UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
| (Mark One) | ||
| [x] | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2001.
or
| [ ] |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission file number: 333-18019
| Ohio | 34-1585405 | |
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| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
| 1040 Pine Ave., S.E., Warren, Ohio |
44483-6528 | |
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| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(330) 841-8302
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
| Title of each class | Name of exchange on which registered | |
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| None |
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
None.
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 last 90 days. Note: The Registrant files pursuant to an indenture, but is not otherwise subject to Section 13 or 15(d) filing requirements.
[ ] Yes [X] No
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 the 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. [X]
The aggregate market value of the voting stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates of the registrant at January 28, 2002 was $0.
WCI STEEL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
FORM 10-K
INDEX
| Page No. | |||||||
| PART I | |||||||
| Item 1. | Business | 3 | |||||
| Item 2. | Properties | 11 | |||||
| Item 3. | Legal Proceedings | 12 | |||||
| Item 4. | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders | 12 | |||||
| PART II | |||||||
| Item 5. | Market for Registrants Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters | 13 | |||||
| Item 6. | Selected Financial Data | 14 | |||||
| Item 7. | Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 15 | |||||
| Item 7A | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | 21 | |||||
| Item 8. | Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | 22 | |||||
| Item 9. | Changes in and disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure | 40 | |||||
| PART III | |||||||
| Item 10. | Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant | 41 | |||||
| Item 11. | Executive Compensation | 43 | |||||
| Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management | 45 | |||||
| Item 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions | 46 | |||||
| PART IV | |||||||
| Item 14. | Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedule, and Reports on Form 8-K | 48 | |||||
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Financial Statement Schedule (including Independent Auditors Report on Financial Statement Schedule) |
49 | ||||||
| Signatures | 51 | ||||||
| Exhibit Index | 52 | ||||||
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
General
WCI Steel, Inc. (WCI or Company), a niche oriented integrated producer of value-added, custom steel products, was incorporated in Ohio in 1988 and commenced operations on September 1, 1988. WCIs primary facility covers approximately 1,100 acres in Warren, Ohio, with additional facilities owned by subsidiaries located in Niles and Youngstown, Ohio, all of which are situated between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. WCI currently produces approximately 185 grades of flat rolled custom and commodity steel products. Total shipments were 1,041,209 tons in fiscal 2001 and 1,265,895 tons in fiscal 2000. Custom flat rolled products, which include high carbon, alloy, ultra high strength, silicon electrical and heavy gauge galvanize steel, constituted approximately 51.5% of net tons shipped during fiscal 2001 and 52.1% during fiscal 2000 (see Overview below for a discussion of custom products). Major users of WCI products are steel converters, steel service centers, construction product companies, electrical equipment manufacturers and, to a lesser extent, automobile and automotive parts manufacturers.
Products
Overview
WCI produces a wide range of custom flat rolled steel products, including high carbon, alloy, ultra high strength, silicon electrical and heavy gauge galvanize steel. WCIs custom products are characterized by small order quantities, specialized chemistries, narrow widths and value added processing, with an emphasis on customer specific quality requirements and delivery performance.
WCIs commodity steel product sales consist principally of hot and cold rolled low carbon sheet steel, other high strength applications and light gauge galvanize products. Export sales were approximately 2% of net sales during the last three fiscal years.
The table below shows the Companys product mix for the last three years.
| Net Tons Shipped | Percent of Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fiscal Year Ended | Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| October 31, | October 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||
CUSTOM PRODUCTS: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hot Rolled |
302,389 | 394,213 | 403,535 | 29.0 | % | 31.1 | % | 33.3 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Cold Rolled |
19,450 | 19,929 | 13,902 | 1.9 | % | 1.6 | % | 1.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Coated products |
214,460 | 245,969 | 268,994 | 20.6 | % | 19.4 | % | 22.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Total Custom Products |
536,299 | 660,111 | 686,431 | 51.5 | % | 52.1 | % | 56.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Total Commodity Products |
504,910 | 605,784 | 525,828 | 48.5 | % | 47.9 | % | 43.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||
Total Steel Products |
1,041,209 | 1,265,895 | 1,212,259 | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||
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Custom Products
High Carbon, Alloy, Ultra High Strength WCI has developed markets for high carbon, alloy and ultra high strength steel products that are sold to strip converters, steel service centers, and automobile and automotive parts manufacturers. Products required by the strip converter customers are characterized by small order quantities, relatively narrow widths and specific metallurgical properties. WCI presently produces over 100 specialized chemistries for these markets.
