EXHIBIT 1.01
AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.
CONFLICT MINERALS REPORT
Year End December 31, 2023
Introduction
This document, constituting Exhibit 1.01 to Form SD of American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “AAM”), for calendar year 2023, is the Company’s Conflict Minerals Report (“CMR”) in accordance with Rule 13p-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
AAM is an SEC Issuer, as described in the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Final Rule (the “Rule”) 17 C.F.R. § 240 and 249(b), and is subject to the provisions of Section 1502 of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (“DF1502”) that address the sourcing of Conflict Minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) and its adjoining countries (“Covered Countries”) that are necessary to the functionality or production of products that the Companies manufactured or contracted to manufacture.
Conflict Minerals are defined by the Rule to include cassiterite, columbite-tantalite, gold, wolframite, and their derivatives. The subject minerals are more commonly known as tin, tantalum, gold, and tungsten, respectively (“3TG”).
As such, this report covers the reporting period January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023 (“Reporting Year 2023”, “RY2023”) related to the Conflict Minerals that are necessary to the functionality or production of products that the Company manufactured or contracted to manufacture and includes a description of the measures taken by the Company to exercise due diligence on the source and chain of custody of the subject minerals.
The content of any website referred to in this report is included for general information only and is not incorporated by reference to this report.
Section (1) Due Diligence
The Company’s comprehensive Conflict Minerals Program includes a due diligence process that was designed to conform, in all material respects, to the criteria set forth in the internationally recognized Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas, 3rd Edition and related Supplements on Tin, Tantalum and Tungsten and on Gold (“OECD Guidance”).
The following is a review of the actions comprising the OECD Guidance five-step framework that the Company took to implement our due diligence process:
1.Establish strong company management systems
a.The Company developed and adopted a Responsible Minerals Sourcing Policy and made it publicly available at www.aam.com/conflictmineralsstatement.
b.The Company structured internal management to support supply chain due diligence by identifying a cross-functional team (the “Team”), consisting of representatives from Global Procurement, Engineering, Finance, and Legal.
c.The Company established a system of controls over the supply chain by leveraging the iPoint Conflict Minerals Platform to monitor all relevant data.
d.The Company also provided feedback and engagement recommendations to suppliers that declared potential smelters or refiners in their supply chains.
e.The conflictminerals@aam.com mailbox is a mechanism available for any interested stakeholder to communicate their concerns/grievances regarding AAM’s Conflict Minerals process. Each supplier contacted is advised of the existence of this mailbox as a point of contact for questions or concerns. Other stakeholders are made aware of this mailbox as a result of previous CMR filings.
1.Identify and assess risk in the supply chain
a.The Company identified risk in the supply chain by first identifying direct material suppliers to whom payment were made in 2023.
b.Suppliers with low annual spend profiles were then deemed out-of-scope in order to focus our resources on improved compliance from our more substantial direct material suppliers.
c.After identification of the potentially at-risk supplies, the Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry (“RCOI”) and corresponding due diligence were to be conducted.
1.Design and implement a strategy to respond to risks
a.The Company devised and implemented a risk-management strategy that included, but is not limited to:
i.Requesting additional information from suppliers that provided incomplete or contradictory data responses
ii.Requiring CMRT version 6 or above to capture new information regarding Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (“CAHRAs”)
iii.Confirming the accuracy of identified smelters or refiners from suppliers
b.As a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (“RMI”) our risk mitigation processes related to facilities that smelt, refine and/or process the subject raw materials are in place and consistently reviewed, as demonstrated by the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (“RMAP”).
1.Support the development and implementation of independent third-party audits of smelters’ and refiners’ sourcing
a.The Company is a member of the RMI, which conducts independent third-party audits of smelters on behalf of its members. The Company utilizes the RCOI information provided to members of the RMI to determine the possible country of origin of the Conflict Minerals necessary for the functionality or production of its products.
1.Report on supply chain due diligence
a.The Company reports annually to the SEC on Form SD.
b.The Company makes its Conflict Minerals Report publicly available at https://www.aam.com/suppliers/doing-business-with-aam/conflict-minerals.
