ITEM 1. BUSINESS
American Standard Companies Inc. is a global, diversified manufacturer of high-quality, brand-name products in three major product groups: air conditioning
systems and services (61% of 2002 sales); bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings (26% of 2002 sales); and vehicle control systems for heavy and medium-sized trucks, trailers, buses, luxury cars
and sport utility vehicles (13% of 2002 sales). American Standard is one of the largest providers of products in each of its three major business segments. The Company's brand names include
TRANE® and AMERICAN STANDARD® for air conditioning systems and services, AMERICAN STANDARD®, IDEAL STANDARD®, STANDARD®,
PORCHER®, JADO®, ARMITAGE SHANKS®, DOLOMITE®, MELOH®, VENLO®, VENESTA®, SOTTINI® and BORMA®
for bath and kitchen products, and WABCO® for vehicle control systems.
American
Standard Companies Inc. (the "Company") is a Delaware corporation formed in 1988 to acquire all the outstanding common stock of American Standard Inc., a Delaware corporation
("American Standard Inc.") incorporated in 1929. In 1999 the Company completed an internal reorganization in which American Standard Inc. transferred ownership of essentially all its non-U.S.
subsidiaries and their intellectual property rights to another wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, American Standard International Inc., a Delaware corporation ("ASII"). "American Standard" or the
"Company" refers to the Company, or to the Company and American Standard Inc. or ASII, including their subsidiaries, as the context requires.
Overview of Business Segments
American Standard has three business segments: Air Conditioning Systems and Services, Bath and Kitchen and Vehicle Control Systems.
Air Conditioning Systems and Services
("Air Conditioning"). American Standard is a leading U.S. designer and producer of air
conditioning systems and equipment for both domestic and export sales. It also provides control systems, aftermarket service and parts for its products, and performance contracting for the
installation and maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. American Standard also manufactures air conditioning systems outside the U.S. Sales to the commercial and residential
markets accounted for approximately 74% and 26%, respectively, of Air Conditioning's total sales in 2002. Approximately 60% of Air Conditioning's sales in 2002 were in the replacement, renovation and
repair markets. Air Conditioning derived 77% of its 2002 sales in the U.S. and 23% outside. Management believes Air Conditioning is well positioned for growth because of its high-quality,
energy-efficient, strong brand-name products; significant existing market presence; the introduction of new products, services and features such as electronic controls; its broad distribution network;
conversion to products utilizing refrigerants that meet current or future environmental standards, and expansion of operations throughout the world. Systems capabilities, coupled with equipment,
service and parts have allowed Air Conditioning to be active in the growing performance-contracting business as a comfort systems solution provider. In addition, in 2001 the Company entered into an
alliance with Daikin, a leading Japanese commercial air conditioning manufacturer, to sell each other's complementary product lines.
Bath and Kitchen.
The Bath and Kitchen segment, previously known as Plumbing Products, was renamed in 2002 to reflect the new
strategic approach of focusing on total customer needs rather than on specific product sales. American Standard is a leading producer of bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings in Europe, the U.S.
and many countries in Latin America and Asia. Its products are marketed through retail and wholesale sales channels for residential and commercial markets. Of Bath and Kitchen's 2002 sales, 62% were
outside the U.S. and 38% within. Management believes Bath and Kitchen is well positioned for growth because of its strong brands, new products and designs, low-cost manufacturing capability, global
distribution and logistics capabilities, and focus on its "total bathroom" concept. The total bathroom concept encompasses providing customers with integrated suites of products, including sinks,
toilets, faucets, tubs, showers, bathroom furniture and accessories.
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Vehicle Control Systems.
Vehicle Control Systems ("WABCO") is a leading manufacturer of braking and control systems for the
worldwide commercial vehicle industry. Its largest-selling products are braking control systems and related electronic and other control systems. These include antilock and electronic braking systems
("ABS" and "EBS," respectively), and automated transmission controls and suspension control systems, marketed under the WABCO® name for heavy and medium-size trucks, trailers, and buses.
WABCO also sells suspension control systems to manufacturers of luxury cars and sport utility vehicles-a growing market. WABCO supplies vehicle manufacturers such as DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes and
Freightliner), Volvo (Volvo and RVI), Iveco (Fiat), Scania, PACCAR, Hino, Nissan, Rover and GMC. Management believes that WABCO benefits from its strong market positions in Europe, North America and
Brazil and its growing position in Asia. Management also believes WABCO's products are well positioned for growth because of increasing demand for ABS and EBS; sophisticated electronic control systems
for automated transmissions; air suspension systems and stability control systems; and automatic climate control and door control systems. WABCO has a strong reputation for technological innovation
and is a leading systems development partner with several major vehicle manufacturers.
Company Goals
American Standard has adopted performance initiatives focused on three areas:
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Sales
growth, including:
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Expanding
marketing efforts,
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Building
brand awareness and differentiation,
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Introducing
new products and services, and
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Geographic
expansion.
