Our
operations are comprised of three reportable segments:
· The
Protect and Direct segment provides solutions for improving safety on the roads
either by minimizing the severity of crashes that occur or by preventing
crashes from occurring by directing or guiding traffic.
· The
Inform segment provides solutions for improving traffic flow and safety on
roads and runways by providing information.
· The
Intersection Control segment provides solutions for controlling intersections.
Our products are sold
world-wide primarily by a distribution network, as well as a direct sales
force, to customers in the highway construction and safety business, state and
municipal departments of transportation and other governmental transportation
agencies.
Financial information
relating to industry segments appears in Note 16 of the notes to our consolidated
financial statements incorporated by reference herein.
Protect and Direct Segment
Our Protect and Direct
category of products, which reduce the severity of crashes, include our
patented highway crash cushions which were first conceived and developed in
1969. These products were
developed
and sold in response to the high number of fatalities and serious injuries
suffered by occupants of errant vehicles in collisions with roadside hazards,
such as bridge abutments, overpass piers, overhead sign supports, lane
dividers, traffic islands and toll booths. Since 1969, various types of highway
crash cushions have been installed in front of thousands of life-threatening
roadside hazards. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) endorses the
installation of highway crash cushions as an effective safety program and they
are mandatory on interstate roads in the U.S.
We develop, manufacture
and market lines of patented highway crash cushion systems, truck-mounted
attenuators (TMAs) and other barriers which absorb and dissipate the force of
impact in collisions between vehicles and fixed roadside objects or slow moving
highway construction vehicles. The product lines utilize the principles of
momentum transfer and kinetic energy to safely decelerate errant vehicles. Energy
absorption or energy dissipation is accomplished by using different
combinations of water, aluminum, steel, urethane foam systems, cardboard,
plastic structures, elastometric cylinders and sand.
We also manufacture and
sell products that prevent crashes and help control the flow of traffic by
directing or guiding. These products consist of a line of flexible sign and
guide post systems (delineators) and a glare screen system. The guide posts are
used to delineate a travel way, channel vehicles or mark the location of an
object. The post features an in-ground anchor system that permits inexpensive
repair and replacement. The glare screen system, made from polyethylene, is
installed on top of median barriers to eliminate the distraction of lights from
oncoming vehicles.
Our products within the
Protect and Direct segment also include a crashworthy barrier arm for use at
areas such as railroad crossings and tollroads and as security for access ways,
driveways and parking lots. In addition, we market a FreezeFree® anti-icing
system which automatically or manually dispenses deicing liquids in advance of
ice formation on bridges, roads and overpasses.
Inform Segment
To expand our business
within the highway and transportation safety industry, in 1998 we began
acquiring companies that manufacture Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)
products which provide information to improve traffic flow and safety. Products
sold by the Inform segment include weather and traffic sensing products and
highway advisory radio products.
We manufacture and sell
portable or permanent sensors that record traffic volume, speed, and length
classification of vehicles. These sensors also collect, analyze and store
traffic, road surface conditions and freezing point data which can be relayed
on a real-time basis to a transportation departments base computer or control
center via telephone, cellular link, fiber optic connection or a wireless link.
We also manufacture and market road/runway weather information systems. Using a
tower equipped with weather instruments and special detectors, these systems
can detect freezing conditions and provide valuable weather information to
transportation departments or airports in order to dispatch salt trucks or
automatically activate anti-icing systems.
We are a leading
manufacturer of highway advisory radio (HAR) systems that broadcast traffic
information using an AM radio frequency with reception up to six miles from the
unit. HAR systems, in connection with flashing lights and message signs, advise
drivers to tune into a particular AM station to hear messages about traffic,
road conditions and weather. These HAR systems can be permanent or mobile. Our
Intellizone® system is designed to provide real-time information to motorists
by integrating traffic and/or weather sensors, variable message signs and
computer controlled software.
Intersection Control Segment
To further expand our
business within the highway and transportation safety industry, in 2003 we
began acquiring companies that manufacture Intelligent Transportation System
(ITS) products which control intersections. We began to integrate and
rationalize this segment in fiscal 2005. After the restructuring of the product
lines within this segment, its products will include traffic controllers,
traffic and pedestrian signals, traffic uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
systems, video detection equipment and parking detection devices. Traffic
controllers and detectors are devices that control traffic signal operations at
intersections either with pre-set timers or with detectors that enable the
signals to change in response to variations in traffic. Traffic and pedestrian
signals are LED or incandescent signals for intersection operations and
pedestrian crossings which may include a numerical countdown warning before a
signal changes. UPS systems are power supply systems with battery backup that
keeps a lighted intersection operating either normally or in flash-mode during
a power interruption. Video detection systems are based on one or more cameras
that allow traffic authorities to monitor or manage traffic flow from a remote
location. A toll road monitoring system is a data collection system able to
count axles of vehicles in order for the proper authorities to ensure the
proper toll amount is collected.
Across all segments, we
may also provide product education, selection and application assistance. In
limited cases, we perform site preparation and installation services for our
products.
Marketing and
Competition
Our products are sold in
all 50 U.S. states and internationally. Domestically, we sell either through a
distribution network or through a direct sales force. Regional managers
supervise domesticdistributors
and make direct sales in areas not covered by distributors. We sell our
products principally to distributors, contractors (on behalf of state and local
governments), state departments of transportation, state agencies, local
governments, municipalities, and airports. Although the federal government
provides matching funds for the purchase of certain highway safety products by
state and local governmental agencies, the federal government is usually not a
direct purchaser of our domestic products. For certain products, we sell
through catalogs and inside sales personnel.
Many foreign governments
are beginning to recognize the need for our products as a method of reducing
traffic congestion and fatalities. Our products are sold outside of the U.S
through a network of distributors who make sales to municipal and national
governments and contractors who are responding to bids from their respective
governments.
