ITT INC

See Note 3, Segment Information, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for financial information about each of our segments.

Motion Technologies (MT)

The Motion Technologies segment is a manufacturer of brake pads, shims, shock absorbers, energy absorption components and sealing technologies primarily for the transportation industry, including passenger cars and trucks, light- and heavy-duty commercial and military vehicles, buses and trains. MT consists of the following primary business units: ITT Friction Technologies, Wolverine Advanced Materials, KONI, and Axtone.

ITT Friction Technologies (Friction)

Friction manufactures a range of brake pads installed as original equipment (OE) on passenger cars (both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles) and light commercial vehicles for a variety of end customers and automotive platforms around the world. OE brake pads are sold directly to OEMs or to Tier-1 brake manufacturers. Our OE brake pads are designed to meet customer specifications and environmental regulations, and to satisfy an array of performance standards across multiple geographies. Most automotive OEM platforms (car models) require specific brake pad formulations and have demanding quality, delivery and volume schedules. Friction anticipated the industry transition towards copper-free brake pads and is a recognized industry leader in the paradigm shift towards new brake pad formulations that are designed, developed and tested specifically for electric vehicles (EVs). Success in developing brake pads for EVs has led Friction to win multiple EV platform awards with established and new OEMs.

Friction also manufactures aftermarket brake pads designed for the automotive service and repairs market. This market consists of both OE dealers, also referred to as original equipment service (OES) networks, and independent aftermarket networks. Brake pads sold within the OES network generally match the specifications of an original auto platform OE brake pad and are sold either directly to OEMs or to Tier-1 brake manufacturers, such as Continental AG (Continental), or indirectly through independent distributor channels. Our catalog of pads sold in independent aftermarket networks features technology designed to provide a range of braking performance levels.

Wolverine Advanced Materials (Wolverine)

Wolverine is a manufacturer of custom damping technologies for automotive braking systems (for both internal combustion engine vehicles and EVs) and specialized gasket sealing solutions for harsh operating environments. Wolverine sells its products, which consist primarily of brake shims and gaskets, to Tier-2 brake pad suppliers (including Friction) and to Tier-1 manufacturers. Brake shims are thin metal and rubber adhesive dampeners that fit onto the brake pad and against the brake caliper to prevent excessive noise and vibration. Gaskets are an anti-vibration and sealing solution that prevent fluid spillage in applications such as engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, fuel systems and a variety of pneumatic systems. These products are sold either as coils of rubber-coated sheet metal or stamped into finished component parts.

KONI and Axtone

The KONI and Axtone businesses service four main end markets: railway rolling stock for freight and passenger trains; car and racing; bus, truck and trailer; and defense.

Railway provides a wide range of equipment for passenger rail, locomotives, freight cars, high speed trains and light rail. Offerings include customized energy absorption solutions, hydraulic shock absorbers (primary, lateral, and inter-car), yaw dampers, springs, visco-elastic and hydraulic buffers, coupler components and crash mitigation equipment. Revenue from our rail damping systems is balanced between OE and aftermarket customers. Sales are made either directly to train manufacturers and train operators carrying out scheduled train maintenance programs or indirectly through distributors. KONI and Axtone are lifetime partners of rail customers, also offering repair and overhauling capabilities for their products.

Car and Racing features performance shock absorbers often using our Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) technology. FSD products generally are used by car and racing enthusiasts who desire to modify their cars for increased handling performance and comfort. KONI aftermarket car shock absorbers are sold around the world, directly to customers and through a distribution network that markets KONI products into specific geographies or customer groups. KONI shock absorbers are also incorporated into new OEM platform designs and sold to Tier-1 shock absorber manufacturers.

Bus, Truck and Trailer, and Defense manufactures hydraulic and hydro-pneumatic shock absorbers for sale to both OEM and aftermarket customers.

MT has a global manufacturing footprint with advanced automation capabilities, with production facilities in Europe, China, North America and India.

MT competes in markets primarily served by large and well-established national and global companies. Key competitive drivers within the brake pad and brake shim businesses include technical expertise, formulation development capabilities, scale production, product performance, high-quality standards, customer intimacy, reputation and the ability to meet demanding delivery and volume schedules in a limited amount of time. We have well-established, long-term relationships with our OE and OES brake pad customers based on mutual trust, local proximity and a wide range of cooperative activities, ranging from design, to sampling, prototyping and testing phases of brake pads.

