GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET

NOTE 7. GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET

Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill are as follows:


	Metal Containers			Closures			Plastic Containers			Total
	(Dollars in thousands)
Balance at December 31, 2009	$	56,888		$	132,661		$	114,146		$	303,695
Acquisition		–			27,135			–			27,135
Currency translation		–			(6,892	)		825			(6,067	)

Balance at December 31, 2010		56,888			152,904			114,971			324,763
Acquisitions		62,922			8,115			–			71,037
Currency translation		(3,396	)		(2,097	)		(385	)		(5,878	)

Balance at December 31, 2011	$	116,414		$	158,922		$	114,586		$	389,922

The components of other intangible assets, net at December 31 are as follows:


	2011					2010
	Gross Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Gross Amount		Accumulated Amortization
	(Dollars in thousands)
Definite-lived intangibles:
Customer relationships	$	68,939	$	(8,315	)	$	42,528	$	(5,205	)
Other		13,126		(9,448	)		11,652		(9,061	)

		82,065		(17,763	)		54,180		(14,266	)

Indefinite-lived intangibles:
Trade names		32,140		–			32,140		–

	$	114,205	$	(17,763	)	$	86,320	$	(14,266	)

Definite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. Amortization expense in 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $5.5 million, $3.2 million and $3.0 million, respectively. Amortization expense is expected to be $4.8 million in 2012 and $4.1 million in each of 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Certain definite-lived intangibles fluctuated due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Customer relationships have a weighted average life of 18.9 years. Other definite-lived intangibles consist primarily of a trade name and intellectual property and have a weighted average life of 7.2 years.

In connection with our acquisitions completed in 2011 as discussed in Note 2, we recognized customer relationship intangible assets of $28.2 million and a trade name definite-lived intangible asset of $3.4 million.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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