Steps taken and being taken to mitigate risk, and to improve due diligence:
The Company has taken a number of steps to (i) mitigate the risk that its necessary Conflict Minerals benefit armed groups in the DRC and/or Covered Countries and (ii) to improve its due diligence. Those steps include, but are not limited to:
a.Updating our Policy to reflect evolution in the program to also include CAHRAs
b.Focus of resources on risk-based due diligence, as discussed in the OECD Due Diligence Guidance[1]
c.Continue to invest in cross-industry collaboration via the Responsible Minerals Initiative
d.Improve reporting transparency by including the list of possible countries, to the greatest possible specificity, where the subject minerals in our products may have originated
(1) Product Description:
The Company has determined, in good faith, that the applicable product categories are the following:
a.Driveline products
b.Metal Formed products
Driveline products consist primarily of front and rear axles, driveshafts, differential assemblies, clutch modules, balance shaft systems, disconnecting driveline technology, and electric and hybrid driveline products and systems for light trucks, SUVs, CUVs, passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
Metal Formed products consist primarily of axle and transmission shafts, ring and pinion gears, differential gears and assemblies, connecting rods and variable valve timing products for OEMs and Tier 1 automotive suppliers.
(2) Product Determination:
Pursuant to guidance issued by the SEC Division of Corporation Finance on April 29, 2014, we are not required to describe any of our products as “DRC Conflict Free,” as having “not been found to be ‘DRC Conflict Free’” or as “DRC Conflict Undeterminable.” Moreover, since we have not voluntarily elected to describe any of our products as DRC Conflict Free, the requirement for an independent private sector audit of this report is not applicable.
Results of our RCOI and Due Diligence Measures:
Table 1 and Table 2 reflect the result of our RCOI and due diligence for the 3T’s and Gold, respectively. The countries listed in Tables 1 and 2 are potential sources of origin of the conflict minerals necessary for the functionality or manufacture of the products identified above in
“Product Description,” according to the country of origin information available to us as RMI members.
The smelters and refiners as defined by the SEC Final Ruling section II(A)(3) declared by our supply chain can be found in Table 3.
[1] (OECD, 2016)
Table 1
| | | | | | | | |
Tantalum | Tin | Tungsten |
BRAZIL | BELGIUM | AUSTRIA |
CHINA | BOLIVIA (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF) | BRAZIL |
ESTONIA | BRAZIL | CHINA |
GERMANY | CHINA | GERMANY |
INDIA | DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO | JAPAN |
JAPAN | INDONESIA | PHILIPPINES |
KAZAKHSTAN | JAPAN | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
MEXICO | MALAYSIA | VIETNAM |
RWANDA | MYANMAR | |
THAILAND | PERU | |
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | PHILIPPINES | |
| POLAND | |
| RWANDA | |
| SPAIN | |
| TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA | |
| THAILAND | |
| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | |
| | |
Table 2
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Gold |
ANDORRA | COLOMBIA | KAZAKHSTAN | SPAIN |
AUSTRALIA | CZECH REPUBLIC | MEXICO | SWEDEN |
AUSTRIA | FRANCE | NETHERLANDS | SWITZERLAND |
BELGIUM | GERMANY | PHILIPPINES | TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA |
BRAZIL | INDIA | POLAND | TURKEY |
CANADA | INDONESIA | REPUBLIC OF KOREA | UNITED ARAB EMIRATE |
CHILE | ITALY | SINGAPORE | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |
CHINA | JAPAN | SOUTH AFRICA | UZBEKISTAN |
Table 3
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
A.L.M.T. Corp. | Tungsten | CID000004 |
Abington Reldan Metals, LLC | Gold | CID002708 |
Agosi AG | Gold | CID000035 |
Aida Chemical Industries Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000019 |
Al Etihad Gold Refinery DMCC | Gold | CID002560 |
Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) | Gold | CID000041 |
Alpha | Tin | CID000292 |
AMG Brasil | Tantalum | CID001076 |
AngloGold Ashanti Corrego do Sitio Mineracao | Gold | CID000058 |
Argor-Heraeus S.A. | Gold | CID000077 |