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Margin
improvement through:
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Materials
Management programs, and
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Six
Sigma and other productivity-enhancing actions.
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Financial
initiatives, including:
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Effective
tax rate reduction,
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Debt
reduction, and
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Improved
asset utilization and return on capital.
These
initiatives are focused on accomplishing three major performance goals:
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Deliver
premier customer service,
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Drive
operational excellence, and
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Meet
financial objectives.
Premier Customer Service
American Standard accomplishes its goal of delivering premier customer service by identifying and meeting customer needs with:
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Superior
solutions through high-quality products and services,
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Industry-leading
order-to-delivery cycle times,
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A
global presence to serve global customers,
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Technological
leadership and product innovation to meet changing customer needs, and
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An
efficient and flexible distribution system.
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Operational performance has been and will continue to be enhanced through Materials Management, the use of Six Sigma techniques, and safety initiatives to:
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Improve
design processes,
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Improve
manufacturing processes,
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Reduce
unit costs, and
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Improve
workplace safety,
resulting
in:
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Increased
productive capacity,
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Improved
quality,
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Improved
speed to market, and
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Reduced
frequency and severity of accidents.
Materials Management
The Materials Management initiative is centered on leveraging collective buying power on a global basis to improve purchasing efficiency, reduce the number of
suppliers and improve supplier logistics. Materials Management also involves working with suppliers to develop effective components with lower part counts and easier assembly, resulting in reduced
costs and improved quality. It is also intended to identify opportunities to substitute higher-cost materials with lower-cost items, without compromising quality, durability and safety. With material
costs exceeding 50% of total costs, management believes that improvements realized through Materials Management could result in substantial savings.
In
2000 and 2001, the Materials Management initiative focused on hiring experienced people, establishing processes and training. In 2002 the focus was on implementation. Management
adopted challenging goals for continuous performance improvement. Benefits from this program were approximately $30 million in 2000, $60 million in 2001 and $105 million in 2002. The Company expects
increased savings in 2003.
Six Sigma is a structured approach to achieving significant productivity improvements in business processes through data-based decisions. Originally introduced to
American Standard in 2000, more than 6,500 employees have been trained in Six Sigma tools that have contributed nearly $100 million in productivity gains. During this initial growth phase,
productivity gains have nearly doubled each year.
Following
the example of other successful Six Sigma companies, the initial focus was on manufacturing functions. Productivity gains were primarily achieved through the reduction of
process variation. These early successes created acceptance that led to the creation of a Six Sigma Fundamentals training course. The course is designed to expose our entire organization to Six Sigma
tools and create an environment of empowerment in which each individual believes they can make a contribution and "raise the standard." Six Sigma Fundamentals is being expanded to introduce more than
50% of our employees to Six Sigma and to have more than 25% of our employees complete at least one productivity project in 2003. By 2004, we expect to have trained the entire organization in Six Sigma
Fundamentals and to have created an expectation that each American Standard employee contributes to a productivity project annually.
We
continue to develop and deploy technical experts (called Six Sigma Master Black Belts, Black Belts and Green Belts) through aggressive training and project deployment programs. By the
end of 2002,
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we had 23 Master Black Belts, 392 Black Belts and 2,139 Green Belts who were certified or in training. Today, we are broadening the Six Sigma approach to cover functions beyond manufacturing. We have
recently provided specific Six Sigma training in safety, Materials Management, transactional analysis and design and deployment of new products. Six Sigma tools for lean manufacturing, sales/marketing
and maintenance are in the planning stages. Following this path, we are expanding our productivity improvement focus beyond manufacturing process variation to supply chain coordination, eliminating
non-value-added transactional steps, more effective new-product introductions, inventory management, sales growth and improving equipment uptime.
The Company sets annual financial performance objectives for sales growth, operating margin improvements, earnings per share growth and cash flow generation. The
programs discussed above associated with achieving premier customer service and driving operational excellence are key to achieving these goals. In addition, the Company has established programs to:
Management has adopted incentive compensation plans that are directly linked to achievement of the Companywide goals described above. Management believes the
attainment of these goals will result in improved financial performance and enhanced shareholder value.
Air Conditioning Systems and Services Segment
American Standard's Air Conditioning Systems and Services products are marketed under the TRANE® and AMERICAN STANDARD® names. Trane has
been a manufacturer and distributor of air conditioning systems since 1913. In 2002, Air Conditioning, with revenues of $4.744 billion, accounted for 61% of Company sales and 65% of segment income.
Air Conditioning derived 23% of 2002 sales from outside the U.S. Approximately 60% of Air Conditioning's sales in 2002 were in the replacement, renovation and repair markets.
Air
Conditioning manufactures two general types of air conditioning systems. The first, called "unitary," is sold for residential and commercial applications, and is a factory-assembled
central air conditioning system which generally encloses in one or two units all the components to cool, heat, filter, humidify, dehumidify, and move air in a ducted system. The second, called
"applied," is typically custom-engineered for commercial use and involves on-site installation of several different components of the air conditioning system. Air Conditioning is one of the largest
global manufacturers of both unitary and applied air conditioning systems.