WCIs customers in this sector, in turn, supply end-users which have highly specific product needs requiring the strip converter to order steel with close gauge tolerances, minimal crown profiles, critical surface qualities and, in certain cases, in narrow widths.
In the high carbon and alloy markets, WCI competes with several other domestic integrated and minimill producers, as well as various steel producers in Canada, Europe and Japan. In the ultra high strength market, WCI competes with several integrated mills.
SiliconSilicon electrical steel is sheet steel that exhibits certain electrical or magnetic properties. The magnetic properties of this product permit electric motors to run at high speeds for extended periods of time with greater efficiency while minimizing heat loss.
The market for silicon electrical sheet steel can be divided into two main segments: grain oriented silicon sheet and non-grain oriented silicon sheet. The distinction between grain and non-grain oriented silicon sheet pertains to the electrical properties of the steel. WCIs silicon annealing line is designed for production of non-grain oriented silicon sheet and all of WCIs silicon shipments are in this segment. Presently, there is one domestic competitor in this segment and several foreign competitors. In addition, the Companys product also has experienced increasing competition in the last year from cold-rolled motor laminations produced by several other integrated steelmakers, which have been developed as a substitute product for silicon steel in certain applications. Due to the migration of certain motor manufacturing capability to Mexico, the market to which the Company can cost effectively supply its product is contracting.
Heavy gauge galvanizeGalvanize steel is zinc-coated sheet steel produced on WCIs hot dipped galvanizing line. The market for galvanize sheet steel is divided into two broad categories: heavy and light gauge steel. Heavy gauge galvanize steel, which is generally hot rolled based, is used in the manufacture of electrical boxes, culvert coil, construction hardware, HVAC components and automotive stampings, as well as many other end uses.
WCIs galvanize finishing line is well suited to produce heavy gauge hot rolled steel. WCI competes with several other integrated producers and minimills, as well as independent producers in the heavy gauge galvanize steel market.
Commodity Products
In fiscal 2001, WCI shipped 504,910 tons in the aggregate of sheet and strip products consisting of hot and cold rolled low carbon, other high strength and light gauge galvanize steel, which represented approximately 49% of the Companys net tons shipped. Hot rolled low carbon and high strength sheet is sold to steel service centers or manufacturers producing a broad array of products, including tubing, stampings and roll formed parts. Cold rolled low carbon and light gauge galvanize sheet and strip is purchased by service centers, container manufacturers, and the automotive and appliance industries. In these commodity steel markets, WCI competes with all major integrated producers, minimills, and independent producers.
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Marketing
WCIs marketing, sales and customer service functions are coordinated through three wholly owned subsidiaries, WCI Steel Sales LP (WCI Sales), WCI Steel Metallurgical Services Inc. (WCI Metallurgical Services) and WCI Steel Production Control Services Inc. (WCI Production Services).
WCI Sales is responsible for developing and implementing a sales and marketing strategy aimed at increasing the sales of custom steel products and building the strategic customer base. WCI Sales employs a direct sales force covering approximately 250 active accounts and other potential steel accounts within WCIs geographic market. Over 50% of WCI Sales shipments are to customers within 200 miles of the Warren facility, and as a result of this concentration of active and potential customers in its service area, WCI Sales believes that it has a competitive advantage over competitors located farther away.
Sales outside WCIs geographic market are made through independent sales representatives on a commission basis. Although transportation costs can be prohibitive at extreme distances from the Warren facility, select custom products are competitively priced outside WCI Sales normal target markets. WCI Sales believes that independent sales representatives provide the most cost-effective method to access these customers. Approximately 3.8% of WCI Sales volume in fiscal 2001 was sold through the independent sales representatives.
Marketing and pricing are centralized at the Warren facility, where the marketing strategy and pricing levels are established for all WCI products. WCI Sales has a marketing staff that works closely with the sales and technical service representatives to coordinate the implementation of the sales and marketing strategy.
