Business Segment and Geographic Information (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment Information [Text Block]

BUSINESS SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Our reporting structure is comprised of the following operating segments: High Performance Foams, Printed Circuit Materials, Curamik Electronics Solutions and Power Distribution Systems and the Other reportable segment. The “Power Electronics Solutions” core strategic category is comprised of two operating segments – Curamik Electronics Solutions and Power Distribution Systems.

Segment Structure

Core Strategic

High Performance Foams

Printed Circuit Materials

Power Electronics Solutions

Curamik Electronics Solutions

Power Distribution Systems

Other

Core Strategic

• High Performance Foams: This operating segment consists of polyurethane and silicone foam products, and includes two joint ventures that manufacture products consisting primarily of high performance urethane foams. These foams are designed to perform to predetermined specifications where combinations of properties are needed to satisfy rigorous mechanical and environmental requirements. These materials are sold primarily to fabricators and OEMs on a worldwide basis.

• Printed Circuit Materials: This operating segment includes printed circuit board laminate products for high frequency, high performance applications. These products tend to be proprietary materials that provide highly specialized electrical and mechanical properties to meet the demands of increasing speed, complexity, and power in analog, digital, and microwave equipment. These materials are fabricated, coated and/or customized as necessary to meet customer demands and are sold worldwide.

• Power Electronics Solutions: This reporting category includes Curamik Electronics Solutions and Power Distribution Systems. We now separately report the results of operations for both of these operating segments.

• Curamik Electronics Solutions

We acquired Curamik in the first quarter of 2011. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Eschenbach, Germany, Curamik is a manufacturer of direct copper bonded (DCB) ceramic substrate products used in the design of intelligent power management devices, such as insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. These devices enable a wide range of products including highly efficient industrial motor drives, wind and solar converters and hybrid electric vehicle drive systems. Most of Curamik’s products are manufactured using state-of-the-art automated processes in its facility in Eschenbach.

• Power Distribution Systems

The PDS operating segment manufactures busbar power distribution products in Ghent, Belgium and Suzhou, China, under the RO-LINX POWERCIRCUIT® trade name. We sell these RO-LINX POWERCIRCUIT products to manufacturers of high power electrical inverter and converter systems for use in mass transit (e.g. high speed trains) and clean technology applications (e.g. wind turbines, solar farms and electric vehicles). In the industrial application area, our RO-LINX POWERCIRCUIT® products are utilized in a large variety of variable frequency drives for high to mid power applications.

Other

The Other reportable segment consists of elastomer rollers, floats and inverter distribution activities.

Elastomer components are sold to OEMs for applications in ground transportation, office equipment, consumer and other markets. Trade names for our elastomer components include: NITROPHYL® floats for level sensing in fuel tanks, motors, and storage tanks and ENDUR® elastomer rollers and belts for document handling in copiers, printers, mail sorting machines and automated teller machines.

Our inverters are sold primarily to OEMs and fabricators that in turn sell to various other third parties that primarily serve the portable communication and automotive markets. Prior to 2011, this segment included sales of our electroluminescent lamp products, which came to end of life and are no longer produced.

The following table sets forth the information about our reportable segments for the periods indicated:

(Dollars in thousands)	High Performance Foams		Printed Circuit Materials		Curamik Electronics Solutions			Power Distribution Systems			Other		Total
2012
Net sales	$	179,421	$	161,893	$	92,361		$	41,918		$	23,168	$	498,761
Operating income (loss)	25,730		8,170		(11,666		)	(356		)	3,786		25,664
Total assets	233,401		156,103		262,039			82,974			24,761		759,278
Capital expenditures	4,947		12,849		5,170			576			232		23,774
Depreciation & amortization	7,947		7,172		8,807			2,276			928		27,130
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	21,171		—		—			—			—		21,171
Equity income (loss) in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,743		—		—			—			—		4,743
2011
Net sales	$	177,645	$	166,424	$	132,891		$	47,343		$	24,038	$	548,341
Operating income (loss)	28,280		11,127		7,842			3,478			2,755		53,482
Total assets	192,829		123,883		265,346			73,072			21,655		676,785
Capital expenditures	5,325		5,901		7,018			2,344			728		21,316
Depreciation & amortization	7,873		6,348		9,126			1,863			1,098		26,308
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	23,868		—		—			—			—		23,868
Equity income (loss) in unconsolidated joint ventures	5,451		—		—			—			—		5,451
2010
Net sales	$	149,671	$	141,055	$	—		$	42,059		$	40,445	$	373,230
Operating income (loss)	17,378		10,951		—			2,873			373		31,575
Total assets	217,335		140,667		—			80,894			43,702		482,598
Capital expenditures	3,679		5,825		—			1,605			1,132		12,241
Depreciation & amortization	6,705		2,793		—			5,301			901		15,700
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	25,452		—		—			—			—		25,452
Equity income (loss) in unconsolidated joint ventures	7,746		—		—			—			912		8,658

Inter-segment sales have been eliminated from the sales data in the preceding table.

The following table sets forth the operating income (loss) reconciliation to the consolidated statements of income (loss) for the periods indicated:

	2012			2011			2010
Operating income (loss)	$	25,664		$	53,482		$	31,575
Equity income in unconsolidated joint ventures	4,743			5,451			8,658
Other income (expense), net	(208		)	1,942			1,364
Net realized investment gain (loss)	(3,245		)	(196		)	(553		)
Interest income (expense), net	(4,304		)	(4,911		)	184
Gain on acquisition or disposal	—			—			3,173
Income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	$	22,650		$	55,768		$	44,401

Information relating to our operations by geographic area is as follows:

	Net Sales (1)						Long-lived Assets (2)
(Dollars in thousands)	2012		2011		2010		2012		2011
United States	$	115,035	$	109,581	$	108,330	$	64,845	$	65,432
Asia	250,682		271,132		179,456		69,830		64,181
Europe	123,040		154,423		71,255		172,671		177,196
Other	10,004		13,205		14,189		—		—
Total	$	498,761	$	548,341	$	373,230	$	307,346	$	306,809

⁽¹⁾    Net sales are allocated to countries based on the location of the customer.

⁽²⁾    Long-lived assets are based on the location of the asset and are comprised of goodwill and other intangibles and property, plant and equipment.