MT is a global leader in rail suspension components, freight coupling devices currently used in Europe and crash absorption systems. Competitive drivers in MT's rail business include customer intimacy, price, technical expertise and product performance. MT's rail products are considered critical components because of safety requirements and thus they are designed specifically for different train applications and must satisfy strict compliance requirements.

MT's sales to Continental, a supplier to the automotive industry and MT's largest customer, represented 16% of MT's 2023 revenue. Automaker requests to use ITT brake pads in their Continental-produced braking systems (calipers) typically account for approximately half of MT's revenue from Continental. These automaker requests are generally formalized through supply agreements signed directly between MT and the automakers. The remainder of MT's sales to Continental is through a long-term agreement to supply Continental with aftermarket parts.

Industrial Process (IP)

The Industrial Process segment is an OEM and an aftermarket parts and service provider of industrial pumps, valves, plant optimization and remote monitoring systems and services. IP's products serve an extensive base of customers ranging from large multi-national companies and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms to regional distributors and various other end-users. IP has a global manufacturing footprint with significant operations in the United States, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Germany. IP's customers operate in global infrastructure and natural resource markets such as energy, chemical and petrochemical, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, general industrial, mining, pulp and paper, food and beverage, and power generation. IP's marketplace-recognized brands include Goulds Pumps TM, Bornemann®, Rheinhütte Pumpen®, Engineered Valves®, PRO Services®, C'treat®, i-ALERT®and Habonim TM.

Industrial Pumps

Industrial pumps are used by a wide array of customers and applications primarily in the chemical, energy, mining, general industrial, pharmaceutical and power generation markets. IP designs and manufactures configured-to-order and standards-based industrial pumps that are highly engineered and customized to customer needs. These products include a broad portfolio of centrifugal and twin screw positive displacement pumps that meet the following industry-recognized standards: American Petroleum Institute (API), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ATmosphere EXplosible, European Directive 2014/34/EC (ATEX), IEC standards (IECEx) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Our project pumps are generally part of larger and more complex capital projects, have longer lead times than baseline pumps and are generally managed by EPC firms.

Valves

Valves are manufactured to handle a wide variety of process conditions and solve unique challenges in the biopharmaceutical, chemical, mining, power generation, pulp and paper, and general industrial markets. Our portfolio of valve products includes knife-gate valves, ball valves, hygienic and industrial diaphragm valves, and valve actuators, marketed under the brand names EnviZion®, Cam-Line TM, Cam-Tite®, Dia-Flo®, Fabri-Valve®, Pure-Flo®, Skotch®, and Habonim TM. Also included within our portfolio is the Integrated Sensing Platform (ISP), which is a next-generation linear position sensing technology for EnviZion® and Pure-Flo® hygienic diaphragm valves, developed specifically for the toughest applications in the biopharmaceutical and sanitary industries.

Aftermarket

Our aftermarket solutions, which represented approximately 45% of IP's revenue in 2023, provide customers with replacement parts, services and plant optimization solutions that reduce total cost of ownership of pumps and rotating equipment. In addition to providing standard repairs, IP also develops engineered solutions for specific customer process issues. Examples include innovative technologies like PumpSmart® Control & Protection Technology and i-ALERT® Equipment Health Monitoring Devices, which remotely control and monitor pumps and other rotating equipment in an industrial environment.

IP markets its products via a global and diversified sales channel structure. Sales to independent distributors, who service end-users, account for approximately one-third of IP's revenue. We also sell directly to end-users through our customer-focused direct sales and service organization. In addition, we have focused channels dedicated to supporting EPC firms as their needs are often distinct from those of distribution and end-user customers.

The pump and valve markets we serve are highly competitive and fragmented. For most of our products, there are many regional competitors and a limited number of larger global peers. Primary customer purchase decision drivers include price, lead time and on-time performance, brand recognition, quality, breadth of product and service offerings, commercial terms, technical support and localization. Pricing can be very competitive for large projects because completed projects generate ongoing profitable aftermarket opportunities for the OE provider.