WCI Metallurgical Services is responsible for developing the specialized chemistries that support WCIs custom product mix. In addition, WCI Metallurgical Services has a staff of technical service representatives with strong metallurgical and technical backgrounds who assist the sales force in the field. Together, WCI believes the sales force and the technical staff comprise a knowledgeable team qualified to identify and meet customer needs.
WCI Production Services provides order entry and order status services to assist WCI Sales in meeting customer needs. WCI Production Services provides customer service and utilizes a fully automated computerized sales network that provides the sales force and customers with product specifications and timely order status information.
Customers
WCIs customer base is dominated by steel converters and steel service centers, which in fiscal 2001 represented 70.5% of shipments. The remaining shipments were directly to end-users.
The following table sets forth the percentage of WCIs net tons shipped to various markets for the past three fiscal years.
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| Fiscal Year Ended | |||||||||||||
| October 31, | |||||||||||||
| Customer Category | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | ||||||||||
Conversion / further processing |
51.8 | % | 49.2 | % | 47.4 | % | |||||||
Steel service centers |
18.7 | % | 24.8 | % | 23.0 | % | |||||||
Construction |
15.1 | % | 12.0 | % | 13.3 | % | |||||||
Electrical equipment |
4.5 | % | 5.0 | % | 6.1 | % | |||||||
Direct automotive |
5.1 | % | 4.9 | % | 5.7 | % | |||||||
Other |
4.8 | % | 4.1 | % | 4.5 | % | |||||||
Total |
100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | |||||||
In fiscal years 2001, 2000 and 1999, WCIs twenty largest customers represented approximately 62%, 62% and 59%, respectively, of net sales. The Companys largest customer, Worthington Industries, represented approximately 9.8%, 10.1% and 11.3% of net sales in fiscal 2001, 2000 and 1999, respectively.
Backlog
On October 31, 2001, WCIs order backlog was approximately 135,000 net tons with an approximate value of $52 million compared to approximately 144,000 net tons with an approximate value of $64 million at October 31, 2000, based in each case on the then current prices. Under the applicable orders, WCI is scheduled to ship substantially all of the orders in the October 31, 2001 backlog by March 31, 2002. Although customers may cancel orders included in the backlog, such cancellations have been negligible in the past.
Competition
The domestic steel market is highly competitive. Competition in the domestic steel market is intensified by excess world capacity which results in significant steel imports to the United States. This competition affects the prices the Company can charge for its products and the utilization of its production facilities.
In the United States WCI competes with many other integrated producers and minimills in most of its custom products. Minimills are generally smaller volume steel producers that use ferrous scrap metals as their basic raw material in an electric furnace production process. Compared to integrated producers, minimills, which rely on less capital-intensive hot metal sources, have certain production cost advantages. Because minimills typically are not unionized, they have more flexible work rules, which have resulted in lower employment costs per net ton shipped. Through the use of various higher quality raw materials and the development of thin slab casting technology, electric furnace producers are able to compete directly with producers of higher value products, including high carbon, alloy and coated products. The penetration of the minimills into the high carbon and alloy product markets has resulted from the distortion of steel supply created by the surge of imports in flat rolled steel products into the United States and the lower demand for steel products due to the slumping economy. This penetration has influenced the pricing structure of these products and has reduced the premium WCI is currently able to receive on these products compared to commodity products.
During 2001, the domestic steel market continued to compete with a high level of imports of foreign produced flat rolled steel that saw significant increases beginning in 1998. From 1993 to 1997 imported steel supplied between 18.7% and 24.8% of domestic steel demand. However, the domestic
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market share of imported steel increased in 1998, 1999, and 2000 to 30.0%, 26.2%, and 28.3%, respectively, and is estimated to have been 25% in 2001. This significant increase in imported steel during the last four years has adversely affected shipping volume and has resulted in a depressed pricing environment. Over the past several years, WCI and the steel industry have filed various trade cases against hot-rolled and cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from various countries, certain of which are pending before the International Trade Commission (ITC). While various duties have been imposed on these products from certain countries, to date they have been ineffective in reducing overall steel imports into the U.S.
In June 2001 the U.S. Trade Representative, at the direction of President Bush, requested an investigation by the ITC under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine whether steel is being imported into the U.S. in such quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the U.S. steel industry. This request included the investigation of carbon and alloy flat rolled products among other products. On October 22, 2001 the ITC determined that the requisite injury had been demonstrated related to carbon and alloy slabs, hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated products. These determinations pertain to imports from all countries except Canada.
