UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Form 10-K
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2004
Commission file number: 000-50303
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
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Delaware
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32-0072578 | |
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
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15300 Centennial Drive, Northville,
Michigan (Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
48167 (Zip Code) |
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Registrants telephone number, including area code:
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12(b)-2 of the Act). Yes þ No o
APPLICABLE ONLY TO REGISTRANTS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS:
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Act subsequent to the distributions of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes þ No o
The aggregate market value of the registrants common stock held by non-affiliates was $339.0 million based on the reported last sale price of common stock on July 31, 2003, which is the last business day of the registrants most recently completed second fiscal quarter.
The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of April 6, 2004 was 37,720,970 shares.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
| Document Description | Form 10-K Part | |
| Portions of the Registrants notice of annual meeting of shareholders and proxy statement to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after Registrants fiscal year end of January 31, 2004 |
Part II, Item 5 Part III |
HAYES LEMMERZ INTERNATIONAL, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Unless otherwise indicated, references to the Company mean Hayes Lemmerz international, inc., and its subsidiaries, and references to a fiscal year means the Companys year commencing on February 1 of that year and ending January 31 of the following year (e.g., fiscal 2003 means the period beginning February 1, 2003, and ending January 31, 2004). This Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K regarding the prospects of the Companys industry and the Companys prospects, plans, financial position and business strategy, may constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, plan, foresee, believe or continue, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on the Companys behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this document. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date
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| | Decreased demand in the automotive industry; | |
| | Changes in the automotive industry, including increased consolidation and cost reduction; | |
| | Cyclical nature of the automotive industry; | |
| | Dependence on major customers; | |
| | Pricing pressure from the Companys customers; | |
| | Competition in the automotive supply industry; | |
| | Dependence on key personnel; | |
| | Effects of unexpected equipment failures, delivery delay or catastrophic loss; | |
| | Exposure to product liability and warranty claims; | |
| | Protection of the Companys intellectual property and potential infringement upon rights of others; | |
| | The Companys involvement in investigations and legal proceedings; | |
| | Pending SEC investigation; | |
| | Effects of the Companys substantial level of debt on its operations; | |
| | The Companys inability to take certain actions due to restrictions in its debt agreements; | |
| | Effects of the Companys bankruptcy proceedings; | |
| | The Companys ability to complete implementation of operational improvements; | |
| | The Companys ability to execute its strategic plans; | |
| | The Companys ability to successfully launch new products; | |
| | Increased cost of supplies or raw materials; | |
| | Technological or regulatory changes that could render the Companys products obsolete; | |
| | Effects of political, regulatory and legal conditions on the Companys international operations; | |
| | The Companys and its customers relations with employees; | |
| | Exposure to variable interest rates and foreign currency fluctuations; | |
| | Exposure to environmental liabilities; | |
| | Influence by significant stockholders; | |
| | Lack of comparable financial data due to the adoption of fresh start accounting; | |
| | Global financial and economic instability. |
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PART I
| Item 1. | Business |
General
Unless otherwise indicated, references to Company mean Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. and its subsidiaries, and references to fiscal year means the Companys year commencing on February 1 of that year and ending on January 31 of the following year (i.e., fiscal 2003 refers to the period beginning February 1, 2003 and ending January 31, 2004, fiscal 2002 refers to the period beginning February 1, 2002 and ending January 31, 2003 and fiscal 2001 refers to the period beginning February 1, 2001 and ending January 31, 2002).
The Company is a leading supplier of wheels, wheel-end attachments, aluminum structural components and automotive brake components. The Company is the worlds largest manufacturer of automotive wheels. In addition, the Company also designs and manufactures wheels and brake components for commercial highway vehicles, and powertrain components and aluminum non-structural components for the automotive, commercial highway, heating and general equipment industries.
Business Overview
Originally founded in 1908, the Company is a leading worldwide producer of aluminum and steel wheels for the light vehicle market. The Company is a leading provider of steel wheels for the commercial highway market. The Company is also a leading supplier in the high growth market for lightweight aluminum products, including suspension, brake and powertrain components. The Company has a global footprint with 44 facilities located in 14 countries around the world. The Company sells products to every major North American, Japanese and European manufacturer of passenger cars and light trucks as well as more than 300 commercial highway vehicle customers throughout the world. The Companys products are presently on 16 of the top 20 selling platforms for passenger cars in the United States. In fiscal 2003, the Company had net sales of $2.1 billion, with approximately 48% of the Companys net sales for that period derived from international markets, and the Company had earnings from operations in fiscal 2003 of $62.0 million (which includes the impact of certain gains and expenses related to its emergence from Chapter 11 proceedings).
On December 5, 2001, Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. (Old Hayes), 30 of the Companys wholly owned domestic subsidiaries and one of the Companys wholly owned Mexican subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware (the Bankruptcy Court). On May 12, 2003, the Bankruptcy Court confirmed the Companys modified first amended joint plan of reorganization (the Plan of Reorganization). Under the Plan of Reorganization, HLI Holding Company, Inc. (Holdco) was formed as a new holding company, with no business operations and no assets or liabilities, other than immaterial amounts in connection with its formation.
On June 3, 2003 (the Effective Date), the Company emerged from bankruptcy and, under the Plan of Reorganization, Old Hayes was merged with and into HLI Operating Company, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Holdco (HLI), with HLI continuing as the surviving corporation. As a result of the merger, all of the assets and businesses of Old Hayes are now owned and operated by HLI. Immediately following the merger, Holdco was renamed Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. (Hayes). All of HLIs common stock is held by HLI Parent Company, Inc. (HLI Parent Co.), which is wholly owned by Hayes. Hayes and HLI Parent Co. remain holding companies that do not conduct any business operations. For further discussion of the Companys emergence from Chapter 11, see Item 7, Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Business, Chapter 11 Filings and Emergence from Chapter 11.
