Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act: Yes: [X] No: [ ] Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act: Yes: [ ] No: [X] Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports); and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes: [X] No: [ ] Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [X] Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2). Yes: [X] No: [ ] Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes: [] No: [X ] The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity of Autoliv, Inc. as of the last business day of the second fiscal quarter of 2005, amounted to $3,943 million. Number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of February 23, 2006: 83,825,531.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 1. Portions of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into Parts I and II. 2. Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement dated March 8, 2006, for the annual stockholders' meeting to be held May 4, 2006 (the "2006 Proxy Statement"), are incorporated by reference into Parts II and III. 3. Certain Exhibits of Autoliv, Inc.'s Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File #333-23813)(the "Registration Statement") are incorporated by reference into Part IV.
PART I ITEM 1. BUSINESS* General
Autoliv, Inc. ("Autoliv" or the "Company") is a Delaware holding corporation with its principal executive offices in Stockholm, Sweden. The Company owns two principal subsidiaries, Autoliv AB ("AAB") and Autoliv ASP, Inc. ("ASP"). Autoliv's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which include this Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all related amendments, are made available free of charge on our corporate website at www.autoliv.com and are available as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with the SEC. Shares of Autoliv common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ALV" and Swedish Depositary Receipts representing shares of Autoliv common stock trade on the OMX Stockholm Stock Exchange under the symbol "ALIV". Options in Autoliv shares are listed on the Chicago Board Options Exchange under the symbol "ALIV". Autoliv's fiscal year ends on December 31. AAB, a Swedish corporation, is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier to the automotive industry of car occupant restraint systems. Starting with seatbelts in 1956, AAB expanded its product lines to include seatbelt pretensioners (1989), frontal airbags (1991), side-impact airbags (1994), steering wheels (1995) and seat sub-systems (1996). ASP, an Indiana corporation, pioneered airbag technology in 1968 and has since grown into one of the world's leading producers of airbag modules and inflators. ASP designs, develops and manufactures airbag inflators, modules and airbag cushions, seatbelts and steering wheels. ASP sells inflators and modules for use in driver, passenger, side-impact and knee bolster airbag systems for worldwide automotive markets. * This form 10-K contains statements which are not historical facts but forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from what is projected, including the following: higher raw material costs or other expenses; a major loss of customers; increased competitive pricing pressure on the Company's business; failure to develop or commercialize successfully new products or technologies; the outcome of pending or future litigation and changes in governmental procedures, laws or regulations, including environmental regulations; plant disruptions or shutdowns due to accidents, natural acts or governmental action; product liability and recall issues; and other difficulties in improving margin or financial performance. In addition, the Company's forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, general domestic and international economic conditions, including currency exchange rate fluctuations and other factors. The Company undertakes no obligations to update public and forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events.
Business
Autoliv was created from the merger of AAB and ASP in 1997. Autoliv is the world's leading supplier of automotive occupant safety restraint systems with a broad range of product offerings, including modules and components for passenger and driver-side airbags, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, safety seats and other safety systems and products. Autoliv has production facilities in 28 countries and counts the world's largest car manufacturers among its customers. Autoliv's head office is located in Stockholm, Sweden and employs approximately 40 people. Autoliv had approximately 34,100 employees at December 31, 2005, and a total headcount, including temporary employees, of 38,800. Autoliv's sales in 2005 were $6.2 billion, approximately 66% of which consisted of airbags and associated products and approximately 34% of which consisted of seat belts and associated products. Autoliv's most important markets are in Europe, the United States, Japan and Asia-Pacific. The information required by Item 1 regarding developments in the Company's business during 2005 is contained in the Annual Report on pages 10-13 and 23 and is incorporated herein by reference.