Air
Conditioning competes in all of its markets on the basis of service to customers, product quality and reliability, technological leadership, energy efficiency and price/value.
Product
and marketing programs have been, and are being, developed to increase penetration in the growing replacement, renovation and repair businesses. Much of the equipment sold in the
fast-growing air conditioning markets of the 1960s and 1970s has reached the end of its useful life. Also, equipment sold in the 1980's is likely to be replaced earlier than originally expected with
higher-efficiency products
developed to meet new efficiency standards and to capitalize on the availability of new refrigerants that meet current and future environmental standards.
Many
of the air conditioning systems manufactured by Air Conditioning utilize HCFCs, and in the past utilized CFCs as refrigerants. Various domestic and international laws and
regulations, principally the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments and the Montreal Protocol, may require the eventual phase-out of the production of these
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refrigerants. Phase-in of substitute refrigerants necessitates replacement or modification of much of the air conditioning equipment already installed, which management believes created a
significant, ongoing market opportunity. In order to ensure that Air Conditioning products will be compatible with the substitute refrigerants, Air Conditioning has been working closely with the
manufacturers that are developing substitute refrigerants. Air Conditioning has also been active in supporting industrywide efforts to transition to these new refrigerants in an orderly and sensible
fashion while giving consideration to key environmental issues such as ozone depletion and global warming (greenhouse gas effects). See "GeneralRegulations and Environmental Matters."
Certain
federal and state statutes, including the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, as amended, impose energy efficiency standards for certain of Air Conditioning's air
conditioning systems. Air Conditioning is a leader in developing energy-efficient products that meet or exceed these standards. However, providing more energy-efficient products will require
additional research and development expense and capital expenditures for air conditioning manufacturers to continue to offer energy-efficient product choices to the customer.
The
Company, Heatcraft Technologies Inc. (a subsidiary of Lennox International Inc.) and Copesub, Inc., (a subsidiary of Emerson Electric Co.) are partners in Alliance Compressors
("Alliance"), a joint venture that manufactures compressors for use in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. The Company and Heatcraft Technologies Inc. each own a 24.5% partnership interest
and Copesub, Inc. owns the balance. Alliance develops, manufactures, markets and sells, primarily to the Company and Lennox, scroll compressors utilized mainly in residential central air conditioning
applications. Alliance operates principally from a facility in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
In
November 2001, the Company entered an alliance with Daikin, a leading Japanese commercial air conditioning manufacturer, to sell each other's complementary product lines. Through the
alliance, the Company and Daikin are able to provide their customers a complete line of heating, ventilation and air conditioning products, services and solutions for industrial, commercial and
residential markets. Daikin has strong global market positions in ductless commercial air conditioners as well as in small chillers, which complement Air Conditioning's product lines. In 2002 a
cross-sourcing arrangement was started in Europe, and we expect a series of other arrangements will be developed in 2003.
As
of December 31, 2002, Air Conditioning Systems and Services employed approximately 25,600 people and had 29 manufacturing plants in 9 countries.
The
Company's air conditioning segment is organized and managed as two operating divisions: Trane Commercial Systems ("TCS"), a global business, and Trane Residential Systems ("TRS"), a
North American regional business. TCS manufactures and distributes, on a global basis, commercial applied and commercial unitary equipment, services and parts for commercial and large residential
applications. TCS also distributes residential products outside North America. TRS manufactures primarily residential products, and distributes both commercial unitary and residential products in
North America. TRS brings focus and emphasis to a separate North American distribution channel through which both commercial unitary and residential products are sold. Since TCS and TRS both sell
residential and commercial unitary products, they are not organized on a purely product-line basis. Approximately 15% to 20% of TRS's sales are for commercial applications.
Management
discusses Air Conditioning's operations in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations as a single segment, and provides additional
information about its principal product linescommercial systems and services, and residential systems and services. Following is a description of Air Conditioning's operations by product
line.
Commercial systems and services ("commercial systems"), which accounted for 74% of Air Conditioning Systems and Services' 2002 sales, encompasses the manufacture,
distribution and servicing of applied and commercial unitary air conditioning systems and parts throughout the world. The Company also provides performance contracting arrangements that guarantee
energy savings. These products and services are for air
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conditioning applications in commercial, industrial, institutional and large residential buildings. Approximately 70% of commercial system sales are in the U.S. and 30% in international markets.
Other major suppliers of commercial systems are Carrier, York and McQuay.
In
the U.S. and Canada, Air Conditioning markets its commercial systems, parts and services through 85 district sales and service offices, 48 of which are company-owned and 37 of which
are franchised. In addition, some commercial unitary products are sold through independent wholesale distributors and dealer sales offices. Outside the U.S., Air Conditioning also has an extensive
network of sales and service agencies, both company-owned and franchised, to sell products and provide maintenance, service and parts. Overall, the Company estimates that commercial equipment markets
declined in excess of 10% in both 2001 and 2002.