As a result of the application of fresh start accounting on May 31, 2003, and in accordance with SOP 90-7, the post-emergence financial results of the Company for the period ending January 31, 2004 are presented as the Successor and the pre-emergence financial results of the Company for the period ending May 31, 2003 are presented as the Predecessor. Comparative financial statements do not straddle the Effective Date because in effect the Successor Company represents a new entity.
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Industry Trends
The Company believes there are a number of important trends in the automotive parts industry that the Company has benefited from in the past and will continue to benefit from in the future. These trends include:
Increasing Requirements for Global Capabilities. Automotive OEMs are focused on expanding their business operations globally to capitalize on markets that are experiencing high rates of growth or that have low production costs. As a result, suppliers are being required to operate in these same global markets to obtain new business from their customers. The Company believes automotive OEMs favor suppliers that have global operations to supply low-cost, high-quality products, as well as suppliers that have the ability to supply parts for a particular platform to multiple production facilities around the world. The Company believes that few suppliers are truly global and those that are have a competitive advantage.
Growing Demand for Full Service Suppliers. Automotive OEMs are increasingly outsourcing a greater number of vehicle components to their suppliers, and increasingly require that their suppliers have the capabilities to design and engineer the components they manufacture for the OEMs to allow the OEMs to focus on overall vehicle design, development and marketing. The Company believes automotive OEMs are awarding new business to those suppliers that support the full range of design and engineering services required to provide high quality, technologically advanced products under shortened product development timetables.
Increasing Use of Aluminum in Vehicles. Automotive OEMs are focused on increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles while maintaining safety and comfort. Light metals such as aluminum provide automotive OEMs with a way to materially reduce the overall weight of the vehicle and improve fuel efficiencies. Aluminum penetration in the North American wheel market is approximately 62%, as automotive OEMs have recognized both the weight efficiencies of aluminum and its favorable design characteristics. Aluminum wheel penetration in Europe is approximately 33% and the Company expects it to grow significantly as the European market looks to both improve fuel efficiency and provide design differentiation. The most significant growth area in the market for aluminum vehicle parts is expected to be in the suspension components area, where the penetration of aluminum currently is less than half that of wheels, even though aluminum provides significant weight saving opportunities to automotive OEMs.
The Company derived approximately half of fiscal 2003 net sales on a worldwide basis from Ford, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors and their subsidiaries. The Companys sales levels and margins could be adversely affected as a result of pricing pressures caused by new competitors in low-cost foreign markets such as China. These factors led to selective resourcing of future business to competitors in the second quarter of fiscal 2003. Additionally, these customers have been experiencing decreasing market share in North America, which could result in lower sales volumes for Hayes. While the Companys net sales are continually affected by pressure from its major customers to reduce prices, the Companys emphasis on reduction of production costs, increased productivity and improvement of production facilities has enabled the Company to respond to this pressure.
Competitive Strengths
The Company believes that the following competitive strengths are instrumental to its success:
Leading Market Positions Across Products and Markets. The Company is a leading supplier of automotive wheels used by OEMs in North America and in Europe. The Company is also a leading supplier of lightweight aluminum suspension, powertrain and brake components.
Diversified Base of Business. The Companys competitive position in the market and opportunities for growth are driven by a diversified base of business that capitalizes on the following competitive advantages:
| | Global Presence The Company is a leading producer of aluminum and steel wheels, with 44 manufacturing and engineering facilities in 14 countries. The Companys manufacturing presence on five continents gives it an important competitive advantage in the global sourcing of wheels by OEM customers. The Company is the only direct supplier to OEMs (referred to as a Tier 1 supplier) that |
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| has significant automotive wheel operations in both the U.S. and Europe. In addition to the Companys global capabilities in automotive wheels, the Company has recently opened a sales and support center in Germany to support business development initiatives for cast aluminum suspension components in Europe and Asia. | ||
| | Broad Customer Base The Company believes that it supplies almost every major automotive manufacturer in the world and enjoys long-standing relationships with many automotive OEMs such as Ford, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Nissan, BMW, Renault, Volvo and Volkswagen. The Company supplies customers on a worldwide basis from facilities in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South Africa. The Companys Commercial Highway business supplies more than 300 customers throughout the world. | |
| | Diverse Product Portfolio The Company provides automotive OEM customers with a diverse range of products. The Companys substantial product breadth provides a competitive advantage over its competitors who typically focus on a narrower product range in limited geographic markets. The Company believes a diverse product portfolio provides critical mass and helps meet the needs of customers who are trying to streamline their supplier base. |
The Company believes its diversified customer base and global capabilities are unique in the industry.
The Company currently conducts business in three operating segments: Automotive Wheels, Components and Other. The Automotive Wheels segment includes cast aluminum wheels and fabricated steel and aluminum wheels. The Components segment includes suspension components, brake components and powertrain components. The Other segment includes commercial highway products and its aftermarket division.
Low-Cost Provider. To meet the Companys customers demands for the highest quality, lowest cost product delivered globally, the Company has established manufacturing facilities in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and India. The ability to produce products at a lower cost, close to the customer, gives the Company an advantage over competitors without the Companys breadth of global facilities. In the next two years, the Company presently intends to expand its low pressure aluminum wheel casting capabilities in Thailand and the Czech Republic to serve customers in Europe and Asia. The Company recently acquired a cast aluminum wheel plant located in Chihuahua, Mexico formerly operated as part of a joint venture in which the Company owned a minority interest. Following the Companys planned refurbishment and expansion of the plant, it will serve the North American wheel market utilizing low pressure casting technology. The Company presently anticipates that most future capacity expansion will be in countries with low production costs.
Strong OEM Relationships. The Companys position as a supplier with full-service global manufacturing capabilities has enabled it to create long-standing relationships with its customers, including automotive OEMs such as Ford, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Nissan, BMW, Renault, Volvo and Volkswagen. The Companys strong relationships with automotive OEMs have also allowed it to expand the business globally as its customers have moved into new markets and product niches.
