Commitments and Contingencies | Note 12 - Commitments and contingencies: We are involved in various environmental, contractual, product liability, patent (or intellectual property), employment and other claims and disputes incidental to our business. At least quarterly our management discusses and evaluates the status of any pending litigation to which we are a party. The factors considered in such evaluation include, among other things, the nature of such pending cases, the status of such pending cases, the advice of legal counsel and our experience in similar cases (if any). Based on such evaluation, we make a determination as to whether we believe (i) it is probable a loss has been incurred, and if so if the amount of such loss (or a range of loss) is reasonably estimable, or (ii) it is reasonably possible but not probable a loss has been incurred, and if so if the amount of such loss (or a range of loss) is reasonably estimable, or (iii) the probability a loss has been incurred is remote. In March 2013, we were served with the complaint, Los Gatos Mercantile, Inc. d/b/a Los Gatos Ace Hardware, et al v. E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, et al. (United States District Court, for the Northern District of California, Case No. 3:13-cv-01180-SI). The defendants include us, E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Huntsman International LLC and Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc. As amended by plaintiffs’ second amended complaint, plaintiffs seek to represent a class consisting of indirect purchasers of titanium dioxide in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin that indirectly purchased titanium dioxide from one or more of the defendants on or after March 1, 2002. The complaint alleges that the defendants conspired and combined to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price at which titanium dioxide was sold in the United States and engaged in other anticompetitive conduct. The case is now proceeding in the trial court. We believe the action is without merit, will deny all allegations of wrongdoing and liability and intend to defend against the action vigorously. Based on our quarterly status evaluation of this case, we h ave determined that it is not reasonably possible that a loss has been incurred in this case. In November 2013, we were served with the complaint, The Valspar Corporation, et al v. E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, et al. (United States District Court, for the District of Minnesota, Case No. 1:13-cv-03214-RHK-L1B). The defendants include us, E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Huntsman International LLC, Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Inc. and the National Titanium Dioxide Company Limited (d/b/a Cristal). The plaintiff opted out of the settlement in the original lawsuit, Haley Paint et al. v. E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, et al. (United States District Court, for the District of Maryland, Case No. 1:10-cv-00318-RDB) and filed its own lawsuit against the defendants. The complaint alleged that the defendants conspired and combined to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price at which titanium dioxide was sold in the United States and engaged in other anticompetitive conduct. In October 2014, the court granted our motion to transfer, and the case is now proceeding in the trial court in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Case No. 4:14-cv-01130. We believe the action is without merit, will deny all allegations of wrongdoing and liability and intend to defend against the action vigorously. Based on our quarterly status evaluation of the case, we have determined that while it is reasonably possible (but not probable) that a loss has been incurred in this case, we do not believe the amount of such loss will be material to our consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. |