For
commercial systems, Air Conditioning uses its considerable knowledge and expertise to provide completely for its customers' needs. Commercial systems provides equipment, controls,
service, parts and performance contracting. During the last five years, Air Conditioning continued to introduce new applied products, broadening its line of high-efficiency centrifugal chillers,
introducing new water-cooled series R chillers, expanding the air-cooled series R chiller line and introducing a new absorption chiller, a new water source heat pump and a new line of low-pressure air
handlers. Sales of commercial systems that automatically control a building's performance, including energy consumption and air quality, continue to grow as a percentage of total sales with new
product introductions such as Tracer Summit® and wireless thermostats. Systems capabilities, combined with equipment, service and parts have allowed Air Conditioning to be active in the
performance-contracting business as a comfort systems solution provider with guaranteed energy savings in certain cases. One of the ways Air Conditioning provides complete solutions to customers'
heating, ventilation and air conditioning needs is through its EarthWise custom-engineered systems. An EarthWise solution combines optimal design of the equipment, systems, software
controls and long-term management. An EarthWise system addresses the customers' needs in providing safe, efficient heating and cooling at the lowest possible cost, both for the initial system and over
its lifetime. New industrywide guidelines covering chiller efficiency were instituted in October 2001. Management believes that Air Conditioning's chiller efficiency will provide a competitive
opportunity as these guidelines are adopted by all 50 states over the next few years.
During
the past five years Air Conditioning also successfully introduced several new commercial unitary products including: an ultra-high-efficiency packaged air conditioner; modulating
gas and variable frequency drive large rooftop units; rooftop units with special features that appeal to national accounts; and a large rooftop line (27.5 tons to 50 tons). The commercial unitary
business also concentrated on indoor air quality enhancements and new capabilities for existing products. For example, early in 2001, Air Conditioning introduced a new commercial unitary product named
Precedent with capacities from 2 to 10 tons. Precedent provides improved indoor air quality and higher efficiency, is easier to configure, easier to install and less expensive to
manufacture, having 20% fewer parts and being 30% smaller than the products it replaces.
Residential systems and services ("residential systems"), which accounted for 26% of Air Conditioning Systems and Services' 2002 sales, encompasses the
manufacture, distribution and servicing of unitary air conditioning products and furnaces for residential applications, primarily in North America. Sales of residential systems have benefited
significantly from the growth of the replacement market for residential unitary air conditioning systems in North America. The Company estimates that the overall residential air conditioning markets
grew by 9% in 2002 and furnace markets grew by 5%, following small declines in 2001. Other major suppliers in the residential market are Carrier, York, Rheem, Lennox and Goodman Industries.
Residential
unitary products range from 1 to 5 tons and include air conditioners, heat pumps, air handlers, furnaces, coils and related controls and accessories. These products are sold
through independent wholesale distributors and Company-owned sales offices with over 340 stocking locations
to dealers and contractors who sell and install the equipment. Residential products are also well positioned in the retail sales channel through an arrangement with Home Depot, a major home
improvement center, through which certain central heating and air conditioning systems are marketed to residential customers.
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In
recent years, Air Conditioning successfully introduced several new residential products including: a line of multi-stage cooling and heat pump units offering the industry's highest
efficiencies; a unique line of outdoor condensing units for the AMERICAN STANDARD brand; and an ultra-high-efficiency gas furnace with variable speed airflow and gas combustion components. In the
fourth quarter of 2001, Air Conditioning launched a major new residential split-system cooling and heat pump product that competes in a market covering about 50% of the total residential air
conditioning market in North America. This new product line, with capacities of 1 to 5 tons, has a very consumer-oriented design and is of higher quality and efficiency. It is also easier to install
and operate, utilizes refrigerants which meet current and future environmental standards and costs less to manufacture, requiring 60% fewer parts than the products it replaces.
Air Conditioning has a significant presence outside North America predominantly for the manufacture and distribution of commercial products and related services.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Air Conditioning has a manufacturing joint venture in China, operations in Malaysia, Taiwan and Australia, and a sales and manufacturing joint venture in Thailand. In
Brazil, the Company has a manufacturing plant and distribution operations. In Europe, Air Conditioning operates plants in Epinal and Charmes, France, and in Colchester, U.K. It also has a joint
venture in Egypt that serves markets in the Middle East. Air Conditioning also continues to expand its international distribution network.