New Product Innovation. The Company is a leader in new product development. The Company has developed many new products to meet customer needs for lighter weight vehicles to improve fuel economy as well as ride and handling. Recent innovations include a fabricated steel wheel that is both lighter than a standard steel wheel and significantly less expensive than an aluminum wheel, with similar styling capabilities to those of an aluminum wheel. The Company has also developed a method of casting large one-piece aluminum suspension components and the Company believes it is one of the few suppliers capable of casting these components.
Full Service Capabilities. The Company has full-service capabilities in all of the product segments, including advanced design and engineering, value-added casting processes and machining, which allow the Company to provide its customers with total product solutions. The Company is recognized for technology and process innovation.
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Leading Position in Lightweight Aluminum Wheels and Components. The Company believes that it is the number one supplier of aluminum wheels globally and is positioned for continued growth as the penetration of aluminum in both wheels and automotive components continues to increase in Europe and the rest of the world. From 1990 to 2000, aluminum content in light vehicles grew at an average rate of 4.9% per year in North America, Europe and Japan. The Company believes that its global presence and technological expertise in aluminum have made the Company the leading supplier of aluminum suspension components, with significant growth opportunities.
New and Experienced Management Team. On August 1, 2001, the Company appointed Curtis Clawson as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Since his arrival, Mr. Clawson has put in place an experienced management team with over 100 combined years of automotive and lean manufacturing experience at companies including AlliedSignal, ArvinMeritor, Bosch, Ford, General Motors and Honeywell. Key management changes include the hiring of new Presidents for three of the four North American business units as well as a new Chief Financial Officer and a new Chief Information Officer. Under this teams leadership, the Company has significantly improved the operations of its business and positioned the Companys business for continued growth and ongoing financial strength. Specifically, since the beginning of fiscal 2002, management has:
| | rationalized capacity and production, including the closing of four facilities (including the recently announced Howell plant closure); | |
| | introduced lean manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives (initiatives designed to improve profitability and customer satisfaction by eliminating variability, defects and waste); | |
| | significantly improved internal controls and centralized certain aspects of the accounting and finance functions; | |
| | successfully launched a number of new products and programs; and | |
| | re-established strong relationships with customers and won a significant number of new contracts. |
Business Strategy
The Company believes it is well positioned for growth in sales and operating income through a strategy based on the following:
Leverage Market Leading Positions and Global Capabilities. The Company believes its leading market positions reflects its reputation for quality and excellence in the global light vehicle and commercial highway markets for wheels and other products, including suspension, powertrain and brake components. The Company believes it benefits from its leadership position in product and process technologies that support its focus on high value-added content, particularly regarding safety-critical products, such as suspension products. The Companys position as the largest aluminum and steel wheel producer combined with global capabilities give it a strong base to use such breadth and scope to provide maximum value to customers.
As emerging markets develop their manufacturing capabilities and infrastructure, the demand for vehicles, and the capability to build them locally increases, the Companys facilities in emerging market countries position it well in these local markets both to take advantage of the low costs of production and to supply the local automotive markets as they grow at rates generally expected to be faster than in North America and Europe. For example, the Companys facility in Thailand produces wheels that are shipped to Japanese OEMs and wheels that are sold in the Thai markets.
Expand Low Cost Production Capabilities. To meet the Companys customers demands for the highest quality, lowest cost product delivered globally, the Company has established manufacturing facilities in a number of countries around the globe that have low production costs. The Company currently has facilities in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and India. The ability to produce product at a lower cost, close to the customer, gives the Company an advantage over competitors without its breadth of global facilities. Through continued investment in countries with low production costs, the Company intends to continue to enhance its global market position while minimizing its costs. In the next two
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Enhance the Companys Strong Customer Relationships. The Company is focused on continuing to strengthen its customer relationships through increased quality, high levels of customer service and operational excellence, all of which will allow it to continue to provide a high quality product to customers at a low price. The Companys management team has created a culture that is focused on providing its customers with high quality service and technical support and this is demonstrated in its continuing ability to obtain new business and expand customer relationships. In addition, the Company actively leverages its strong OEM relationships in Europe to increase its market share with Asian and European transplant OEMs in North America.
Continue Leadership in New Product Innovation and Process Development. The Company believes that it has a track record of developing product and manufacturing process innovations. For example, the Company recently developed a fabricated steel wheel that is both significantly lighter than a standard steel wheel and significantly less expensive than an aluminum wheel, with styling capabilities similar to an aluminum wheel. The Company is also one of the only suppliers globally using the vacuum riserless casting/pressure riserless casting (VRC/ PRC) technology that allows for the casting of complex aluminum structural crossmembers that are lighter and more structurally sound than conventionally cast crossmembers. The Company intends to continue its efforts to develop innovative wheel, brake and other suspension products and manufacturing processes to better serve customers globally and improve product mix and profit margins.
Expand the Companys Product Offerings of High Growth Aluminum Components. The Company continues to develop new aluminum components using its advanced technology and processes. The Company is focused on increasing its capabilities in the production of high volume aluminum components in order to benefit from significant growth opportunities as customers focus on weight reduction and fuel efficiency. Although U.S. and Western European OEMs have significantly increased their reliance on aluminum products in their effort to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency, there remain a number of opportunities to increase the use of aluminum components by OEMs and thereby increase its market penetration. Since 1999, in North American light vehicles, the use of cast aluminum suspension crossmembers, cast aluminum control arms and cast aluminum knuckles has grown 6.3%, 9.5% and 2.7%, respectively, and the Company expects it to continue to grow. In addition, many Japanese transplant OEMs still rely heavily on lower-cost iron components and the Company believes that, as its capabilities to produce low-cost aluminum components expand, its ability to sell more aluminum components to Japanese transplant OEMs will increase.
