Joint Venture

Kreher Steel Company, LLC, a national distributor and processor of carbon and alloy steel bar products, headquartered in Melrose Park, Illinois, was a 50% owned joint venture of the Company. In June 2016, the Company received an offer from its joint venture partner to purchase its ownership share in Kreher for an amount that was less than the current carrying value of the Company's investment in Kreher. The Company determined that the offer to purchase its ownership share in Kreher at a purchase price lower than the carrying value indicated that it may not be able to recover the full carrying amount of its investment, and therefore recognized a $4,636 other-than-temporary impairment charge in the second quarter of 2016 to reduce the carrying amount of the investment to the negotiated purchase price. Prior to receiving the purchase offer, the Company had no previous indicators that its investment in Kreher had incurred a loss in value that was other-than-temporary. In August 2016, the Company completed the sale of its ownership share in Kreher to its joint venture partner for aggregate cash proceeds of $31,550, which resulted in a loss on disposal of $5, including selling expenses. The impairment charge and the loss on disposal are reported in equity in earnings (losses) of joint venture in the Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2016. Because the sale of the Company's investment in Kreher is not considered to be a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the Company's operations and financial results, the results of Kreher are reflected within continuing operations in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The following information summarizes the Company’s participation in the joint venture as of and for the year ended December 31:



	2016			2015			2014
Equity in earnings (losses) of joint venture	$	(4,177	)	$	(1,426	)	$	7,691
Investment in joint venture	—			35,690			37,443
Sales to joint venture	188			284			188
Purchases from joint venture	4			49			224