Air Conditioning operates a segmentwide e-business initiative that provides contractors, engineers, national accounts and other key customers access to Air
Conditioning product and systems data necessary for them to select, purchase and service air conditioning products. This "extranet" initiative, called the Trane ComfortSite, allows
dealers, distributors, contractors and global and national account customers to access all pertinent information on residential and light commercial products and service parts so that they will be
able to select, check availability, price, purchase and track delivery of these goods on-line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Air Conditioning recognizes the value of providing a convenient and reliable source of repair parts to service air conditioning products and systems. In support
of current and future Air Conditioning customers, a significant investment is being made to expand the number of locations and to provide easy access to parts needed to maintain and repair all
products that Air Conditioning manufactures and sells on a worldwide basis. In addition, Air Conditioning offers annual service agreements and long-term partnership arrangements to customers.
Bath and Kitchen Segment
In 2002, Bath and Kitchen, with revenues of $1.994 billion, accounted for 26% of the Company's sales and 18% of its segment income. Bath and Kitchen derived 62%
of its total 2002 sales from operations outside the U.S.
Bath
and Kitchen sales were 50% from chinaware fixtures, 13% from fixtures made from acrylics and AMERICAST®, 28% from fittings (typically brass), with the remainder from
related bath and kitchen products. Throughout the world these products are generally sold through wholesalers and distributors and installed by plumbers and contractors. In the U.S., a significant and
growing number of products are sold through home improvement centers. In total, sales to the residential market account for approximately 78% of Bath and Kitchen sales, with sales to the commercial
and industrial markets providing the remainder.
Bath
and Kitchen operates through three primary geographic groups: Europe, Americas and Asia.
Bath
and Kitchen sells products in Europe primarily under the brand names IDEAL STANDARD, JADO, ARMITAGE SHANKS, DOLOMITE, PORCHER, MELOH, VENLO, VENESTA, SOTTINI and BORMA. It
manufactures and distributes bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings through subsidiaries or joint ventures in
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Germany, Italy, France, the U.K., Greece, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Egypt and distributes products in other European countries.
Bath
and Kitchen Americas Group manufactures bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings selling under the brand names AMERICAN STANDARD, STANDARD, PORCHER and JADO in the U.S.
and under the brand names AMERICAN STANDARD, IDEAL STANDARD, and STANDARD through the Company's wholly owned operations in Mexico, Canada and Brazil and its joint ventures in Central America and the
Dominican Republic.
In
Asia, Bath and Kitchen manufactures bathroom and kitchen fixtures and fittings, selling under the names AMERICAN STANDARD, IDEAL STANDARD, and STANDARD through the Company's wholly
owned operations in South Korea and Indonesia, and its majority-owned operations in Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. The group also operates in China through a majority-owned joint venture,
which has ownership interests in six joint ventures and one wholly owned subsidiary.
The
Company's bath and kitchen products are sold in the replacement and remodeling market and the new construction market. The replacement and remodeling market accounts for about 65% of
the Company's European and U.S. sales and about 11% of the sales in Asia, where there is more growth in new construction. In the U.S. the replacement and remodeling markets have shown substantial
growth over the last few years and the Company has benefited from that growth. In Europe the replacement and remodeling markets have historically been more stable than the new construction markets and
have shown moderate growth over the past several years. The U.S. residential new construction market also evidenced strong growth in 2001 and 2002, but the commercial new construction markets were
depressed. The commercial new construction and residential new construction markets in Europe have been rather static overall, with the exception of the U.K., which experienced modest growth, and
Germany, which declined. The new construction market, in which builders or contractors make product selection, is more price-competitive and volume-oriented than the replacement and remodeling market.
In the replacement and remodeling market, consumers make model selections and, therefore, this market is more responsive to quality and design than price, making it the principal market for higher-
margin luxury products. Through expansion of manufacturing in low-cost locations, Bath and Kitchen has become more competitive, enabling it to increase sales of products in the lower and middle
segments of both the remodeling and new construction markets.
In
the U.S., Bath and Kitchen products are marketed through both the wholesale and retail channels. Although sales through the retail home center industry market channel have become a
significant part of Bath and Kitchen segment sales (approximately 20% of segment sales in 2002), they represent only approximately 5% of total Company sales.
Bath
and Kitchen is also continuing programs to expand its presence in high-quality showrooms and showplaces featuring its higher-end products in certain major countries. These programs,
along with expanded sales training activities, have enhanced the image of the Company's products with interior designers, decorators, consumers and plumbers.
In
an effort to capture a larger share of the replacement and remodeling market, Bath and Kitchen has introduced a variety of new products designed to suit customer tastes in particular
countries. New offerings include additional colors and ensembles, bathroom suites designed by internationally known designers and electronically controlled products. Faucet technology is centered on
anti-leak, anti-scald and other features to meet emerging consumer and legislative requirements. Bath and Kitchen
manufactures and sells a faucet (ClearTap) with an under-the-counter filtering system that delivers clear, filtered water directly from the tap.
Many
of the Company's bathtubs sold in the U.S. are made from a proprietary porcelain-on-metal composite, AMERICAST®. Products made with AMERICAST have only one-half the
weight of cast iron products and are resistant to breaking and chipping. AMERICAST products are easier to ship, handle and install and are less expensive to produce than cast iron products. Use of
this advanced composite has been extended to kitchen sinks, bathroom lavatories and acrylic-surfaced products.