Focus on Operational Excellence. The Company continuously implements strategic initiatives designed to improve product quality while reducing manufacturing costs. As part of its turnaround process, the Company has implemented a broad range of initiatives that have resulted in substantially improved operating performance. The Company continues to focus on opportunities to improve operating income including: (a) further rationalization of manufacturing capacity; (b) streamlining of marketing and general and administrative overhead; (c) continued implementation of lean manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives; (d) efficient investment in new equipment and technologies and the upgrading of existing equipment; and (e) continued improvement of its internal controls and centralization of certain aspects of its accounting and finance functions. The Companys management team is focused on maximizing the Companys current asset base to improve its operational efficiency while also adapting to the needs of customers and the market.
The Company may be unable to successfully implement its business strategies due to a weakening of the economy, changes in the automotive industry or other factors.
Products
The Companys products consist of the following products for passenger vehicles and light trucks: (a) automotive wheels, including both cast aluminum and fabricated aluminum and steel wheels; (b) suspension components, such as undercarriage components, structural crossmembers, subframes, engine
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| Cast Aluminum Wheels |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of cast aluminum wheels to automotive OEMs in North America, Europe, South America, South Africa and Asia. The Company manufactures one-piece aluminum wheels including wheels with bright finishes such as polishing, bright machining and bright paints. With the exception of a limited number of cast aluminum wheels manufactured by Toyota and Ford, there is no significant manufacturing of cast aluminum wheels by OEMs. The Companys cast aluminum wheels are produced and sold in North America, Europe, South America, South Africa and Asia. The Company believes it will benefit in this product category from the industry trend towards using lightweight materials to reduce overall vehicle weight and improve fuel efficiency.
North America. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of cast aluminum wheels to OEMs in North America. The Company is a leading supplier of cast aluminum wheels to automotive OEMs in North America.
| Customers. In fiscal 2003, the Company sold substantially all of its North American cast aluminum wheel production to DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors for use on vehicles produced in North America. The remainder of its cast aluminum wheels was sold to Japanese transplants in the United States. | |
| Competition. The Companys primary competitor in the North American cast aluminum wheel market is Superior Industries International Inc. The Company also competes with Amcast Industrial Corp., American Racing Equipment, Inc., Alcoa Inc. and several foreign suppliers operating in the United States. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has four cast aluminum manufacturing facilities in North America, located in Howell, Michigan; Gainesville, Georgia; Huntington, Indiana; and La Mirada, California. The Company primarily uses gravity casting technologies to manufacture cast aluminum wheels in North America. The Company recently acquired a cast aluminum wheel plant located in Chihuahua, Mexico to serve the North American market, which following expansion and refurbishment of the plant, will utilize low pressure casting technology. This technology is the same as is used in Europe and is preferred by some of the Companys customers. Engineering, research and development for North American cast aluminum operations are performed at its Northville, Michigan facility. |
Europe. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of cast aluminum wheels to OEMs in the passenger car and light truck segments of the European automotive industry. The Company is a leading supplier of cast aluminum wheels to automotive OEMs in the European market. In Europe, the Companys OEM customers demand a wide variety of styles and sizes of cast aluminum wheels, and it maintains substantial capabilities to meet such demand. The Company also maintains direct computer links with several customer locations in Europe to determine customer needs and streamline the design and approval process and reduce product development lead time.
| Customers. Substantially all of the Companys European cast aluminum wheels are sold to BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Renault, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo. | |
| Competition. The Companys primary competitors in the European cast aluminum wheel market for passenger cars are Ronal GmbH, Borbet Leichtmetallrader and ATS Leichtmetallrader. The European cast aluminum wheel market is more fragmented than that of North America, with numerous producers possessing varying levels of financial resources and market positions. In 2002, the installation rate of cast aluminum wheels in Europe was significantly lower than in North America. As a result of anticipated consolidation of small local manufacturers across the European community and the expected |
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| increasing demand for cast aluminum wheels among European consumers and OEMs, the Company believes that, over the next several years, the number of cast aluminum wheel manufacturers in Europe likely will decline and the remaining producers will increase their market shares. As a result of its position in Europe and its advanced engineering and technology, the Company believes that it is well positioned to capitalize on the changes in the European markets. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has five cast aluminum manufacturing facilities in Europe, which are located in Barcelona, Spain; Dello, Italy; Campiglione Fenile, Italy; Hoboken, Belgium; and Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Company utilizes low pressure casting technologies to manufacture aluminum wheels in its European facilities. Engineering, research and development for the Companys European cast aluminum wheel operations are performed at its Dello, Italy and Hoboken, Belgium facilities. |
South America, South Africa and Asia. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of cast aluminum wheels to OEMs in South America, South Africa and Asia. The Company owns 100% of Hayes Lemmerz Japan Limited, a Japanese corporation that provides sales, engineering and service support for the Japanese wheel market.
| Customers. The Companys largest customers for South American cast aluminum wheels are Ford, General Motors, Renault and Volkswagen. The largest customers for the Companys South African cast aluminum wheels are BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Dotz and Volkswagen. The largest customers for its Asian cast aluminum wheels are Isuzu, Mitsubishi and Toyota. | |
| Competition. The Companys primary competitors in the South American cast aluminum wheel market for passenger cars are Italmagnesio S.A. and Mangels Industrial S.A. The Company competes in the South African cast aluminum wheel market for passenger cars with Tiger Wheels Limited. Its primary competitor in the Asian cast aluminum wheel market for passenger cars is Enkei International, Inc. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has one cast aluminum manufacturing facility in South America, which is located near Sao Paulo, Brazil. In South Africa, the company has one cast aluminum wheel manufacturing facility located near Johannesburg, South Africa. The Company has one cast aluminum wheel manufacturing facility in Asia, which is located near Bangkok, Thailand. Engineering, research and development for the Companys South American, South African and Asian cast aluminum wheel operations is currently performed at its facilities located in Dello, Italy; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Hoboken, Belgium. |
| Fabricated Wheels |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes fabricated steel and aluminum wheels to automotive OEMs in North America, Europe and South America. The Companys fabricated wheel products include steel and aluminum wheels that can be made in drop-center, bead seat attached and clad designs, as well as chrome and full-face steel wheels. The Company has also recently developed a new fabricated steel wheel which is approximately 15% lighter than a traditional steel wheel, and is significantly less expensive to produce than a standard aluminum wheel. This design combines aspects of both steel and aluminum products into a low-cost, styled, lightweight alternative product to the more costly aluminum wheels. The Company believes that this product will be particularly attractive for economy style cars, where cost and weight are critical to the OEMs.