On December 19, 2001 the ITC forwarded its remedy recommendations to President Bush. These recommendations included a tariff rate quota on carbon and alloy slabs of 20% in excess of 7.0 million tons per year adjusting over a four year period to 11% on imports in excess of 8.5 million tons and a 20% tariff on hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated sheet and strip declining over a four year period to 11%. President Bush is expected to make his remedy determination by early March 2002. President Bush may, in his sole discretion, grant or withhold relief and determine the extent of relief.
In addition to the Section 201 investigation discussed above, the U.S. Trade Representative is engaged in multilateral trade discussions with 40 countries aimed at removing impediments to the elimination of excess and inefficient steel capacity. This includes an examination of each governments policy related to the steel industry. The talks currently are focused on self-examinations of domestic steel capacity situations and both steel specific and non-steel specific policies that have inhibited the steel market from working efficiently and, thus, prevented inefficient excess steel capacity from leaving the market. Ultimately, the reduction of global steel capacity will be determined by individual companies and countries with the outcome of the multilateral discussions and their effect on capacity unclear at this time.
The relative strength of the U.S. dollar and economy versus the strength of foreign currencies and economies can significantly affect the import/export trade balance for flat rolled steel. In addition to competition from domestic and foreign steel producers, materials such as aluminum, cement, composites, glass and plastics compete as substitutes for steel in many markets.
Manufacturing Process
In WCIs primary steelmaking process, iron ore pellets, coke, limestone, sinter and other raw materials are consumed in the blast furnace to produce hot metal. Hot metal is further converted into liquid steel through the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) process where impurities are removed, recycled scrap is added and metallurgical properties for end use are determined on a batch-by-batch basis. WCIs BOF has two vessels, each with a steelmaking capacity of 182 tons per heat. From the BOF, the heats of steel are sent to the ladle metallurgy facility (LMF), where the temperature and chemistry of the steel are adjusted to precise tolerances. In addition, the steel may be vacuum degassed to further improve its cleanliness. Liquid steel from the LMF then is formed into slabs through the process of continuous casting. The twin-strand continuous slab caster (Continuous Caster) allows WCI to cast all of its steel products. After continuous casting, slabs then are reheated, reduced and finished by extensive rolling, shaping, tempering and, in certain cases, by the application of coatings at WCIs downstream operations.
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Finished products are usually shipped to customers in the form of coils. WCI has linked its steelmaking and rolling equipment with a computer based integrated manufacturing control system to coordinate production and sales activities.
Raw Materials
WCIs steelmaking operations are dependent on reliable supplies of various raw materials, principally iron ore pellets, coke, scrap and energy. WCI believes that it has adequate sources of its principal raw materials to meet its present needs.
Iron Ore Pellets
WCI has a contract with a major supplier of iron ore pellets for its requirements through fiscal 2004. Iron ore pellets satisfied approximately 73.8% of WCIs iron requirements for the blast furnace in fiscal 2001, while WCIs sinter plant provided the balance until its indefinite idling on July 15, 2001. The iron ore pellet contract requires WCI to purchase all of its iron ore pellet requirements through 2004 from the contracting vendor. WCI carries an increased level of iron ore pellet inventory immediately preceding the winter months, due to the curtailment of vendor shipments during the winter as a result of the freezing of the Great Lakes.
Coke
Coke is the principal fuel used to produce liquid iron and is an essential ingredient in steelmaking. WCI has a contract with an integrated steel producer for a majority of its estimated coke requirements through fiscal 2003. WCIs coke requirements are approximately 670,000 tons per year. The domestic supply of coke has decreased significantly over the last decade and may decrease further in the future due to the requirements of the Clean Air Act and the financial condition of certain producers. As the Company does not own a coke battery, it is dependent upon commercially available domestic or imported coke to sustain its operations. Although the Company believes that there will be adequate supplies of domestic or imported coke available for its purposes after the expiration of its contracts in 2003, there can be no assurance to such effect.
Scrap
WCI uses scrap steel to supplement the liquid iron produced at the blast furnace for the steel making process. Scrap steel accounted for approximately 23.5% of the Companys liquid steel production in fiscal 2001. Scrap steel is readily available and is purchased on an as-needed basis.
