Foreign Operations	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Foreign Operations	Note 16. Foreign Operations In addition to manufacturing operations in California, Minnesota, New Jersey and Wisconsin, the Company manufactures substantial quantities of products in premises leased in Mexicali, Mexico, Matamoros, Mexico, Tecate, Mexico, and Xianghe, China. SLPE manufactures most of its products in Mexico and China. Teal, which is part of the High Power Group, has transferred the majority of its manufacturing to a wholly-owned subsidiary located in Mexico. SL-MTI manufactures a significant portion of its products in Mexico. These external and foreign sources of supply present risks of interruption for reasons beyond the Company’s control, including political or economic instability and other uncertainties. Generally, the Company’s sales are priced in U.S. dollars and its costs and expenses are priced in U.S. dollars, Mexican pesos and Chinese yuan. SLPE, the High Power Group and SL-MTI price and invoice their sales primarily in U.S. dollars. The Mexican subsidiaries of SLPE, the High Power Group and SL-MTI maintain their books and records in Mexican pesos. SLPE’s subsidiaries in China maintain their books and records in Chinese yuan; however, most of their sales are invoiced in U.S. dollars. Business operations conducted in Mexico or China incur their respective labor costs and supply expenses in Mexican pesos and Chinese yuan, as the case may be. RFL sales, costs, and expenses are priced in U.S. dollars. The competitiveness of the Company’s products relative to locally produced products may be affected by the performance of the U.S. dollar compared with that of its foreign customers’ and competitors’ currencies. Foreign net sales comprised 20%, 21% and 22% of net sales from continuing operations for 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, which may result from fluctuations in the value of the Mexican peso and Chinese yuan versus the U.S. dollar (see Note 18 for additional information).

Note 16. Foreign Operations

In addition to manufacturing operations in California, Minnesota, New Jersey and Wisconsin, the Company manufactures substantial quantities of products in premises leased in Mexicali, Mexico, Matamoros, Mexico, Tecate, Mexico, and Xianghe, China. SLPE manufactures most of its products in Mexico and China. Teal, which is part of the High Power Group, has transferred the majority of its manufacturing to a wholly-owned subsidiary located in Mexico. SL-MTI manufactures a significant portion of its products in Mexico. These external and foreign sources of supply present risks of interruption for reasons beyond the Company’s control, including political or economic instability and other uncertainties.

Generally, the Company’s sales are priced in U.S. dollars and its costs and expenses are priced in U.S. dollars, Mexican pesos and Chinese yuan. SLPE, the High Power Group and SL-MTI price and invoice their sales primarily in U.S. dollars. The Mexican subsidiaries of SLPE, the High Power Group and SL-MTI maintain their books and records in Mexican pesos. SLPE’s subsidiaries in China maintain their books and records in Chinese yuan; however, most of their sales are invoiced in U.S. dollars. Business operations conducted in Mexico or China incur their respective labor costs and supply expenses in Mexican pesos and Chinese yuan, as the case may be. RFL sales, costs, and expenses are priced in U.S. dollars.

The competitiveness of the Company’s products relative to locally produced products may be affected by the performance of the U.S. dollar compared with that of its foreign customers’ and competitors’ currencies. Foreign net sales comprised 20%, 21% and 22% of net sales from continuing operations for 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Additionally, the Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, which may result from fluctuations in the value of the Mexican peso and Chinese yuan versus the U.S. dollar (see Note 18 for additional information).