international air transport industry, the energy industry, as well as government defense spending, directly and significantly impact the performance of SIFCO.
SIFCO supplies new and spare components to the U.S. military for aircraft, helicopters, vehicles, and munitions. The Company’s top programs include Blackhawk (H60), C-130, F-18 and F-35. The defense budget in the United States varies from year to year, driven by defense procurement policy and government budget constraints. Coming out of the pandemic, the defense aerospace market has been impacted by COVID overproduction and build rates. Uncertainty may arise if the government reprioritizes funding as a result of, among other factors, potential changes in the threat environment, defense spending levels, government priorities, political leadership, procurement strategy, military strategy and planning, and broader changes in social, economic or political demands or priorities. Certain programs in which the Company participates have seen favorable trends, which are expected to continue.
SIFCO supplies components for commercial aircraft, principally for large aircraft produced by Boeing and Airbus, and for general aviation. Domestic and international travel are now at pre-pandemic levels. Build rates, particularly the Boeing 777-9 (formerly 777X), 787, 737 MAX and the Airbus A350, continued to rebound in both fiscal 2023 and 2024.
SIFCO supplies components to the commercial space industry, which is rapidly evolving. An increasing number of companies are participating in private space launch and reentry programs, which brings continuous development, innovation in technologies, and new approaches in this market. We believe there is an opportunity for SIFCO to gain an increased market share as this industry continues to evolve and grow.
SIFCO supplies components to the semiconductor industry, for use in the manufacture of microchips. These components require very challenging material properties and purity. Our technical expertise has allowed SIFCO to gain customer certifications for a variety of materials in this application. We believe this market is a growth opportunity for SIFCO.
SIFCO supplies new and spare components to the energy industry. While alternative energy markets continue to strengthen, oil and gas prices are expected to rebound given rising gas prices from historic lows. As such, it’s currently anticipated that purchases of parts and supplies within the industry will increase. SIFCO has positioned itself to be less dependent on OEM production, but with flexibility to address the demand cycle in this segment as well as continuing to support the aftermarket.
Competition
SIFCO competes with numerous companies, both in and tangential to the A&E industry. SIFCO competes with both U.S. and non-U.S. suppliers of forgings, some of which are significantly larger than SIFCO; however, our competitors range from companies focused on the A&E markets to large diversified corporations that may also have business interests outside of the A&E markets to smaller companies that offer a limited portfolio of products in this market. SIFCO believes that it has an advantage and distinguishes itself in the primary markets it serves due to its: (i) demonstrated A&E expertise; (ii) focus on quality and customer service; (iii) operating initiatives such as SMART (Streamlined Manufacturing Activities to Reduce Time/Cost) and Six Sigma; and (iv) broad range of capabilities and offerings. As customers establish and utilize new facilities throughout the world, SIFCO will continue to encounter non-U.S. competition. SIFCO believes it can expand its market share by (i) continuing to increase capacity utilization; (ii) broadening its product lines through investment in equipment that expands its manufacturing capabilities; and (iii) developing new customers in markets where the participants require similar technical competence and service as those in the A&E industries. See further discussion of the risks relating to competition SIFCO faces in Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Government Contracts
Companies, such as SIFCO, that supply equipment and products to the U.S. military are subject to certain risks related to commercial relationships with the U.S. government and its agencies. Under the terms of these agreements, it is possible for demand and build rates to fluctuate or for the U.S. government to terminate existing contracts.
Customers and Seasonality
During fiscal 2024, SIFCO had one direct customer that accounted for 15% of consolidated net sales; and 41% of the Company’s consolidated net sales were from three customers and their direct subcontractors, which individually accounted for 15%, 15% and 11% of net sales, respectively. SIFCO believes that the loss of sales to these customers would result in a material adverse impact on the business. However, SIFCO has maintained a business relationship with these customers for many years and is currently conducting business with them under multi-year agreements. Although there is no assurance that these relationships will continue, as one or more major customers have reduced their purchases in the past, historically SIFCO has generally been successful in gaining new business from these customers or from other customers to offset any potential reduction in purchases, thereby avoiding a material adverse impact on the Company. SIFCO relies on its ability to adapt its services and operations to changing requirements of the market in general and its customers in particular. No material part of SIFCO’s business is seasonal. For additional financial information about geographic areas, refer to Note 13 —Business Informationof the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Backlog of Orders
SIFCO’s total backlog as of September 30, 2024 increased to$114.4 million, compared with $97.4 million as of September 30, 2023. Orders for delivery scheduled in the upcoming fiscal year 2025 increased to $85.0 million compared with $70.9 million scheduled as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. Orders may be subject to modification or cancellation by the customer with limited charges. The increase in total backlog as of September 30, 2024 compared with the previous year is primarily due to timing of annual awards, SIFCO’s customers adjusting orders due to recovery within the commercial airline industry, new content awarded, and extended raw material lead times. Backlog information may not be indic ative of future sales.
