Loss Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Loss Contingency [Abstract]

Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

11.       Loss Contingencies

Like many industrial manufacturers, the Company is involved in asbestos-related litigation.  In continually evaluating costs relating to its estimated asbestos-related liability, the Company reviews, among other things, the incidence of past and recent claims, the historical case dismissal rate, the mix of the claimed illnesses and occupations of the plaintiffs, its recent and historical resolution of the cases, the number of cases pending against it, the status and results of broad-based settlement discussions, and the number of years such activity might continue. Based on this review, the Company has estimated its share of liability to defend and resolve probable asbestos-related personal injury claims. This estimate is highly uncertain due to the limitations of the available data and the difficulty of forecasting with any certainty the numerous variables that can affect the range of the liability. The Company will continue to study the variables in light of additional information in order to identify trends that may become evident and to assess their impact on the range of liability that is probable and estimable.

Based on actuarial information, the Company has estimated its asbestos-related aggregate liability including related legal costs to range between $7,000,000 and $18,000,000 using actuarial parameters of continued claims for a period of 18 to 30 years from September 30, 2012. The Company's estimation of its asbestos-related aggregate liability that is probable and estimable, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles approximates $11,400,000, which has been reflected as a liability in the consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2012.The recorded liability does not consider the impact of any potential favorable federal legislation. This liability will fluctuate based on the uncertainty in the number of future claims that will be filed and the cost to resolve those claims, which may be influenced by a number of factors, including the outcome of the ongoing broad-based settlement negotiations, defensive strategies, and the cost to resolve claims outside the broad-based settlement program. Of this amount, management expects to incur asbestos liability settlement costs and legal fees of approximately $1,500,000 over the next 12 months. Because payment of the liability is likely to extend over many years, management believes that the potential additional costs for claims will not have a material effect on the financial condition of the Company or its liquidity, although the effect of any future liabilities recorded could be material to earnings in a future period.

The Company is also involved in other unresolved legal actions that arise in the normal course of business. The most prevalent of these unresolved actions involve disputes related to product design, manufacture and performance liability. The Company's estimation of its product-related aggregate liability that is probable and estimable, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles approximates $7,300,000, which has been reflected as a liability in the consolidated financial statements as ofSeptember 30, 2012.In some cases, we cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss because there is insufficient information regarding the matter. Management believes that the potential additional costs for claims will not have a material effect on the financial condition of the Company or its liquidity, although the effect of any future liabilities recorded could be material to earnings in a future period.