North America. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of fabricated wheels to OEMs in North America. This fabrication process involves stamping the center on high-speed multi-station transfer presses. The rim is made using specialized, highly automated, forming equipment. Then the center and rim are welded together on specialized, automated assembly equipment. The Company is a leading supplier of fabricated steel wheels in North America. The Company believes that the North American steel
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| Customers. The Company sold substantially all of its North American fabricated steel wheels to DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors in fiscal 2003. The Company produces fabricated aluminum wheels for DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors and Toyota. | |
| Competition. The Companys primary competitors in the North American steel wheel market for passenger cars and light trucks are ArvinMeritor Inc., Accuride Corp., Topy Industries Ltd. and Central Manufacturing Company. The Company does not believe that it has any significant competitors in the North American fabricated aluminum wheel market. | |
| Manufacturing. The Companys fabricated steel and fabricated aluminum wheels are manufactured by a continuous in-line process at its manufacturing facility in Sedalia, Missouri. This process enhances quality standardization and reduces work-in-process inventory. Engineering, research and development for its North American fabricated wheels operations is currently performed at the Northville and Ferndale, Michigan facilities. |
Europe. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of fabricated steel wheels to both OEMs and the automotive aftermarket throughout Europe. The Company is the leading supplier of fabricated wheels manufactured in Europe.
| Customers. The Companys principal customers include BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford/ Volvo, General Motors, Honda, Kromag, Mitsubishi, Nissan, PSA, Renault, Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen Group. The Companys principal customer in Eastern Europe is Skoda, the national automobile manufacturer of the Czech Republic, for which the Company is the sole supplier of steel wheels. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitors for the sale of fabricated steel wheels in Europe include Compagnie Financiere Michelin, Magnetto, Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG. The Company does not believe that it has any significant competitors in the European aluminum wheel market. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has four fabricated wheel manufacturing facilities in Europe, located in Königswinter, Germany; Manresa, Spain; Manisa, Turkey; and Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Companys Königswinter, Germany facility has highly automated production equipment and extensive engineering, research and development facilities. The Companys lightweight fabricated steel wheel was developed and is manufactured at the Königswinter facility. The Companys Manresa, Spain facility has developed a niche in wheels for light trucks, recreational vehicles and vans. The Manisa, Turkey facility produces wheels for the Turkish market and exports both OEM and aftermarket wheels to Western Europe. The Ostrava, Czech Republic facility has advanced equipment required to meet the volume and quality demands of European customers. |
South America. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a full line of fabricated steel wheels to both OEMs and the automotive aftermarket throughout Brazil and Argentina.
| Customers. The Companys principal customers in Brazil and Argentina include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, PSA, Renault and Volkswagen. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitor for the sale of fabricated steel wheels in Brazil and Argentina is ArvinMeritor Inc. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has one fabricated steel wheel manufacturing facility located near Sao Paulo, Brazil. Its Brazilian fabricated steel wheel manufacturing facility has its own engineering, research and development facility and is in the process of being converted into a highly automated production facility. In addition to serving the local market, the Brazilian facility ships fabricated wheels to North America to help meet the demands of OEM customers. |
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| Suspension Components |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes suspension components for sale to North American OEMs. The Companys primary suspension component products include: (i) aluminum structural components, such as structural crossmembers, subframes, engine cradles and axle components; and (ii) wheel-end attachments and assemblies, such as steering knuckles, spindles, hub carriers and control arms. The Companys suspension components are produced and sold in North America.
The Company is a technologically advanced manufacturer of aluminum suspension components for the automotive industry. The Company casts aluminum using green sand, permanent mold, squeeze and the VRC/PRC processes. Components are machined on a variety of state-of-the-art equipment.
The Company also believes that the most significant growth area in the market for aluminum vehicle parts will be in the suspension components area, because aluminum provides significant weight savings opportunities to automotive OEMs. The Company opened a new sales and support center in Stuttgart, Germany in September 2003 to support business development initiatives with European, Asian and U.S. based automotive OEM and Tier 1 customers requiring complex cast suspension components. The Company believes this center will facilitate the growth of its suspension components business on a global basis and position it to better serve global OEM customers. The penetration of aluminum in suspension component products presently is less than one-half the aluminum penetration of wheels. The Company believes that it will benefit in this product category from its leadership position in product and process technologies that support its focus on high value-added content.