Energy and Gases
WCIs steel operation consumes large amounts of electricity, natural gas, oxygen and other industrial gases. WCI purchases its electrical power requirements under a contract that extends through March 2002 from a local utility. WCI can generate approximately 20% of its own electrical needs. Natural gas is also purchased pursuant to supply contracts, certain of which extend through March 2003. Oxygen is delivered, under a contract that extends through March 2002, from supplier-owned plants located at the Warren facility. A new oxygen supply agreement was entered into with the same supplier for a fifteen (15) year period commencing upon the completion of a new supplier-owned facility also to be located at the Warren facility. The facility is expected to be complete by May 2002. Pursuant to a contract entered into in 1988, WCI is required to purchase all coke oven gas produced at an adjoining coke plant, which is usable by WCI, at a price based upon, but at a discount to, natural gas prices. The
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adjoining coke plant is currently idle. If the plant were permanently idled, WCI would use natural gas to replace coke oven gas. This would not materially affect WCIs operation or financial results.
Environmental Matters
In common with much of the steel industry, the Companys facilities are located on sites that have been used for heavy industrial purposes for decades. The Company is and will continue to be subject to numerous federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations governing, among other things, air emissions, waste water discharge and solid and hazardous waste management. The Company has made and intends to continue to make the necessary expenditures for environmental remediation and compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Environmental laws and regulations continue to change and have generally become more stringent, and the Company may be subject to more stringent environmental laws and regulations in the future. Compliance with more stringent environmental laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on the Companys financial condition and results of operations.
The Company is subject to a consent decree as a result of a civil action instituted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The consent decree requires the Company to complete certain supplemental environmental projects estimated to cost approximately $2.4 million which will be expended by late 2002. These projects include sediment removal from the Mahoning River at an estimated remaining cost of $0.9 million and the installation of a liner for a surface impoundment estimated to cost $1.5 million. The consent decree also provides for stipulated penalties in the event of noncompliance which the Company does not believe will be material.
As a condition of a previous Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) operating permit, the Company is required to undertake a corrective action program with respect to historical material handling practices at the Warren facility. The Company has completed the initial phase of the first investigation step of the corrective action program, the RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), and has submitted its report to the EPA. The Company and the EPA agreed that additional sampling would be required to complete a full RFI which is expected to be completed by the end of 2003. The RFI workplan identifies thirteen historical solid waste management units to be investigated. The final scope of corrective action required to remediate any contamination that may be present at or emanating from the Warren facility is dependent upon the completion and findings of the RFI and the development and approval of a corrective action program. Accordingly, the Company is unable at this time to estimate the final cost of the corrective action program or the period over which such costs may be incurred and there can be no assurance that any such corrective action program would not have a material adverse effect on the operating results or financial condition of the Company.
The Company operates a landfill at its Warren facility, which receives waste materials from the iron and steel-making operations. The Ohio EPA has issued a permit to install a new lined landfill to replace this landfill. The plan involves closure by removal of the present landfill by providing approximately one-third of its contents to established markets for construction materials and disposing of any non-salable or non-recyclable material in the new lined landfill. The new lined landfill construction and existing landfill closure is expected to be completed in seven consecutive phases. The estimated cost through Phase I is approximately $4.4 million to be completed during the first fiscal quarter of 2002 and the estimated cost for Phase II is approximately $2.0 million expended over two years. Construction of the new landfill began during fiscal 2001. On October 27, 2000, the Company received notice that the Ohio EPA was seeking an administrative settlement of certain alleged violations relating to the operation of the existing landfill. The Ohio EPA seeks to require the Company to make changes in the lateral and/or vertical limits of the waste in the landfill, or obtain approved modifications to allow the existing
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lateral and vertical limits of waste. In addition, Ohio EPA is seeking an administrative penalty in the amount of $109,500. The Company believes that it has significant defenses to the alleged violations, and is attempting to negotiate a settlement of the matter with Ohio EPA.
A liability has been established for an amount, which the Company believes is adequate, based on information currently available, to cover the costs to resolve the above described matters, including remediation, if any, except for any costs of corrective action that may result from the RFI for which no estimate can currently be made. The outcome of the above described matters could have a material adverse effect on the future operating results of the Company in a particular quarter or annual period; however, the Company believes that the effect of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Companys consolidated financial position.
