Derivatives (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Derivative [Line Items]

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The use of financial instruments, including derivatives, exposes the Company to market risk related to changes in interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates and commodity prices. The Company primarily uses derivatives to manage its interest rate exposure, to achieve a desired proportion of variable and fixed-rate debt, to manage the risk associated with the volatility of future cash flows denominated in foreign currencies and to manage changes in fair value resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company’s foreign exchange risk management policy generally emphasizes hedging transaction exposures of one-year duration or less and hedging foreign currency intercompany financing activities with derivatives with maturity dates of one year or less. The Company reports its derivative positions in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets on a gross basis and does not net asset and liability derivative positions with the same counterparty. The Company monitors its positions with, and the credit quality of, the financial institutions that are parties to its financial transactions.