As
of December 31, 2002, Bath and Kitchen employed approximately 28,600 people and, including affiliated companies, had 66 manufacturing plants in 25 countries and sold products in more
than 40 countries.
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In
the U.S., Bath and Kitchen has several major competitors, including Kohler and, in selected product lines, Masco and Fortune Brands (Moen). There are also major competitors in foreign
markets, for the most part operating nationally. Friederich Grohe, the major manufacturer of fittings in Europe, is a pan-European competitor. In Europe, Sanitec and Roca are the major fixtures
competitors and, in Asia, Toto is the major competitor. Bath and Kitchen competes in most of its markets on the basis of service to customers, product quality and design, reliability and price.
Vehicle Control Systems Segment
Operating under the WABCO® name, Vehicle Control Systems designs, manufactures and sells braking and control systems primarily for the worldwide
commercial vehicle industry. WABCO's largest-selling products are pneumatic braking control systems and related electronic controls ("ABS" and "EBS") and conventional components for trucks, trailers,
buses and sport utility vehicles. In 2002 WABCO, with sales of $1.057 billion, accounted for 13% of the Company's sales and 17% of its total segment income. The Company believes that WABCO is the
worldwide technology leader for braking, suspension and transmission controls for commercial vehicles. Electronic controls, first introduced in ABS in the early 1980s, are increasingly applied in
other control systems sold to the commercial vehicle industry. WABCO also supplies electronic suspension controls to the luxury car market and sport utility vehicle market.
WABCO's
products are sold directly to vehicle and component manufacturers. Spare parts are sold through both original equipment manufacturers and an independent distribution network.
Although the business is not dependent on a single or related group of customers, sales of truck braking systems are dependent on the demand for heavy trucks. Some of the Company's largest customers
are
DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes and Freightliner), Volvo (Volvo and RVI), Iveco (Fiat), Scania, Paccar, Hino, Nissan and Rover. WABCO's principal competitor is Knorr/Bremse. WABCO competes primarily on the
basis of customer service, quality and reliability of products, technological leadership and price.
In
North America, WABCO markets ABS and other vehicle control products through its fifty percent-owned joint venture with Arvin Meritor Automotive Inc. ("Meritor WABCO"). Meritor WABCO,
which supplies the North American truck manufacturing market, grew significantly from 1997 through 1999, in part because of regulations mandating antilock braking systems on commercial vehicles.
Although truck production in North America declined significantly in 2000 and 2001, Meritor WABCO continued to expand its customer base and range of products sold to major truck manufacturers. In
2002, the North American truck market experienced 12% growth as U.S. customers actively purchased vehicles before the change in diesel engine emissions regulations affecting trucks manufactured after
October 1, 2002. WABCO also sells non-brake-related products directly to manufacturers in North America.
The
European market for new truck and bus production decreased approximately 8% in both 2002 and 2001, after an improvement of 5% in 2000. The Brazilian market decreased 10% in 2002 and
2% in 2001, after improving sharply in 2000. During the years 2000 through 2002, WABCO has generally outperformed the heavy vehicle manufacturing markets as a whole, primarily from increased content
per vehicle and improved market penetration.
WABCO
has developed an advanced electronic braking system, stability control systems, electronically controlled air suspension systems, automated transmission controls and automatic
climate-control and door-control systems for the commercial vehicle industry. These systems have resulted in greater sales per vehicle for WABCO. WABCO participates in the passenger car market with an
advanced, electronically controlled air suspension system-"Air Glide"-now featured by the two leading German luxury car manufacturers. WABCO has expanded the Air Glide system family to other luxury
car and sport utility vehicle manufacturers in Europe and North America. A leading European truck manufacturer now includes WABCO electronic controls for automated transmissions in heavy vehicles as
standard equipment. The Company believes that automated transmission control will be increasingly important in the industry. In 2001, WABCO began production of its automated transmission system for a
new range of heavy-duty trucks introduced in 2002 in Europe by a global truck manufacturer. Other
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new products under development include further advancements in electronic braking, and stability and safety controls, as well as driveline-control and suspension-control systems.
Vehicle
Control Systems is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Its principal manufacturing operations are in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, the Netherlands, Brazil and
South Korea. In the U.S., the Meritor WABCO joint venture supplies the North American truck manufacturing market. The Company also has majority-owned joint ventures, in the U.S. with Cummins Engine
Co. (WABCO Compressor Manufacturing Co., a manufacturing joint venture formed in 1997 to produce air compressors designed by WABCO) and in China with MAFF to produce conventional products for the
local market and export. In addition, WABCO has minority equity investments in joint ventures in India with TVS Group (Sundaram Clayton Ltd.) and in South Africa.
As
of December 31, 2002, WABCO and affiliated companies employed approximately 6,200 people and had 10 manufacturing facilities and 15 sales organizations operating in 21 countries.