Connect & Control Technologies (CCT)

The Connect & Control Technologies segment designs and manufactures a range of highly-engineered connectors and specialized products for critical applications supporting various markets including aerospace and defense, industrial, transportation (including EVs), medical and energy. CCT’s products are often components on long-lived platforms that generate recurring aftermarket and replacement opportunities. CCT has organized its business around product offerings and end-user markets, with dedicated teams specializing in solutions for their specific markets, providing focused customer support and expertise.

Connector Products

The connector product portfolio includes high-performance connectors of the following types: Circular, Rectangular, Radio Frequency, Fiber Optic, D-sub Miniature, Micro-Miniature and cable assemblies. Brands include Cannon®, VEAM®, Micro-Mode TM, and BIW Connector Systems®, which deliver solutions to enable the transfer of data, signals and power for various end-user markets including aerospace, defense, industrial, transportation, medical and energy. These brands are known for high-performance, high-reliability solutions which withstand high temperatures and pressure and are resistant to corrosive environments. In certain harsh environment markets, our connector products are considered market leaders because of our technological capabilities, cost performance and global footprint.

Products for the commercial aerospace and defense markets include industry standards-based connectors and late-stage customized solutions. These products are designed to withstand the extreme conditions in harsh environments that are typical in aviation and military applications where reliability and safety are critical factors.

Products for the industrial markets include connectors for industrial production and transportation equipment, industrial electronics and instruments, and other industrial and medical applications. Products for the transportation markets include connectors for electric vehicle charging station applications, passenger rail and heavy-duty vehicles.

Products for the energy markets include connectors that provide power for electric submersible pumps in oil wells, reservoir monitoring instruments and electrical downhole heaters. Specific product applications include electrical power penetrators for wellheads, packers and pods that are able to accommodate various sizes and provide for multiple sealing strategies and ratings.

Control Products

The control product portfolio consists of highly engineered actuation, flow control, energy absorption, environmental control, and composite component solutions for the aerospace, defense and industrial markets.

Control products for the aerospace and defense markets include actuators, valves, pumps and switches for flow control applications, rate controls, seat recline locks and elastomer isolators for aircraft interiors, elastomeric bearings for rotorcraft vibration isolation, heaters, hoses, and composite ducting for environmental control systems, and advanced composites for engine applications. Brands include Aerospace Controls® and Enidine®.

Control products for the industrial markets include shock absorbers, wire ropes and actuators for factory and warehouse automation, regulators and switches for process control applications, seismic isolators and large bore shocks for protection of critical infrastructure, and regulators for natural gas vehicles. Brands include Enidine®, Compact Automation TM, Turn-Act®, Neo-Dyn® and Conoflow®.

CCT has a global production footprint, including facilities in the United States, Mexico, Germany, Italy, China and Japan, which provide close geographic proximity to key customers. CCT competes with a large number of companies in highly fragmented industries, ranging from large public multi-national corporations to small privately-held local firms, depending on the product line and region. CCT's ability to compete successfully depends upon numerous factors including quality, price, lead time, performance, brand recognition, customer service, innovation, application expertise and previous installation history. In addition, collaboration with customers to deliver a wide range of product offerings has allowed CCT to compete effectively, to cultivate and maintain strong customer relationships and to expand into new markets. CCT products are sold directly and indirectly through numerous channels, including distributors. CCT has long-lasting relationships with distributors, as many have been selling certain CCT products for decades. Sales to distributors represented approximately 30% of CCT's 2023 revenue.

OTHER COMPANY INFORMATION

Key Components and Raw Materials

All of our businesses require various manufactured components and raw materials, the availability and prices of which may fluctuate.

Raw materials are purchased in various forms, such as sheet, bar, rod and wire stock, pellets and metal powders. We also use various specialty resins and adhesives. Raw materials, supplies and product subassemblies are purchased from third-party suppliers, contract manufacturers and commodity dealers. For most of our products, we have alternate sources of supply or such materials are readily available. However, in some instances we depend on a single source of supply, manufacturing or assembly or participate in commodity markets that may be subject to a limited number of suppliers.

