AMPCO PITTSBURGH CORP
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Mar 25, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Mar 25, 2024
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Item 1. Business
GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS
Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation (the “Corporation”) was incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1929. The Corporation, individually or together with its consolidated subsidiaries, is also referred to herein as the “Registrant.” The Corporation manufactures and sells highly engineered, high-performance specialty metal products and customized equipment utilized by industry throughout the world. It operates in two business segments – the Forged and Cast Engineered Products (“FCEP”) segment and the Air and Liquid Processing (“ALP”) segment. This segment presentation is consistent with how the Corporation’s chief operating decision-maker evaluates financial performance and makes resource allocation and strategic decisions about the business.
While the Corporation currently is operating at more normal levels, when compared to the operating levels during the pandemic and immediately thereafter, it continues to be challenged by lingering global economic effects of a post-pandemic environment and repercussions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, among other events, including:
The Corporation is actively monitoring, and will continue to actively monitor, the geopolitical and economic consequence of these events and the potential impact on its operations, financial condition, liquidity, suppliers, industry, and workforce.
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Forged and Cast Engineered Products Segment
The FCEP segment produces forged hardened steel rolls, cast rolls and forged engineered products (“FEP”). Forged hardened steel rolls are used primarily in hot and cold rolling mills by producers of steel, aluminum and other metals. Cast rolls, which are produced in a variety of iron and steel qualities, are used mainly in hot strip mills, medium/heavy section mills, roughing mills, and plate mills. FEP principally are sold to customers in the steel distribution market, oil and gas industry and the aluminum and plastic extrusion industries. The segment has operations in the United States, England, Sweden, Slovenia, and an equity interest in three joint venture companies in China. Collectively, the segment primarily competes with European, Asian and North and South American companies in both domestic and foreign markets and operates several sales offices located throughout the world.
Union Electric Steel Corporation (“UES”) produces forged hardened steel rolls and FEP. It is headquartered in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, with three manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania and one in Indiana. The following entities are direct or indirect operating subsidiaries of UES:
Union Electric Steel UK Limited produces cast rolls in a variety of iron and steel qualities for hot strip mills, medium/heavy section mills and plate mills. It is located in Gateshead, England.
Åkers Sweden ABproduces cast rolls in a variety of iron and steel qualities for hot strip mills, medium/heavy section mills, roughing mills, and plate mills. It is located in Åkers Styckebruk, Sweden.
Åkers Valji Ravne d.o.o. produces forged rolls for cluster mills and Z-Hi mills, work rolls for narrow and wide strip and aluminum mills, back-up rolls for narrow strip mills, and leveling rolls and shafts. It is located in Ravne, Slovenia.
Alloys Unlimited Processing, LLC is a distributor of tool steels and alloys and carbon round bar. It is located in Austintown, Ohio.
The segment’s three joint venture companies in China include:
Shanxi Åkers TISCO Roll Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between Taiyuan Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. and Åkers AB, a non-operating subsidiary of UES, that produces cast rolls for hot strip mills, steckel mills and medium plate mills. It is located in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China. Åkers AB holds a 59.88% interest in the joint venture.
Anhui Baochang Roll Co., Ltd. is a joint venture among UES, Magang (Group) Holding Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Gong-Chang Roll Co., Ltd. that produces large forged backup rolls for hot and cold strip mills. It is located in Maanshan, Anhui Province, China. Union Electric Steel (Hong Kong) Limited, a non-operating subsidiary of UES, holds a 33% interest in the joint venture.
Jiangsu Gong-Chang Roll Co., Ltd. is a joint venture that produces cast rolls for hot strip mills, medium/heavy section mills and plate mills. It is located in Xinjian Town Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, China. Union Electric Steel UK Limited holds a 24.03% interest in the joint venture.
Air and Liquid Processing Segment
The ALP segment includes Aerofin, Buffalo Air Handling and Buffalo Pumps, all divisions of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation (“Air & Liquid”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Corporation. The segment has operations in Virginia and New York with its headquarters located in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. The segment utilizes an independent group of sales offices located throughout the United States and Canada and has several major competitors.
Aerofin Division of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation produces custom-engineered finned tube heat exchange coils and related heat transfer products for a variety of industries including OEM/commercial, nuclear power generation and industrial manufacturing. It is located in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Buffalo Air Handling Division of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation produces large custom-designed air handling systems for institutional (e.g., hospital, university), pharmaceutical and general industrial building markets. Its primary manufacturing facility is located in Amherst, Virginia with an additional Virginian manufacturing location added in the latter part of 2023.
Buffalo Pumps Division of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation manufactures centrifugal pumps for the fossil-fueled power generation, marine defense and industrial refrigeration industries. It is located in North Tonawanda, New York.