Business Segment Data
Information concerning revenues and segment profit attributable to each of the Company's business segments and geographic areas is set forth in Item 6, "Selected
Financial Data," in Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and in Note 15 of Notes to Financial Statements which are incorporated herein by
reference. Information concerning identifiable assets of each of the Company's business segments is set forth in Note 15 of Notes to Financial Statements, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Information on backlogs and the seasonal aspects of the Company's business are set forth in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," under the captions
"Results of Operations by Business Segment" and "Cyclical and Seasonal Nature of Business," respectively.
General
The Company purchases a broad range of materials and components throughout the world in connection with its manufacturing activities. Major items include steel,
copper tubing, aluminum, ferrous and nonferrous castings, clays, motors, electronics and natural gas. The ability of the Company's suppliers to meet performance and quality specifications and delivery
schedules is important to the Company's operations. Since 2000, the Company has integrated much of its raw materials procurement efforts into its Materials Management initiatives, resulting in lower
costs and more efficient supply. The energy and materials required for its manufacturing operations have been readily available, and the Company does not foresee any significant shortages. Also see
"Company GoalsOperational ExcellenceMaterials Management."
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Patents, Licenses and Trademarks
The Company's operations are not dependent to any significant extent upon any single or related group of patents, licenses, franchises or concessions. The
Company's operations also are not dependent upon any single trademark, although some trademarks are identified with a number of the Company's products and services and are of importance in the sale
and marketing of such products and services. Some of the more important of the Company's trademarks are:
Business Segment
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Trademark
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Air Conditioning Systems and Services
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TRANE®
AMERICAN STANDARD®
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Bath and Kitchen
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AMERICAN STANDARD®
IDEAL STANDARD®
STANDARD®
PORCHER®
JADO®
ARMITAGE SHANKS®
DOLOMITE®
AMERICAST®
MELOH®
VENLO®
BORMA®
CLEARTAP
VENESTA®
SOTTINI®
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Vehicle Control Systems
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WABCO®
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The
Company from time to time has granted patent licenses to, and has licensed technology from, other parties.
The Company made expenditures of $185 million in 2002, $184 million in 2001 and $176 million in 2000 for research and product development and for product
engineering in its three business segments. The expenditures for research and product development alone were $129 million in 2002, $133 million in 2001 and $126 million in 2000 and were incurred
primarily by Vehicle Control Systems and Air Conditioning Systems and Services. Vehicle Control Systems, which expended the largest amount, has conducted research and development in recent years on
advanced electronic braking systems, heavy-duty disc brake systems, and additional electronic control systems for commercial vehicles. Air Conditioning Systems and Services' research and development
expenditures were primarily related to alternative refrigerants, compressors, heat transfer surfaces, air flow technology, acoustics and micro-electronic controls. Any amount spent on
customer-sponsored research and development activities in these periods was immaterial.
The Company's U.S. operations are subject to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. The Company has a number of proactive programs underway
to minimize its impact on the environment and believes that it is in substantial compliance with environmental laws and regulations. A number of the Company's
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plants are undertaking responsive actions to address soil and groundwater issues. In addition, the Company is a party to a number of remedial actions under various federal and state environmental
laws and regulations that impose liability on companies to clean up, or contribute to the cost of cleaning up, sites at which hazardous wastes or materials were disposed or released. Remedial actions
to which the Company is a party include 22 current proceedings under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund) and similar state statutes in which the
Company has potential liability based either on a past or current ownership interest in the site requiring remedial actions or based on disposal or alleged disposal of waste products at the site
requiring remedial actions. Expenditures in 2002, 2001 and 2000 to evaluate and remediate such sites were not material. On the basis of the Company's historical experience and information currently
available, these environmental actions should not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
Additional
sites may be identified for environmental remediation in the future, including properties previously transferred by the Company and with respect to which the Company may have
contractual indemnification obligations. The Company cannot estimate at this time the ultimate aggregate costs of all remedial actions because of (a) uncertainties surrounding the nature and
application of environmental regulations, (b) the Company's lack of information about additional sites at which it may be listed as a potentially responsible party, (c) the level of cleanup that may
be required at specific sites and choices concerning the technologies to be applied in corrective actions, (d) the number of contributors and the financial capacity of others to contribute to the cost
of remediation at specific sites and (e) the time periods over which remediation may occur.
The
Company's international operations are also subject to various environmental statutes and regulations. Generally, these requirements tend to be no more restrictive than those in
effect in the U.S. Currently, nine of the Company's international operations have ISO 14001 certification, and the Company believes it is in substantial compliance with existing domestic and foreign
environmental statutes and regulations. As in the U.S., a number of the Company's facilities are undertaking responsive actions to address groundwater and soil issues. Expenditures in 2002, 2001 and
2000 to evaluate and remediate these sites were not material. On the basis of the Company's historical experience and information currently available, these environmental actions should not have a
material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.