Aluminum Structural Components. We design, manufacture and distribute structural aluminum subframes and crossmembers in North America. The Company entered the market for aluminum crossmembers by developing a one-piece cast aluminum crossmember for the 1995 Chrysler NS Minivan, the first high-volume application of this product. The Company expects aluminums market share of this segment to increase, primarily due to desired weight reductions and ride characteristics.
| Customers. The Companys customers include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors and Mitsubishi. | |
| Competition. Given the level of manufacturing expertise required to produce aluminum structural components, there are only a few manufacturers in this segment and Alcoa Inc. is the Companys primary competitor. | |
| Manufacturing. We design, manufacture and distribute structural aluminum subframes and crossmembers in Montague, Michigan and Bristol, Indiana. Engineering, research and development for the Companys aluminum structural components operations is currently performed at the Ferndale, Michigan facility. |
Wheel-End Attachments and Assemblies. We design, manufacture and distribute wheel-end attachments and assemblies to OEMs in North America. The Company produces aluminum and iron knuckles, spindles and spindle assemblies, iron hub carriers, axle flanges for the corner of the vehicle and control arms. Wheel attachments are made from iron, aluminum and steel.
| Customers. The Companys principal customers include North American OEMs such as DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, as well as BMW, Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan. The Company also sells to other Tier 1 suppliers, including Bosch, Dana, Lemforder and Visteon. | |
| Competition. Given the fragmented nature of the market, there are no competitors with significant market share. The Companys primary competitors are Intermet Corp., Citation Corp., Amcast Industrial Corp. and Grede Foundries, Inc. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company manufactures aluminum and iron knuckles, spindles and spindle assemblies, iron hub carriers and axle flanges at the facilities in Cadillac, Michigan; Southfield, Michigan; Montague, Michigan; and Bristol, Indiana. The Companys factories utilize various materials |
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| and casting processes to produce to specific product requirements, including weight, performance, safety and cost. |
| Brake Components |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes automotive brake components consisting primarily of cast iron rotors for disc brakes and composite metal drums and full-cast drums for drum-type brakes. The Company uses its technological superiority to develop innovative new component designs for products with decreased weight and an extended useful life, including aluminum composite rotors and drums. The Companys brake components are produced and sold in North America.
| Customers. The Companys primary customers for automotive brake components include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Nissan and Renault. In addition, the Company sells to other Tier 1 suppliers, such as Bosch, Continental Teves, Delphi Automotive, TRW and Visteon. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitors for the sale of automotive brake components are Delphi Corp., TRW Automotive Inc., Bosch Automotive Systems Corporation, ADVICS Co., Ltd. and SANLUIS Corporación, S.A. de C.V. (Rassini Division). | |
| Manufacturing. The Company has two automotive brake facilities in North America, located in Homer, Michigan, and Monterrey, Mexico. Engineering, research and development for the brake components operations is currently performed at the Ferndale, Michigan facility. |
| Powertrain Components |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes a variety of aluminum and polymer powertrain components, including engine intake manifolds, aluminum cylinder heads, water crossovers, water pumps, brackets and ductile iron exhaust manifolds. The polymer manifolds market is moving increasingly to welded technology. The Company believes it is well positioned to move into this market. The Companys powertrain and engine components are produced and sold in North America.
| Customers. The Company supplies most of its powertrain components to DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors. The Company also supplies powertrain components to Nissan in North America and to other Tier 1 suppliers, such as Delphi and Visteon. | |
| Competition. The Companys primary competitor in aluminum intake manifolds is Fort Wayne Foundry. The remainder of the market for aluminum intake manifolds is highly fragmented and comprises small independent suppliers. Key competitors in polymer intake manifolds include Siemens AG, Mann+Hummel Group, Montaplast GmBH, Delphi Corp. and Mark IV Industries Inc. Key competitors for exhaust manifolds include Wescast Industries Inc. and Interact. | |
| Manufacturing. We have two powertrain component manufacturing facilities in North America, located in Wabash, Indiana, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Engineering, research and development for the powertrain components operations is currently performed at the Ferndale, Michigan facility. |
| Commercial Highway Products |
The Company designs, manufactures and distributes wheels and brakes for commercial highway vehicles in North America, Europe, South America and Asia.
North America. We manufacture disc wheels and demountable rims for sale to manufacturers of commercial highway vehicles in North America. The Company also manufactures two-piece, take-apart wheels for certain special applications, including the High Mobility Multiple Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (the Hummer) produced by AM General Corporation. The Company manufactures brake components for commercial highway vehicles consisting of conventional cast iron brake drums and CentriFuse® brake drums.
| Customers. The Companys largest customers for commercial highway wheels and rims include Great Dane Trailers, Monon, Strick and Trailmobile, and its largest customers for commercial highway |
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| brake components include Freightliner, PACCAR and Volvo. The Companys commercial highway sales are to truck and trailer OEMs, original equipment servicers, and aftermarket distributors. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitors for the sale of commercial highway wheels and rims are Accuride Corp. and Alcoa Inc. The principal competitors for the sale of commercial highway hubs and drums are Gunite Corporation, Webb Wheel Products, Inc., ArvinMeritor Inc. and Consolidated Metco. | |
| Manufacturing. We have three manufacturing facilities in North America that produce components for the commercial highway market. These facilities are located in Akron, Ohio; Berea, Kentucky; and Mexico City, Mexico. Engineering, research and development for the commercial highway products operations is performed at the Northville, Michigan facility. |
Europe. The Company designs, manufactures and distributes steel truck and trailer wheels for sale to manufacturers of commercial highway vehicles in Europe at the Königswinter, Germany facility. In addition, the Company produces wheels for the forklift truck market at the Ostrava, Czech Republic facility.
| Customers. The Companys principal customers for steel wheels for commercial highway vehicles are DaimlerChrysler, Renault and Volvo. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitors for the sale of commercial highway wheels in Europe are Compagnie Financiere Michelin and Magnetto. | |
| Manufacturing. In Europe, the Company manufactures steel truck and trailer wheels at its highly automated Königswinter, Germany facility. At this facility, the Company produces a variety of wheels for commercial highway vehicles and performs engineering, research and development for its commercial highway products operations. The Company also manufactures steel truck and trailer wheels at its facility in Manisa, Turkey. |
South America and Asia. We design, manufacture and distribute steel truck and trailer wheels to OEMs in South America and Asia.
| Customers. The Companys principal customers for steel wheels for commercial highway vehicles in South America are DaimlerChrysler, Ford/Volvo, Randon and Volkswagen. Its largest customers for steel wheels for commercial highway vehicles in Asia are Telco and Volvo. | |
| Competition. The Companys principal competitor for the sale of commercial highway wheels in South America is FNV. The principal competitor for the sale of commercial highway wheels in Asia is Wheels of India. | |
| Manufacturing. The Company manufactures steel truck and trailer wheels in South America at its Sao Paulo, Brazil facility and in Asia at the Pune, India facility. |
| Other Businesses |
The Company has aluminum operations in Europe that manufacture a variety of cast aluminum products, including heat exchangers used in gas-fired boilers, intake manifolds and aluminum housings for automotive and commercial vehicle applications, and a variety of aluminum products for the general industrial and electronics industries. The operations are owned by the Companys subsidiary, called Metaalgieterij Giesen B.V. (MGG). MGG has three facilities, two of which are in the Netherlands and one of which is in Belgium.
