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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
 
The Company is subject to legal proceedings, claims, investigations and inquiries that arise in the ordinary course of business such as, but not limited to, actions with respect to commercial, intellectual property, employment, personal injury, and environmental matters. The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses against the claims currently asserted against it and intends to defend them vigorously. While the outcome of litigation is inherently uncertain and the Company cannot be sure that it will prevail in any of the cases, subject to the matter referenced below, the Company is not aware of any matters pending that are expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Lydall Gerhardi GmbH & Co. KG ("Lydall Gerhardi"), which is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and part of the Thermal/Acoustical Metals segment, is cooperating with the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) in connection with an investigation, initiated in the second quarter of 2014, relating to possible violations of German anti-trust laws by and among certain European automotive heat shield manufacturers, including Lydall Gerhardi.
The Company conducted an internal investigation utilizing outside counsel. In the course of this internal investigation, the Company discovered instances of inappropriate conduct by certain German employees of Lydall Gerhardi. The Company disclosed its findings in an application for leniency submitted to the German Federal Cartel Office on July 22, 2014. The Company has taken, and will continue to take as necessary, remedial actions.
The German Federal Cartel Office has wide discretion in fixing the amount of a fine, up to a maximum fine of ten percent (10%) of the Company’s annual revenue of the year preceding the year in which the fine is imposed. The Company believes a loss is probable and that such loss may be incurred in 2016. However, in light of the uncertainties and variables involved, the Company remains unable to estimate the amount of the loss associated with this matter. There can be no assurance that this matter will not have a material adverse effect on the Company.