Asahi Pretec Corp. | Gold | CID000082 |
Asahi Refining Canada Ltd. | Gold | CID000924 |
Asahi Refining USA Inc. | Gold | CID000920 |
Asaka Riken Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000090 |
Asia Tungsten Products Vietnam Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002502 |
Aurubis AG | Gold | CID000113 |
Aurubis Beerse | Tin | CID002773 |
Aurubis Berango | Tin | CID002774 |
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) | Gold | CID000128 |
Boliden AB | Gold | CID000157 |
C. Hafner GmbH + Co. KG | Gold | CID000176 |
CCR Refinery - Glencore Canada Corporation | Gold | CID000185 |
Chenzhou Yunxiang Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID000228 |
Chifeng Dajingzi Tin Industry Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID003190 |
Chimet S.p.A. | Gold | CID000233 |
China Molybdenum Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002641 |
China Tin Group Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID001070 |
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
Chongyi Zhangyuan Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID000258 |
Chugai Mining | Gold | CID000264 |
Coimpa Industrial Ltda | Gold | CID004010 |
CRM Fundicao De Metais E Comercio De Equipamentos Eletronicos Do Brasil Ltda | Tin | CID003486 |
CRM Synergies | Tin | CID003524 |
Cronimet Brasil Ltda | Tungsten | CID003468 |
CV Ayi Jaya | Tin | CID002570 |
CV Venus Inti Perkasa | Tin | CID002455 |
D Block Metals, LLC | Tantalum | CID002504 |
Dowa | Gold | CID000401 |
Dowa | Tin | CID000402 |
DS Myanmar | Tin | CID003831 |
DSC (Do Sung Corporation) | Gold | CID000359 |
Eco-System Recycling Co., Ltd. East Plant | Gold | CID000425 |
Eco-System Recycling Co., Ltd. North Plant | Gold | CID003424 |
Eco-System Recycling Co., Ltd. West Plant | Gold | CID003425 |
EM Vinto | Tin | CID000438 |
Estanho de Rondonia S.A. | Tin | CID000448 |
F&X Electro-Materials Ltd. | Tantalum | CID000460 |
Fabrica Auricchio Industria e Comercio Ltda. | Tin | CID003582 |
Fenix Metals | Tin | CID000468 |
FIR Metals & Resource Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002505 |
Fujian Xinlu Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID003609 |
Ganzhou Haichuang Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002645 |
Ganzhou Jiangwu Ferrotungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002315 |
Ganzhou Seadragon W & Mo Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002494 |
Geib Refining Corporation | Gold | CID002459 |
Gejiu Non-Ferrous Metal Processing Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID000538 |
Global Advanced Metals Aizu | Tantalum | CID002558 |
Global Advanced Metals Boyertown | Tantalum | CID002557 |
Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. | Tungsten | CID000568 |
Gold by Gold Colombia | Gold | CID003641 |
Gold Refinery of Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID002243 |
Guangdong Hanhe Non-Ferrous Metal Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID003116 |
Guangdong Xianglu Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID000218 |
H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH | Tungsten | CID002541 |
Heimerle + Meule GmbH | Gold | CID000694 |
Hengyang King Xing Lifeng New Materials Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002492 |
Heraeus Germany GmbH Co. KG | Gold | CID000711 |
Heraeus Metals Hong Kong Ltd. | Gold | CID000707 |
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
Hubei Green Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID003417 |
HuiChang Hill Tin Industry Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID002844 |
Hunan Chenzhou Mining Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID000766 |
Hunan Shizhuyuan Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. Chenzhou Tungsten Products Branch | Tungsten | CID002513 |
Inner Mongolia Qiankun Gold and Silver Refinery Share Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000801 |
Ishifuku Metal Industry Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000807 |
Istanbul Gold Refinery | Gold | CID000814 |
Italpreziosi | Gold | CID002765 |
Japan Mint | Gold | CID000823 |
Japan New Metals Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID000825 |
Jiangwu H.C. Starck Tungsten Products Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002551 |