Business Segment and Geographical Information
See Item 7, Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, and Note (18), Segment Information to the consolidated financial statements, which are incorporated herein by reference.
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Material Source and Supply
The Company purchases most of the raw materials (such as steel and aluminum) and semi-processed or finished items (such as castings) used in its products from suppliers located within the geographic regions of the Companys operating units. In many cases, these materials are available from several qualified sources in quantities sufficient for the Companys needs. However, shortages of a particular material or part occasionally occur. During 2003 and into early 2004, metal markets in global and regional sectors have experienced significant pricing and supply volatility, particularly where agreements and contracts are not in place.
To minimize materials supply issues, the Company centralized its materials and logistics function during 2002 and 2003. In addition, the Company has developed long-term multi-tiered materials sourcing strategies and new supply chain relationships to minimize costs. Although the Company currently maintains alternative sources for raw materials, its businesses are subject to the risk of material surcharges and periodic delays in the delivery of certain raw materials and supplies.
Global spot market steel prices have significantly increased during 2003 and into early 2004. Factors leading to the higher prices include the increasing demand for steel in China, industry consolidation and rising raw material costs. In response to the increasing cost of raw materials, a number of steel suppliers have implemented surcharges on existing fixed price contracts. Without the surcharge some suppliers claim they will be unable to provide adequate supplies of steel. In addition, some of the Companys suppliers have sought, and others may seek in the future, bankruptcy relief which could affect the availability or price of steel. These factors could negatively impact the Companys results of operations as it may be unable to compel suppliers to comply with existing contracts or to source adequate supplies of steel. The Company believes it can partially offset the impact of cost increases through higher scrap sales recoveries and or by passing some of these costs through to certain of its customers. The full impact of steel prices is uncertain given the volatility in the spot steel market.
Intellectual Property
The Company considers itself to be an industry leader in product and process technology, and owns significant intellectual property, including numerous United States and foreign patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights. Therefore, the protection of the Companys intellectual property is important to its business. The Companys policy is to seek statutory protection for all significant intellectual property embodied in patents, trademarks and copyrights. The Company relies on a combination of patents, trade secrets, trademarks and copyrights to provide protection in this regard, but this protection might be inadequate. For example, the Companys pending or future patent applications might not be approved or, if allowed, they might not be of sufficient strength or scope. Conversely, third parties might assert that the Companys technologies infringe their proprietary rights. In either case, litigation, which could result in substantial costs and diversion of its efforts, might be necessary, and whether or not the Company is ultimately successful, the litigation could adversely affect the Companys business.
Although the Companys intellectual property is important to its business operations and in the aggregate constitutes a valuable asset, the Company does not believe that any single patent, trade secret, trademark or copyright, or group thereof, is critical to the success of the business. The Company, from time to time, grants licenses under its patents and technology, and receives licenses under patents and technology of others.
Research and Development
The Companys objective is to be a leader in offering superior quality and technologically advanced products to its customers at competitive prices. The Company engages in ongoing engineering, research and development activities to improve the reliability, performance and cost-effectiveness of its existing products and to design and develop new products for existing and new applications. The Companys spending on engineering, research and development programs was $2.9 million for the eight months ended January 31, 2004, $1.5 million for the four months ended May 31, 2003, $7.1 million in fiscal 2002 and $10.5 million in fiscal 2001.
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Seasonality
While the Companys business is not seasonal in the traditional sense, July (in North America), August (in Europe) and December are usually lower sales volume months because OEMs typically perform model changeovers or take vacation shutdowns during the summer, and assembly plants are typically closed for a period from shortly before the year end holiday season until after New Years Day.
Customer Dependence
In fiscal 2003, the Companys principal customers were Ford, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors (the three of which comprised approximately 50% of the Companys fiscal 2003 net sales on a worldwide basis), as well as BMW, Volkswagen, Nissan and Honda. Other customers include Toyota, Isuzu, Renault, Fiat, Porsche, Audi, Citroen, Peugeot, Skoda, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Suzuki. The Company also sells some of its components to other Tier I automotive suppliers such as Bosch, Continental Teves, Delphi, TRW and Visteon. In fiscal 2003, the Company also had over 300 commercial highway vehicle customers in North America, Europe and Asia, including Trailmobile, Dana/ Mack, DaimlerChrysler, Iveco, Strick, Great Dane Trailers, Freightliner, PACCAR, Volvo, General Motors, Renault, Western Star, Schmitz Cargobull and Koegal.
The loss of a significant portion of the Companys sales to any of its principal customers could have a material adverse impact on the Company. The Company has been doing business with each of its principal customers for many years, and sales are composed of a number of different products and of different models or types of the same products and are made to individual divisions of such customers. In addition, the Company supplies products to many of these customers in both North America and Europe, which reduces the Companys reliance on any single market.
Backlog
Generally, the Companys products are not on a backlog status. The Companys products are produced from readily available materials, have a relatively short manufacturing cycle and have short customer lead times. Each operating unit maintains its own inventories and production schedules.