Financial Information on Segments
Autoliv considers its products to be components of integrated car passenger protection systems, which fall within a single industry segment. The financial data relating to Autoliv's business in this segment over the last three fiscal years is contained in the Consolidated Financial Statements on pages 33 through 50 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference. A statement of net sales by product group for the last three years is contained in Note 19 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page 50 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Products, Market and Competition
Information concerning products, markets and competition is included in the section titled "Creating Shareholder Value" on page 13 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Manufacturing and Production
Including joint venture operations, Autoliv has approximately 80 wholly or partially owned production facilities located in 28 countries, consisting of both component factories and assembly factories. See "Item 2. Properties" for a description of Autoliv's principal properties. The component factories manufacture inflators, initiators, textile cushions, webbing materials, electronics, pressed steel parts, springs and overmoulded steel parts used in seat belt and airbag assembly, seat subsystems, and steering wheels. The assembly factories source components from a number of parties, including Autoliv's own component factories, and assemble complete restraint systems for "just-in-time" delivery to customers. The products manufactured by Autoliv's wholly owned assembly factories in 2005 consisted of more than 94 million complete seat belt systems (more than 44 million of which were fitted with pretensioners), nearly 27 million frontal airbag modules, nearly 36 million side-impact airbags (including curtain airbags), nearly 9 million steering wheels and nearly 24 million electronic units. Autoliv's "just-in-time" delivery systems have been designed to accommodate the specific requirements of each customer for low levels of inventory and rapid stock delivery service. "Just-in-time" deliveries require final assembly or at least distribution centers in geographic areas close to customers to facilitate rapid delivery. The fact that the major automobile manufacturers are continually expanding production activities into more countries and require the same or similar safety systems as those produced in Europe, Japan or the United States increases the importance to suppliers of having assembly capacity in several countries. Consolidation among our customers also supports this trend. If the supply of raw materials and components is not disrupted, Autoliv's assembly operations generally are not constrained by capacity considerations. Autoliv can adjust capacity in response to changes in demand within a few weeks by adding or removing work shifts and within a few months by the adding or removing standardized production and assembly lines. Most of Autoliv's assembly factories can make sufficient space available to accommodate additional production lines to satisfy foreseeable increases in capacity. As a result, Autoliv can usually adjust its manufacturing capacity faster than its customers can adjust their capacities to changes in the general demand for vehicles or in the demand for a specific vehicle model, provided customers notify us when they become aware of such changes in demand.
Quality Management
Autoliv believes that superior quality is a prerequisite for it to be considered a leading global supplier of automotive safety systems. This means both that our products must perform perfectly, time after time and year after year, and that our products must be delivered to our customers exactly at the right times and in the right amounts. Autoliv has for many years practiced a "zero-defect" proactive quality policy, and continues to strive to improve its working methods. This pursuit of excellence extends from the earliest phases of product development to the products' proper disposal following many years of use in a vehicle. Autoliv's comprehensive Autoliv Product Development System (APDS) process includes several key check points during the development of new products that are designed to ensure that new products are well-built and have no hidden weaknesses. The Autoliv Production System (APS) is at the core of our manufacturing philosophy. APS integrates essential quality elements, such as mistake proofing, statistical process control and operator involvement, into the manufacturing processes. This "zero-defect" policy extends beyond Autoliv to the entire supplier base. The global Autoliv Supplier Manual, which is based on strict automotive standards, defines the quality requirements as well as the collaboration model to the supply base. Autoliv continues to execute its plan to have all subsidiaries certified to ISO/TS 16949, a global automotive quality management system. At present, over 90% of Autoliv's subsidiaries have been certified to this new quality standard. These subsidiaries account for approximately 98% of Autoliv's sales. Additional information on quality management is included in the section "Quality" on page 20 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Raw materials
For information on the sources and availability of raw materials, see "Changes in the source and availability of raw materials and components" in Item 1A and page 29 of the Annual Report which is incorporated herein by reference.
Intellectual Property
For information on our use of intellectual property and its importance to us, see "If our patents are declared invalid or our technology infringes on the proprietary rights of others, our ability to compete may be impaired" in Item 1A and pages 14-15 of the Annual Report which is incorporated herein by reference.
Seasonality and Backlog
Autoliv's business is not subject to significant seasonal fluctuations. There are no material backlogs in Autoliv's business.