Jiangxi Copper Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000855 |
Jiangxi Dinghai Tantalum & Niobium Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002512 |
Jiangxi Gan Bei Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002321 |
Jiangxi New Nanshan Technology Ltd. | Tin | CID001231 |
Jiangxi Tonggu Non-ferrous Metallurgical & Chemical Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002318 |
Jiangxi Tuohong New Raw Material | Tantalum | CID002842 |
Jiangxi Xinsheng Tungsten Industry Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002317 |
Jiangxi Yaosheng Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002316 |
JiuJiang JinXin Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID000914 |
Jiujiang Tanbre Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID000917 |
Jiujiang Zhongao Tantalum & Niobium Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002506 |
JX Nippon Mining & Metals Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000937 |
Kazzinc | Gold | CID000957 |
KEMET de Mexico | Tantalum | CID002539 |
Kennametal Fallon | Tungsten | CID000966 |
Kennametal Huntsville | Tungsten | CID000105 |
Kennecott Utah Copper LLC | Gold | CID000969 |
KGHM Polska Miedz Spolka Akcyjna | Gold | CID002511 |
Kojima Chemicals Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID000981 |
Korea Zinc Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID002605 |
Lianyou Metals Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID003407 |
L'Orfebre S.A. | Gold | CID002762 |
LS-NIKKO Copper Inc. | Gold | CID001078 |
LT Metal Ltd. | Gold | CID000689 |
Luna Smelter, Ltd. | Tin | CID003387 |
Magnu's Minerais Metais e Ligas Ltda. | Tin | CID002468 |
Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) | Tin | CID001105 |
Malipo Haiyu Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002319 |
Masan High-Tech Materials | Tungsten | CID002543 |
Materion | Gold | CID001113 |
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
Materion Newton Inc. | Tantalum | CID002548 |
Matsuda Sangyo Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001119 |
Metal Concentrators SA (Pty) Ltd. | Gold | CID003575 |
Metallic Resources, Inc. | Tin | CID001142 |
Metallurgical Products India Pvt., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID001163 |
Metalor Technologies (Hong Kong) Ltd. | Gold | CID001149 |
Metalor Technologies (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. | Gold | CID001152 |
Metalor Technologies (Suzhou) Ltd. | Gold | CID001147 |
Metalor Technologies S.A. | Gold | CID001153 |
Metalor USA Refining Corporation | Gold | CID001157 |
Metalurgica Met-Mex Penoles S.A. De C.V. | Gold | CID001161 |
Mineracao Taboca S.A. | Tantalum | CID001175 |
Mineracao Taboca S.A. | Tin | CID001173 |
Mining Minerals Resources SARL | Tin | CID004065 |
Minsur | Tin | CID001182 |
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation | Gold | CID001188 |
Mitsubishi Materials Corporation | Tin | CID001191 |
Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001193 |
Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID001192 |
MKS PAMP SA | Gold | CID001352 |
MMTC-PAMP India Pvt., Ltd. | Gold | CID002509 |
Nadir Metal Rafineri San. Ve Tic. A.S. | Gold | CID001220 |
Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combinat | Gold | CID001236 |
NH Recytech Company | Gold | CID003189 |
Niagara Refining LLC | Tungsten | CID002589 |
Nihon Material Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001259 |
Ningxia Orient Tantalum Industry Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID001277 |
NPM Silmet AS | Tantalum | CID001200 |
O.M. Manufacturing (Thailand) Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID001314 |
O.M. Manufacturing Philippines, Inc. | Tin | CID002517 |
Ogussa Osterreichische Gold- und Silber-Scheideanstalt GmbH | Gold | CID002779 |
Ohura Precious Metal Industry Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001325 |
Operaciones Metalurgicas S.A. | Tin | CID001337 |
Philippine Chuangxin Industrial Co., Inc. | Tungsten | CID002827 |
Planta Recuperadora de Metales SpA | Gold | CID002919 |
PowerX Ltd. | Tantalum | CID004054 |
PT Aneka Tambang (Persero) Tbk | Gold | CID001397 |
PT Aries Kencana Sejahtera | Tin | CID000309 |
PT Artha Cipta Langgeng | Tin | CID001399 |
PT ATD Makmur Mandiri Jaya | Tin | CID002503 |