C. Regulatory Matters
The Company is subject to a number of domestic regulations relating to our operations and is required to comply with various environmental, health, and employee safety laws and regulations. The Company believes that it is in compliance with these laws and regulations. Historically, compliance with such laws and regulations has not had, and is not presently expected to have a material effect on capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company or its subsidiaries under existing regulations and interpretations. Nevertheless, the Company cannot guarantee that, in the future, it will not incur additional costs for compliance or that such costs will not be material.
D. Human Capital Management
Excluding CBlade employees due to the sale of this business in October 2024, SIFCO employed approximately 252 full-time employees at the beginning of fiscal 2024, which decreased slightly to approximately 244 employees at the end of fiscal 2024.
The Company’s employees include full-time, part-time, and temporary employees. As of September 30, 2024, all employees were located within the U.S., excluding CBlade due its sale in October 2024. Approximately 65% of our workforce within the U.S. is composed of skilled and unskilled labor, and the remaining population includes management, corporate, administrative and support staff.
The Company is a party to collective bargaining agreements (“CBA”) with certain employees within the Cleveland location. The Company ratified its CBA with one such bargaining unit in December 2019 and ratified its CBA with the second bargaining unit in December 2021. The Maniago business was sold to a third party on October 15, 2024, and all employees and obligations transferred to the third party with the consummation of this sale.
The skills, experience and industry knowledge of our employees significantly benefit our operations and performance. There are several ways in which we attract, develop, and retain highly qualified talent and measure the ongoing effectiveness of our human capital management practices, including by making the safety and health of our employees a top priority. The Company is focused on ensuring the health of our employees through the implementation of standards, controls, and inspections to help ensure that our operations and premises comply with national and local regulations. In addition, the Company conducts annual employee development reviews, identifies growth opportunities, which include employee rotations, promotes value-based recognition programs and engages employees in continuous improvement activities.
Set forth below is certain information concerning the Company’s executive officers. The executive officers are appointed annually by the Board of Directors (current officers in bold).
| Name | Age | Title and Business Experience |
|---|---|---|
| George Scherff | 81 | Chief Executive Officer since July 2024. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Scherff served as CEO for Thermal Systems Manufacturing, Paradigm Packaging, Lund International, ABC Truck Body, and Hartzell Manufacturing following its merger with Continental Metal Specialties. He has a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toledo. Mr. Scherff has successfully led middle-market organizations through periods of growth and transition and most recently served as a consultant, providing services to various companies with a focus on operational improvement. |
| Jennifer Wilson | 45 | Chief Financial Officer since November 13, 2024. Ms. Wilson served as the Company’s Director of External Reporting since 2022. She brings significant experience in strategic accounting and finance and a deep knowledge of the Company’s accounting and operating organization. Prior to her role as Director of External Reporting, Ms. Wilson served as the Controller of the Company’s Orange, California-facility and as the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis. Prior to joining the Company, Ms. Wilson served as an Accounting and Finance Consultant with Resources Global Professionals and as a Manager of Accounting and Treasury for Technical Consumer Products. She is a certified public accountant and holds a Masters of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in accounting from David N. Meyers College. |
| Peter W. Knapper | 62 | President and Chief Executive Officer from June 2016 to July 2024. Prior to joining SIFCO, Mr. Knapper worked for the TECT Corporation, holding positions including Vice President of Operations of TECT Power, Corporate Director of Strategy and Site Development, and President of TECT Aerospace. In addition, Mr. Knapper held progressive leadership roles for other companies including Rolls Royce Energy Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, and GE Aircraft Engines. Mr. Knapper has 38 years of experience in Aerospace and related industries. |
| Thomas R. Kubera | 65 | Chief Financial Officer from August 8, 2018 to November 13, 2024. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Kubera was Interim Chief Financial Officer from July 1, 2017 to August 7, 2018 and Chief Accounting Officer since January 31, 2018. Mr. Kubera was Corporate Controller from May 2014 and had served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from April 2015 to May 2015. Prior to joining SIFCO, Mr. Kubera was previously at Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. (previously known as Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc.) from April 2005 through 2014, most recently as the Controller of Global Operations Services. He also held several assistant controller positions and was a Senior Manager of External Reporting while at Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. |
E. Non-U.S. Operations
The Company’s products are distributed in the U.S. as well as non-U.S. markets.
Financial information about the Company’s U.S. and non-U.S. operations is set forth in Note 13 —Business Informationof the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
F. Available Information
The Company files annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other documents with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any documents that are filed by the Company athttp://www.sec.gov.
In addition, our annual reports on Form 10-K, as well as our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to all of the foregoing reports, are made available free of charge on or through the “Investor Relations” section of our website at www.sifco.com as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Information relating to our corporate governance at SIFCO, including the Audit Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee Charters, as well as the Corporate Governance Guidelines and Policies and the Code of Conduct & Ethics adopted by our Board of Directors, is available free of charge on or through the “Investor Relations” section of our website atwww.sifco.com. References to our website or the SEC’s website do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on such websites, and such information is not part of this Form 10-K.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.