Employees
As of October 31, 2001, WCI had 463 salaried employees and 1,398 hourly employees. Most of the employees are located at the Warren facility with most of the hourly employees being represented by the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) with which WCI has a five-year collective bargaining agreement that expires October 31, 2004.
Benefit Plans
Hourly Profit Sharing Plan
Certain hourly employees represented by the USWA participate in a profit sharing plan under which the Company pays 12% of pretax income as defined in the profit sharing agreement. The Company advances one-half of the amounts due under this plan on a quarterly basis, within 45 days following the end of each fiscal quarter, and pays the remaining amounts by February 15 of the subsequent year.
Salaried Variable Compensation Plan
WCI has a variable compensation plan for salaried employees known as the Company Performance Compensation Program (CPC). Under the CPC, salaried employees receive variable compensation based on WCIs pretax income as defined in the plan. CPC payments are measured as a percentage of the employees base salary and paid quarterly.
Pension Plans
WCI has a defined contribution retirement plan that covers substantially all salaried employees. WCI funds contributions to this plan as earned on a monthly basis. Company contributions to the plan are based on employee age and compensation.
The Company has a defined benefit floor offset pension plan, which covers substantially all hourly employees at the Warren facility. The plan, when combined with benefits from the Companys defined contribution plan which was frozen effective September 1, 1999 and benefits from a predecessor companys defined benefit pension plan, will provide a minimum level of pension benefits for eligible employees. Benefits are based on age and years of service, but not compensation. Under this plan, employees who retired on or before August 31, 1999 receive a monthly benefit equal to $35 (Benefit Multiplier) times the number of years of service with WCI or its predecessors. Effective September 1, 2000 for retirements on or after September 1, 1999, the Benefit Multiplier increased from $35 to $52.50
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for years of service up to 30 and $70 for years of service in excess of 30. On September 1, 2002 for retirements on or after September 1, 1999, the Benefit Multiplier will further increase to $56.25 for years of service up to 30 and $75 for years of service in excess of 30. If the employee has at least 30 years of service at retirement, the monthly benefit is subject to certain minimums based on age at retirement. No named executive officer is eligible to participate in this plan.
Postretirement Benefit Plans
WCI provides postretirement health care and life insurance benefits to substantially all employees who retire upon meeting certain age and length of service eligibility requirements. The Company has established a trust to hold contributions to fund future postretirement health care and life insurance obligations related to the hourly workforce. This trust holds liens on certain assets of the Company and one of its subsidiaries to secure the Companys obligation for postretirement health care benefits. As a result of the collective bargaining agreement effective September 1, 1999, the Company was permitted to pay current claims up to $8.8 million from a trust. That limit was reached during the three months ended July 31, 2001 which thereafter requires the Company to pay claims from corporate assets. Claims paid by the Company or trust totaled $5.4 million, $4.4 million and $3.4 million during fiscal years 2001, 2000, and 1999, respectively.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
WCIs Warren, Ohio facility, situated on approximately 1,100 acres, includes a blast furnace, a two vessel BOF shop, an LMF and a vacuum degasser, a twin-strand Continuous Caster, a 56-inch hot strip mill, 54-inch tandem and temper mills, annealing facilities, a silicon continuous annealing line, hot-dip galvanizing line and other finishing facilities. The blast furnace was last relined during 1995 as part of its planned maintenance, a procedure which is performed on a routine basis every six to eight years.
Youngstown Sinter Company (YSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of WCI, owns a sinter plant located in Youngstown, Ohio on 51 acres. YSC idled its plant indefinitely effective July 15, 2001. YSC had been in operation since 1991 producing a clinker-type material (Sinter) from steelmaking by-products such as slag and ore fines. The sinter was then used as a substitute feed stock in WCIs blast furnace facility located in Warren, Ohio. WCI recorded a charge of $3.9 million during the three months ended April 30, 2001 to reflect plant idling costs, of which $3.0 million represents the recognition of an impairment in the value of the assets of the facility. The sinter plant may be restarted in the future if economically advantageous.
Niles Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of the Company, is located approximately five miles from the Warren facility, and has approximately 525,000 square feet of building space with two long-term tenants occupying 19% of the facility.