PT Babel Inti Perkasa | Tin | CID001402 |
PT Babel Surya Alam Lestari | Tin | CID001406 |
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
PT Bangka Prima Tin | Tin | CID002776 |
PT Bangka Serumpun | Tin | CID003205 |
PT Bukit Timah | Tin | CID001428 |
PT Cipta Persada Mulia | Tin | CID002696 |
PT Menara Cipta Mulia | Tin | CID002835 |
PT Mitra Stania Prima | Tin | CID001453 |
PT Mitra Sukses Globalindo | Tin | CID003449 |
PT Premium Tin Indonesia | Tin | CID000313 |
PT Prima Timah Utama | Tin | CID001458 |
PT Putera Sarana Shakti (PT PSS) | Tin | CID003868 |
PT Rajawali Rimba Perkasa | Tin | CID003381 |
PT Rajehan Ariq | Tin | CID002593 |
PT Refined Bangka Tin | Tin | CID001460 |
PT Sariwiguna Binasentosa | Tin | CID001463 |
PT Stanindo Inti Perkasa | Tin | CID001468 |
PT Sukses Inti Makmur (SIM) | Tin | CID002816 |
PT Timah Nusantara | Tin | CID001486 |
PT Timah Tbk Kundur | Tin | CID001477 |
PT Timah Tbk Mentok | Tin | CID001482 |
PT Tinindo Inter Nusa | Tin | CID001490 |
PT Tommy Utama | Tin | CID001493 |
PX Precinox S.A. | Gold | CID001498 |
QuantumClean | Tantalum | CID001508 |
Rand Refinery (Pty) Ltd. | Gold | CID001512 |
REMONDIS PMR B.V. | Gold | CID002582 |
Resind Industria e Comercio Ltda. | Tantalum | CID002707 |
Resind Industria e Comercio Ltda. | Tin | CID002706 |
RFH Yancheng Jinye New Material Technology Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID003583 |
Royal Canadian Mint | Gold | CID001534 |
Rui Da Hung | Tin | CID001539 |
Safina A.S. | Gold | CID002290 |
Sancus ZFS (L’Orfebre, SA) | Gold | CID003529 |
SEMPSA Joyeria Plateria S.A. | Gold | CID001585 |
Shandong Gold Smelting Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001916 |
Shandong Zhaojin Gold & Silver Refinery Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001622 |
Sichuan Tianze Precious Metals Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001736 |
Solar Applied Materials Technology Corp. | Gold | CID001761 |
Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001798 |
SungEel HiMetal Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID002918 |
Super Ligas | Tin | CID002756 |
T.C.A S.p.A | Gold | CID002580 |
Taki Chemical Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID001869 |
| | | | | | | | |
Alias | Metal | Smelter ID |
Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. | Gold | CID001875 |
TANIOBIS Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002544 |
TANIOBIS GmbH | Tantalum | CID002545 |
TANIOBIS Japan Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002549 |
TANIOBIS Smelting GmbH & Co. KG | Tantalum | CID002550 |
TANIOBIS Smelting GmbH & Co. KG | Tungsten | CID002542 |
Telex Metals | Tantalum | CID001891 |
Thaisarco | Tin | CID001898 |
Tin Smelting Branch of Yunnan Tin Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID002180 |
Tin Technology & Refining | Tin | CID003325 |
Tokuriki Honten Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID001938 |
TOO Tau-Ken-Altyn | Gold | CID002615 |
Torecom | Gold | CID001955 |
Tungsten Vietnam Joint Stock Company | Tungsten | CID003993 |
Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC | Tantalum | CID001969 |
Umicore S.A. Business Unit Precious Metals Refining | Gold | CID001980 |
United Precious Metal Refining, Inc. | Gold | CID001993 |
Valcambi S.A. | Gold | CID002003 |
WEEEREFINING | Gold | CID003615 |
Western Australian Mint (T/a The Perth Mint) | Gold | CID002030 |
White Solder Metalurgia e Mineração Ltda. | Tin | CID002036 |
WIELAND Edelmetalle GmbH | Gold | CID002778 |
Wolfram Bergbau und Hutten AG | Tungsten | CID002044 |
Xiamen Tungsten (H.C.) Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002320 |
Xiamen Tungsten Co., Ltd. | Tungsten | CID002082 |
Ximei Resources (Guangdong) Limited | Tantalum | CID000616 |
XinXing Haorong Electronic Material Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID002508 |
Yamakin Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID002100 |
Yanling Jincheng Tantalum & Niobium Co., Ltd. | Tantalum | CID001522 |
Yokohama Metal Co., Ltd. | Gold | CID002129 |
Yunnan Chengfeng Non-ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID002158 |
Yunnan Yunfan Non-ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. | Tin | CID003397 |
Zhongyuan Gold Smelter of Zhongjin Gold Corporation | Gold | CID002224 |