Dependence on Customers
For information on our dependence on customers, see "Our business could be materially and adversely affected if we lost any of our largest customers" in Item 1A and page 29 of the Annual Report which is incorporated herein by reference.
Research, Development and Engineering
Expenses incurred for research, development and engineering activities were $385.8 million, $368.4 million and $305.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Additional information on research, development and engineering is included in the section titled "Research & Development" on pages 14-15 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Regulatory Costs
The fitting of seatbelts in vehicles is mandatory in all countries. In addition, most developed countries also require that seats in intercity buses and commercial vehicles be fitted with seatbelts. In the United States, federal legislation requires frontal airbags, both on driver-side and passenger-side, in all new passenger cars and in all new light vehicles (unloaded vehicle weight of 5,500 pounds or less).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (the "NHTSA") issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in May 2004 to upgrade the current side impact crash certification test. The proposed upgrade is intended to improve occupant safety in near-side lateral crashes by adding head impact protection requirements, adding a lateral impact test of the vehicle into a stationary pole, and utilizing new (more biofidelic) test dummies - covering both the average adult male occupant (50th percentile), and smaller (5th percentile) occupants. If adopted as a standard during 2006, the new requirements will be used for vehicle certification as early as 2010. Autoliv believes that the upgraded federal standard for side impact protection will promote the installation of side impact head protection airbags, so-called inflatable curtains.
For information concerning the material effects on our business relating to our compliance with regulations, see "Our business may be adversely affected by environmental and safety regulations or concerns" in Item 1A and page 29 of the Annual Report which is incorporated herein by reference.
Employees
At December 31, 2005, Autoliv and its subsidiaries had approximately 34,100 employees. In addition, Autoliv had approximately 5,000 temporary hourly workers during 2005. Autoliv considers its relationship with its employees to be good and has not experienced any major strike or other significant labor dispute for many years.
Important unions that some of Autoliv's employees belong to in Europe are: IG Metall and Textil und Bekleidung in Germany, Amicus in the United Kingdom, Confederation Generale des Travaileurs in France, Federacion Minerometalurgica, Union General de Trabajadores, Comisiones Obereras in Spain and Swedish Metal Workers Union and the Swedish Association of Graduated Engineers in Sweden.
In addition, Autoliv's other regions are represented by the following unions: the Metal Workers Union in Australia, the Union of Needletraders and Industrial and Textile Employees in the United States, the Canadian Automotive Workers in Canada, and Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria Metalurgica y similares in Mexico.
In many European countries in which we operate, wages, salaries and general working conditions are negotiated with the local unions and/or are subject to centrally negotiated collective bargaining agreements. The terms of our various agreements with unions typically range between 1-3 years. Most of our subsidiaries in Europe must negotiate with the applicable local unions important changes in operations, working and employment conditions. In the United Kingdom and the United States there is far less union involvement in establishing wages, salaries and working conditions. Twice a year the Company's management conducts an European Work Council meeting (EWC) to provide employee representatives with important information and a forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.
Many Asia Pacific countries regulate salary adjustments on an individual basis each year. In Korea and Thailand, employee organizations are involved in various processes.
Financial Information on Geographic Areas
Financial information concerning Autoliv's geographic areas is included in the section titled "Creating Shareholder Value" beginning on page 10 and in Note 19 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements on page 50 of the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.
Joint Ventures
An important element of Autoliv's strategy has been to establish joint ventures to promote its geographical expansion and technological development and to gain assistance in marketing Autoliv's full product line to local automobile manufacturers. Autoliv is not currently involved in any joint ventures that have been formed for the purpose of developing technology, but it is possible that strategic alliances combining Autoliv's technologies and expertise with that of others may expand the business opportunities in the future. These joint venture operations are accounted for according to the equity method. Total sales of Autoliv's joint venture operations to customers outside the consolidated Autoliv entity were approximately $169.1 million in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005.
Autoliv Joint Ventures at December 31, 2005
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