Products
In both segments, the products are dependent on engineering, principally custom designed, and are sold to sophisticated commercial and industrial users located throughout the world. Products are delivered directly to the customer via third-party carriers or customer-arranged transportation. For the FCEP segment, one customer accounted for 11% and 10% of its net sales in 2023 and 2022, respectively, the loss of which could have a material adverse effect on the segment. For the ALP segment, no customers exceeded 10% of its net sales in 2023 or 2022. For additional information on the products produced and financial information about each segment, see Note 17, Revenue, and Note 24, Business Segments, to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Raw Materials
Raw materials used in both segments are generally available from many sources, and neither segment is dependent upon any single supplier for any raw material. Substantial volumes of raw materials used by each segment are subject to significant variations in price. The Corporation’s subsidiaries generally do not purchase or commit for the purchase of a major portion of raw materials significantly in advance of the time they require such materials but periodically make forward commitments for natural gas, electricity and certain commodities (copper and aluminum). See Note 15, Derivative Instruments, to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Patents and Trademarks
While the Corporation and its subsidiaries hold certain patents, trademarks and licenses, in the opinion of the Corporation, they are not material to either segment.
Backlog
The backlog of orders at December 31, 2023 was approximately $378.9 million compared to a backlog of $369.0 million at year-end 2022. Backlog for the ALP segment increased by approximately $14.5 million and benefited from improved order intake for each of the product lines. Backlog for the FCEP segment decreased by approximately $4.6 million year over year due to lower FEP and cast roll orders partly offset by improved demand and selling prices for mill rolls and higher foreign exchange rates used to translate the backlog of the Corporation’s foreign subsidiaries into the U.S. dollar. Approximately 13% of the backlog is expected to be released after 2024.
Competition
The Corporation faces considerable competition from a large number of companies in both segments. The Corporation believes, however, its subsidiaries are significant participants in each of the niche markets they serve. Competition in both segments is based on quality, service, price, and delivery.
Environmental Protection Compliance Costs
Expenditures for environmental control matters were not material to either segment in 2023 and are not expected to be material in 2024.
Employees and Human Capital Management
Employees
On December 31, 2023, the Corporation and its subsidiaries had 1,697 active employees worldwide (substantially all full-time), of which approximately 58% were employed in the United States. Approximately 31% of the Corporation’s employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements or agreements with works councils.
Oversight
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors maintains oversight of the Corporation’s human capital management strategies it may deem important to the long-term sustainability of the Corporation.
Key Areas of Focus for the Corporation
Health and Safety – The Corporation’s health and safety program is designed around the regulations associated with the specific hazards and unique working environments of the Corporation’s manufacturing operations and headquarters. The Corporation requires all of its locations to perform regular safety audits to ensure compliance with the safety program. Leading indicators, such as reporting and training of all near-miss events, are used to identify risks for potential future incidents. Lagging indicators, such as OSHA recordable rates and lost-time incidence rates, are used to measure achievement of safety metrics.
Diversity and Inclusion – The Corporation tracks various metrics such as turnover, absenteeism and diversity. The Corporation has developed strategies to ensure employees of diverse backgrounds and perspectives enjoy a culture of mutual respect, inclusiveness and teamwork in an environment which values diversity.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Corporation files annual, quarterly and current reports; amendments to those reports; proxy statements; and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You may access and read the Corporation’s filings without charge through the SEC’s website atwww.sec.gov. The Corporation’s internet address iswww.ampcopittsburgh.com. The Corporation makes available, free of charge on its website, access to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The information on the Corporation’s website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The name, age, position with the Corporation, and business experience for at least the past five years of the Executive Officers(1) of the Corporation are as follows:
J. Brett McBrayer (age 58). Mr. McBrayer has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation since July 2018. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Airtex Products and ASC Industries, a global manufacturer and distributor of automotive after-market and OEM fuel and water pumps from 2012 to 2017. Airtex Products and ASC Industries, together with its parent company, UCI International LLC, and affiliated companies, filed for bankruptcy protection in June 2016, and successfully emerged in December 2016. Mr. McBrayer also served as Vice President and General Manager of the Alcan Cable business at Rio Tinto Alcan, as Vice President and General Manager of the Specialty Metals Division at Precision Cast Parts Corporation, and held positions of various responsibility and leadership during his 20 years with Alcoa, Inc. Mr. McBrayer received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee and a Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University.
Michael G. McAuley(age 60). Mr. McAuley has served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Corporation since March 2018 and as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since April 2016.
Samuel C. Lyon (age 55). Mr. Lyon has served as President of Union Electric Steel Corporation since February 2019. He previously served as Vice President and Group President of Performance Engineered Products at Carpenter Technology Corporation, a developer, manufacturer and distributor of stainless steels and corrosion-resistant alloys from July 2017 to January 2019.
David G. Anderson (age 56). Mr. Anderson has been employed by the Corporation since 2010 and has served as President of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation since January 2022. He previously served as Vice President of Finance for Union Electric Steel Corporation from October 2018 to December 2021, and as Vice President of Air & Liquid Systems Corporation from May 2016 to October 2018.
(1)
Officers serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and none of the listed individuals serve as a director of another public company.
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