WCI believes that its facilities are well maintained and they are considered satisfactory for their purposes.
See Part II, Item 8, Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a description of liens related to the Companys property, plant and equipment.
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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
On January 23, 1996, two retired employees instituted an action against the Company and the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio alleging in substance that certain distributions made by the Company to employees and benefit plans violated certain agreements, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and common law. On July 31, 1997, the court granted the Companys motion to dismiss this action and entered judgement in favor of the Company and the USWA. The Plaintiffs filed an appeal regarding the courts decision to dismiss, which was heard in June 1998. In March 1999, the appellate court upheld the dismissal of the claims under ERISA and common law, but reversed the dismissal of the NLRA claim and remanded to the district court for further proceedings. On October 9, 2000 the court granted the Companys motion to dismiss this action and entered judgement in favor of the Company and the USWA. The plaintiffs filed an appeal regarding the courts decision to dismiss. All briefs have been filed in the Federal Appeals Court but no decision has yet been rendered.
In addition to the above matters, the Company is contingently liable with respect to lawsuits and other claims incidental to the ordinary course of its business.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders during the quarter ended October 31, 2001.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The Company is a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Renco Steel Holdings, Inc. (Renco Steel) and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of The Renco Group, Inc. (Renco). There is no established public trading market for the Companys common stock. Since December 1996, the Company has had one shareholder. The Company did not pay dividends during fiscal year 2001 and paid cash dividends twice during fiscal year 2000 totaling $9,200,000. See Part II, Item 8, Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for limitations on dividends.
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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
| Fiscal Year Ended October 31 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | 2000 | 1999 (1) | 1998 | 1997 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars and tons in thousands, except per ton amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Statement of Operations Data: |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Net sales |
$ | 413,108 | $ | 560,689 | $ | 531,669 | $ | 665,741 | $ | 668,470 | |||||||||||
Cost of products sold |
430,991 | 487,477 | 468,170 | 560,951 | 547,545 | ||||||||||||||||
Gross margin (loss) |
(17,883 | ) | 73,212 | 63,499 | 104,790 | 120,925 | |||||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
20,870 | 23,254 | 23,334 | 25,240 | 23,174 | ||||||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative
expenses |
16,833 | 15,770 | 14,613 | 17,343 | 29,355 | ||||||||||||||||
Unusual charges |
5,631 | | | | | ||||||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) |
(61,217 | ) | 34,188 | 25,552 | 62,207 | 68,396 | |||||||||||||||
Interest expense |
31,980 | 31,940 | 32,030 | 32,057 | 31,690 | ||||||||||||||||
Interest and other income (expense) |
(7,608 | ) | 8,054 | 8,062 | 2,308 | 1,239 | |||||||||||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes
and extraordinary loss on early
retirement of debt |
(100,805 | ) | 10,302 | 1,584 | 32,458 | 37,945 | |||||||||||||||
Income taxes |
| | (4,279 | ) | 12,365 | 14,482 | |||||||||||||||
Income (loss) before extraordinary
loss on early retirement of debt |
($100,805 | ) | $ | 10,302 | $ | 5,863 | $ | 20,093 | $ | 23,463 | |||||||||||
Other Operating Data: |
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Net tons shipped |
1,041 | 1,266 | 1,212 | 1,412 | 1,329 | ||||||||||||||||
Percent custom products |
51.5 | % | 52.1 | % | 56.6 | % | 52.7 | % | 55.5 | % | |||||||||||
Average selling price per net ton
shipped |
$ | 397 | $ | 443 | $ | 439 | $ | 471 | $ | 503 | |||||||||||
Average cost per net ton shipped |
414 | 385 | 386 | 397 | 412 | ||||||||||||||||
Average gross margin (loss) per net
ton shipped |
(17 | ) | 58 | 52 | 74 | 91 | |||||||||||||||
Average operating income (loss) per
net ton shipped |
(59 | ) | 27 | 21 | 44 | 51 | |||||||||||||||
Balance Sheet Data: |
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Cash & cash equivalents |
$ | 32,244 | $ | 89,478 | $ | 76,349 | $ | 62,195 | $ | 18,989 | |||||||||||
Working capital (excluding cash,
cash equivalents and short-term
investments) |
12,845 | 46,946 | 39,113 | 45,645 | 66,913 | ||||||||||||||||