The
Company has derived significant revenues in recent years from sales of Air Conditioning Systems and Services using chlorofluorocarbons ("CFCs") and hydrochloroflurocarbons ("HCFCs").
Use of certain CFCs, HCFCs and other ozone-depleting chemicals may be phased out over various periods of time under regulations that require use of substitute permitted refrigerants. Also, utilization
of new refrigerants will require replacement or modification of much existing air conditioning equipment. The Company believes that these regulations will have the effect of generating additional
product sales and parts and service revenues, as existing air conditioning equipment utilizing CFCs or HCFCs, is converted to operate on other refrigerants or replaced. The Company is unable to
estimate the magnitude or timing of these conversions or replacements. The Company has been working closely with refrigerant manufacturers that are developing refrigerant substitutes for CFCs and
HCFCs, so that the Company's products will be compatible with those substitutes. Although some of the Company's commercial, residential and light commercial products will require modification for
refrigerant substitutes, the Company does not expect any significant problems in complying with this changing regulatory environment.
Certain
federal and state statutes, including the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, as amended, impose energy efficiency standards for certain of the Company's air
conditioning systems. The Company is a leader in developing energy-efficient products that meet or exceed these standards. However, providing more energy-efficient products will require additional
research and development expense and capital expenditures for air conditioning manufacturers to continue to offer energy-efficient product choices to the customer.
The Company employed approximately 60,000 people as of December 31, 2002 (excluding employees of unconsolidated joint venture companies). The Company has a total
of 34 labor union contracts in North America (covering approximately 15,000 employees), ten of which were set to expire in 2003 (covering approximately 4,800 employees), and one of which was
successfully renegotiated in February 2003. Twelve of these contracts expire in
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2004 (covering approximately 3,600 employees); and eight expire in 2005 (covering approximately 2,400 employees). There can be no assurance that the Company will successfully negotiate the labor
contracts expiring during 2003 without a work stoppage. However, the Company does not anticipate any problems in renegotiating these contracts that would materially affect its results of operations.
In
March 2002, 450 Air Conditioning Systems and Services employees went on strike for approximately three weeks at the Ft. Smith manufacturing facility and in February 2001, 1,200 Air
Conditioning Systems and Services employees went on strike for 30 days at the Lexington, Kentucky, manufacturing plant, before new contracts were negotiated.
The
Company also has a total of 30 labor contracts outside North America (covering approximately 18,000 employees). In December 2000, there was a 20-day work stoppage at the chinaware
manufacturing plant of the Indonesia Bath and Kitchen subsidiary, involving 950 employees. Other than the Indonesian work stoppage, the Company has not experienced any significant work stoppage in the
last five years outside North America.
Although
the Company believes relations with its employees are good, there can be no assurance that the Company will not experience significant work stoppages.
The business of the Company taken as a whole is not dependent upon any single customer or a few customers.
The Company conducts significant non-U.S. operations through subsidiaries in most of the major countries of western Europe, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland,
Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Central American countries, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Egypt. In addition, the Company conducts business in
these and other countries through affiliated companies and partnerships in which the Company owns 50% or less of the equity interest in the venture.
Because
the Company has manufacturing operations in 29 countries, fluctuations in currency exchange rates may have a significant impact on its financial statements. Such fluctuations
have much less effect on local operating results, however, because the Company to a significant extent sells its products within the countries in which they are manufactured. However, a significant
and growing portion of the Company's products are manufactured in lower-cost locations and sold in various countries, resulting in increased exposure to foreign exchange effects. The Company is also
subject to political risks related to its foreign operations.
Available Information
The Company's Web site is
www.americanstandard.com
. Our periodic reports and all amendments to those reports required to be filed or
furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge through our Web site. During the period covered by this report, the Company posted
its periodic reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q and its current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those documents to its Web site as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports were filed or
furnished electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company will continue to post to its Web site such reports and amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable
after those reports are filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Availability of Corporate Governance Principles and Board of Director Committee Charters
The Board of Directors has adopted charters for its Audit Committee, Management Development and Compensation Committee and Corporate Governance and Nominating
Committee. The Board has also adopted
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Corporate Governance Principles. The Corporate Governance Principles and each of the charters are available on the Company's Web site.
Code of Conduct and Ethics
The Company's Code of Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all employees, including all executive officers, senior financial officers and Directors, is posted on
our Web site. The Code of Conduct and Ethics is compliant with Item 406 of Regulation S-K as required by the SEC and the proposed New York Stock Exchange corporate governance rules. Any changes to the
Code of Conduct and Ethics that affect the provisions required by Item 406 of Regulation S-K will also be disclosed on our Web site. Any waivers of the Code of Conduct and Ethics for our officers,
directors or senior financial officers must be approved by the Company's Audit Committee and those waivers, if any were ever granted, would be disclosed on our Web site under the caption "Exemptions
to the Code of Conduct."
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