Competition
The major domestic and foreign markets for the Companys products are highly competitive. Competition is based primarily on price, technology, quality, delivery and overall customer service. The Companys customers have shifted research and development, design and validation responsibilities to their key suppliers, focusing on stronger relationships with fewer suppliers. The Companys global competitors include a large number of other well-established suppliers. Competitors typically vary among each of the Companys products and geographic markets.
Joint Ventures
On November 13, 2003, the Company acquired an additional 35% ownership interest in its Turkish joint venture for $13.9 million in cash and will pay an additional $1.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2004. As a result of this acquisition, the Company owns 60% of the subsidiary, Hayes Lemmerz Jantas Jant Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., which became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2003. As part of this transaction, the Company sold an approximate 7.8% interest in another Turkish subsidiary, Hayes Lemmerz Inci Jant Sanayi A.S., for $2.4 million. This sale reduced the Companys holdings in Hayes Lemmerz Inci Jant Sanayi A.S. to 60%.
On January 15, 2004, the Company acquired for $15.7 million in cash, excluding any net forgiveness of debt, a cast aluminum wheel plant located in Chihuahua, Mexico formerly operated as part of a joint venture in which the Company owned a 40% minority interest. As part of this transaction, all of the Companys previously held common stock in the joint venture was sold to the former joint venture partner. Following the Companys planned refurbishment and expansion of the plant, it will serve the North American wheel market
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Environmental Compliance
The Company is subject to various foreign, federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances, and regulations, including those governing discharges into the air and water; the storage, handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes; the remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated by petroleum products or hazardous substances or wastes; and the health and safety of its employees. Under certain of these laws, ordinances or regulations, a current or previous owner or operator of property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances or petroleum products on, under, or in its property, without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or caused, the presence of the contaminants, and regardless of whether the practices that resulted in the contamination were legal at the time they occurred. The presence of, or failure to remediate properly, such substances may adversely affect the ability to sell or rent such property or to borrow using such property as collateral. Persons who generate, arrange for the disposal or treatment of, or dispose of hazardous substances may be liable for the costs of investigation, remediation or removal of these hazardous substances at or from the disposal or treatment facility, regardless of whether the facility is owned or operated by that person. Additionally, the owner of a site may be subject to common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from a site.
The Company believes that it is in material compliance with environmental laws, ordinances and regulations and do not anticipate any material adverse effect on its earnings or competitive position relating to environmental matters. It is possible, however, that future developments could lead to material costs of environmental compliance for the Company. The nature of the Companys current and former operations and the history of industrial uses at some of its facilities expose the Company to the risk of liabilities or claims with respect to environmental and worker health and safety matters which could have a material adverse effect on its financial health. The Company is also required to obtain permits from governmental authorities for certain operations. The Company cannot assure that what has been, or will be at all times, in complete compliance with such permits. If the Company violates or fails to comply with these permits, the Company could be fined or otherwise sanctioned by regulators. In some instances, such a fine or sanction could be material. In addition, some of the Companys properties are subject to indemnification and/or cleanup obligations of third parties with respect to environmental matters. However, in the event of the insolvency or bankruptcy of such third parties, the Company could be required to bear the liabilities that would otherwise be the responsibility of such third parties. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings. The Company has 25 facilities registered or recommended for registration under ISO 14001 and is working to obtain ISO 14001 Registration at all manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Sales and Marketing
The Company has a sales and marketing organization of dedicated customer teams that provide a consistent interface with key customers. These teams are located in all major vehicle producing regions to best represent their respective customers interests within the Company, to promote customer programs and to coordinate global customer strategies with the goal of enhancing overall customer service and satisfaction. The Companys ability to support its customers globally is further enhanced by the Companys broad global presence in terms of sales offices, manufacturing facilities, engineering/technical centers and joint ventures.
Employees
At January 31, 2004, the Company had approximately 11,000 employees. Of the Companys employees in the United States, approximately 5.8% were represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) or United Steel Workers (USW) unions. On April 1, 2004 the Company announced that it would close its Howell, MI facility in the second quarter of fiscal 2004. All hourly employees at this facility are represented by the UAW. The Company will begin required effects bargaining with the UAW shortly. The Collective Bargaining Agreement with the USW affecting the hourly employees in the Akron, OH facility expires in July 2004. As is
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International Operations
The Companys world headquarters is located in Northville, Michigan. The Company has a worldwide network of 44 facilities in the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Thailand and India. The Company also provides sales, engineering and customer service throughout the world. The Company has advanced research and development facilities in the United States, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Brazil and a sales and engineering office in Japan.
Available Information
Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.s internet website address is www.hayes-lemmerz.com. The Companys annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available free of charge through the Companys website as soon as reasonably practical after those reports are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.
| Item 2. | Properties |
The Companys world headquarters is located in Northville, Michigan. The Company operates 24 facilities in North America with approximately five million square feet in the aggregate. Within Europe, the Company operates 14 manufacturing facilities with approximately four million square feet in the aggregate. In South America, Asia and South Africa, the Company operates six facilities with approximately two million square feet in the aggregate. The Company believes that its plants are adequate and suitable for the manufacturing of products for the markets in which it sells. In addition to the operating facilities noted above, the Company has two non-operating facilities in the United States which are currently held for sale.
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The following table summarizes the Companys operating facilities.
| Approximate | Owned/ | |||||||||
| Location | Segment | Purpose | Size (sq. ft.) | Leased | ||||||
|
North America
|
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|
Northville, MI
|
Other | World Headquarters, R&D | 160,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Ferndale, MI
|
Components and Other | Technical Center, Offices | 150,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
La Mirada, CA
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 260,000 | Leased | ||||||
|
Gainesville, GA
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 265,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Huntington, IN
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 200,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Howell, MI
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 150,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Sedalia, MO
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 630,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Chihuahua, Mexico
|
Automotive Wheels | Manufacturing | 120,000 | Owned | ||||||
|
Berea, KY
|
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