We operate Animal Health R&D in: (i) our facility in Guarulhos, Brazil; (ii) our facilities in Beit Shemesh, Israel and Noat Hovav (formerly Ramat Hovav), Israel; (iii) our facilities in Quincy, Illinois and in Corvallis, Oregon; and (iv) our facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
We operate Performance Products R&D in our facility in Santa Fe Springs, California.
These facilities provide R&D services relating to: fermentation development and micro-biological strain improvement; vaccine development; chemical synthesis and formulation development; nutritional specialty product development; and ethanol-related products.
For fiscal years 2013, 2012 and 2011, our R&D expenses were $6.6 million, $7.2 million and $6.8 million, respectively.
Sales and Administrative
We maintain sales offices throughout the world in countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Turkey, Israel, South Africa, China, Malaysia and Australia. Our principal headquarters is in leased space in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Environmental, Health and Safety
Our operations and properties are subject to Environmental Laws and regulations. We have incurred, and will continue to incur, expenses to attain and maintain compliance with Environmental Laws. While we believe that our operations are currently in material compliance with Environmental Laws, we have, from time to time, received notices of violation from governmental authorities, and have been involved in civil or criminal action for such violations, including for odor releases or wastewater discharges in Guarulhos, Brazil and Naot Hovav (formerly Ramat Hovav), Israel. In May 2013, the parties involved in the wastewater discharge violation at the Naot Hovav facility in Israel reached a final settlement resolving all outstanding charges with no significant effect on the Company or any of its employees. Additionally, at various sites, our subsidiaries are engaged in continuing investigation, remediation and/or monitoring to address contamination associated with historical operations. We maintain budgets and accounting reserves for costs and liabilities associated with Environmental Laws, which we currently believe are adequate. In many instances, it is difficult to predict the ultimate costs under Environmental Laws and the time period during which such costs are likely to be incurred.
Governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with their regulations. Violators of Environmental Laws may be subject to civil, criminal and administrative penalties, injunctions or both. Failure to comply with Environmental Laws may result in the temporary or permanent suspension of operations and/or permits, limitations on production, or increased operating costs. In addition, private plaintiffs may initiate lawsuits for personal injury, property damage, diminution in property value or other relief as a result of our operations. Environmental Laws, and the interpretation or enforcement thereof, are subject to change and may become more stringent in the future, potentially resulting in substantial future costs or capital or operating expenses. We devote considerable resources to complying with Environmental Laws and managing environmental liabilities. We have developed programs to identify requirements under and maintain compliance with Environmental Laws; however, we cannot predict with certainty the impact of increased and more stringent regulation on our operations, future capital expenditure requirements, or the cost of compliance. Based upon our experience to date, we believe that the future cost of compliance with existing Environmental Laws, and liabilities for known environmental claims pursuant to such Environmental Laws, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, cash flows or liquidity.
Environmental Health and Safety Regulations.
The following summarizes the principal Environmental Laws affecting our business.
Waste Management. Our operations are subject to statutes and regulations addressing the contamination by, and management of, hazardous substances and solid and hazardous wastes. In the U.S., the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, (“CERCLA”), also known as the “Superfund” law, and comparable state laws, generally impose joint, strict