Our operating results are generally exposed to fluctuations in the prices and supply constraints of raw materials and commodities due to inflation, supply chain disruptions, foreign currency fluctuations, and tariffs imposed by the U.S. and other countries. We continually monitor the business conditions of our supply chain to maintain our market position and to avoid potential supply disruptions. These supply chain challenges have resulted in shortages of materials, including commodities such as steel, and other components that we use in our production processes. In 2023, decreased availability of raw materials and component parts adversely affected our ability to deliver products to our customers. Because of the rising demand for raw materials globally, we have experienced increases in prices, particularly in the first half of the year, which impacted our financial results. See Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis for additional information. We have been able to mitigate the impact of this inflation via fixed-price supply contracts with suppliers, price increases to customers and productivity savings. We typically acquire materials and components through a combination of blanket and scheduled purchase orders to support our materials requirements for an average of four to eight weeks, with the exception of some specialty materials. In limited circumstances, we may have to obtain scarce components for higher prices on the spot market, which may have a negative impact on our results. We also acquire certain inventory in anticipation of supply constraints or enter into longer-term pricing commitments with vendors to improve the priority, price and availability of supply. We evaluate hedging opportunities to mitigate or minimize the risk of margin erosion resulting from the volatility of commodity prices. The challenges associated with supply chain disruptions and inflation are expected to continue in 2024, and we are unable to reasonably predict when they will be resolved. As a result, we cannot provide assurance that we will not be adversely affected by materials price volatility or the availability of supplies to meet customer demand in the future.

Manufacturing Methods

Our businesses utilize two primary methods to fulfill demand for products: build-to-order and engineer-to-order.

•Build-to-order consists of assembling a group of products with the same pre-defined specifications, generally for our OEM customers. We employ build-to-order capabilities to maximize manufacturing and logistics efficiencies by producing high volumes of basic product configurations.

•Engineer-to-order consists of assembling a customized system according to a customer’s individual order specifications. Engineer-to-order permits the configuration of units to meet the customized requirements of our customers.

In both cases, we offer design, integration, test and other production value-added services. Our inventory management and distribution practices in both build-to-order and engineer-to-order seek to improve customer delivery performance and minimize inventory holding periods.

Intellectual Property

Where appropriate, we seek patent protection for inventions and improvements that are likely to be incorporated into our products or where proprietary rights are expected to improve our competitive position. The highly customized application engineering embedded within our products, our proprietary rights, our knowledge capabilities and our brand recognition all contribute to enhancing our competitive position.

Although we own and control a significant number of patents, trade secrets, confidential information, trademarks, trade names, copyrights and other intellectual property rights which, in the aggregate, are of material importance to our business, management believes that our Company, as a whole, as well as each of our core segments, is not materially dependent on any one intellectual property right or related group of such rights. Patents, patent applications and license agreements will expire or terminate over time by operation of law, in accordance with their terms or otherwise. As the portfolio of our patents, patent applications and license agreements has evolved over a long period of time, we do not expect the expiration of any specific patent or other intellectual property right to have a material adverse effect on our financial statements.

Research and Development

Research and Development (R&D) is key to our strategy and is generally focused on the design of highly engineered solutions. R&D focuses on developing competitive solutions to address clear needs in the market segments we serve. In addition, we work closely with our customers to address their needs by engineering solutions to fit their particular application, thus enabling our customers to achieve their specific goals. For example, during 2023, we have been piloting new smart motor technologies that reduce energy and GHG emissions for flow machines in harsh industrial environments. We believe R&D is a source of competitive advantage and, in recent years, we have invested in new product innovation, including opening new innovation centers in Italy and China to support our R&D efforts. We plan to continue with these efforts in the future. R&D as a percentage of sales was approximately 3% during each of the past three years.

Cyclicality and Seasonality

Many of the businesses in which we operate are subject to specific industry and general economic cycles. We consider our connector products in our CCT segment to be an early-cycle business, meaning it generally is impacted in the early portion of an economic cycle. Our automotive and aerospace components businesses tend to be impacted in the middle portion of the cycle, and our industrial pump business typically is impacted late in the economic cycle.

Our businesses experience limited seasonal variations. Revenue impacts from the limited seasonal variations are typically mitigated by our backlog of orders that allows us to adjust levels of production across different periods.

General Developments of the Business

Acquisitions and Divestitures

Other than as described herein, there have been no significant developments since our previous Form 10-K filing. See Note 22, Acquisitions, Investments, and Divestitures, to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.