We experience competition
in many of our product lines. We believe that we are a leading U.S.
manufacturer of transportation safety products. Within the Protect and Direct
segment, we believe that no other company presently markets as broad a line of
highway crash cushion systems designed to shield as large a variety of fixed
roadside hazards as we do. However, many of our competitors offer similar
products to those supplied by us, and a few are better capitalized than we are.
We experience competition particularly in the sand barrel, QuadGuard® crash
cushion, REACT 350® crash cushion and TMA product lines. We compete in the U.S.
market for crash cushions, TMAs and sand barrels with Trinity Industries, Inc.,
(NYSE: TRN), TrafFix Devices, Inc., Barrier Systems, Inc. (a
subsidiary of Lindsay Manufacturing Company) and other smaller regional
companies. A number of other companies manufacture flexible sign and guide post
systems. Within the Inform and
Intersection Control segments, we experience rigorous competition in selling
certain product lines because they are generally sold through a bidding process.
These product lines include our road weather information systems (RWIS) within
the Inform segment and traffic controllers and pedestrian signals within the
Intersection Control segment. There are a few companies that compete with us in
selling HAR systems within the Inform segment. In addition, we compete with
many different companies that sell sensors using different technologies,
including
microwave and infra-red sensors and machine-vision (video), and each technology
offers certain advantages.
Competition may have an
adverse effect on the selling prices and profit margins of certain product
lines, and depending on the product mix sold, can adversely affect our
financial results. We believe that we compete effectively through our own
advanced product development, patent protection, quality and price, and the
effectiveness of our strong distribution network.
Government Policies and Funding
The domestic market for
highway and transportation safety products is directly affected by federal,
state and local governmental policies. Federal transportation spending is
funded through a trust based on the sale of gasoline. Funds are allocated and
highway policy is developed through a six-year federal highway bill. A portion
of our sales is ultimately financed by funds provided to the states by the
federal government. Historically, these
funds have covered 75% to 90% of the cost of highway safety projects on roads
constructed or maintained with federal assistance. The last six-year federal
highway bill expired on September 30, 2003. The current bill, SAFETEA-LU,
was enacted in August 2005. SAFETEA-LU, or the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and
Efficient Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users will provide $286.4 billion in guaranteed
funding for the federal highway, transit and safety programs through 2009. Importantly,
unlike historical funding bills, it focuses on improving safety and relieving
congestion as a priority, as well as on new highway construction and
resurfacing projects. Several sections
of SAFETEA-LU can provide
increased funding and focus on products and systems within our Inform segment. While
the current bill does not include projects that specifically indicate our
products by name and there can be no guarantee of increased sales, we expect
the market potential for applications of our sensors, counters, audio and
visual output displays and adaptive control and monitored intersections to
increase due to this legislation. However, any change in the
availability of federal funds and the timing of the release of those funds to
the state and local governments can have an adverse impact on our financial
results.
Many of our products are
approved as acceptable highway hardware according to procedures in the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program number 230 or 350 that provide various
test levels depending on the application. This FHWA approval makes the products
eligible for federal funds for certain highway projects. We are obligated to
seek such approval for improvements or upgrades to such devices and for any new
devices.
Foreign government
policies and funding vary by country for highway and transportation safety. In
many cases, additional testing of our products may be required in order to
obtain certification.
Backlog
As of June 30, 2006,
2005 and 2004, we had a backlog of unfilled orders for transportation safety
devices of $24,481,000, $23,796,000 and $26,921,000, respectively. We generally
fill an order for our products within two days to 8 weeks of receipt depending
on the type of product. However, some orders or awarded contracts included in
backlog may not be completed for six to nine months.
Research and Development; Patents
Many of our products have
patented features and we conduct our own research, development and testing of
new products before introducing them to the marketplace. The expenditures for
research and development activities were $5,958,000, $5,391,000 and $3,605,000
for the fiscal years 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. We maintain a crash
test facility in California for Protect and Direct products.
We develop new products by
working with customers as well as federal, state and local highway officials to
determine transportation safety needs, and then we design products to satisfy
those needs. We are also active in promoting cooperation among state highway
agencies, contractors and engineers to encourage comprehensive repair and
maintenance of roadside crash attenuating systems. In addition to developing
new products, we are also seeking to acquire new products which can be sold
through our existing distribution networks to our existing customers.
We own a number of U.S.
and foreign patents covering our major products. We actively seek patent and
trademark protection for new developments.
Raw Materials
The principal raw
materials used in the production of highway safety devices are plastic and
plastic resins, steel, aluminum and electronic components. These raw materials
are purchased from various suppliers and have been readily available throughout
the last year. We believe that adequate supplies of these materials will
continue to be available.
In fiscal 2006 and 2005 we
were affected by increased prices for certain commodities, particularly
aluminum, steel and resin, which can be a significant component of the cost of
certain of our products. We attempt to reduce the negative impact of increasing
prices by entering into certain fixed price arrangements and by passing along price
increases to our customers. However, increased commodity prices have negatively
impacted our gross margin for certain products. In addition, increasing fuel
and freight costs adversely affected our results in fiscal 2006. These trends
of increasing material, fuel and freight costs may continue into fiscal 2007.
Major Customers
No single customer
represents a significant portion of our total revenues. However, approximately
11% and 9% of our consolidated revenues resulted from sales to customers in the
states of California and Texas, respectively, in fiscal 2006. Our customers are
typically distributors, contractors, departments of transportation, state
agencies, local governments or municipalities and, therefore, a change in
policy in state spending could materially affect our sales in that state.
Seasonality
Our sales are historically
seasonal because domestic highway maintenance and construction seasons
typically peak in our fourth fiscal quarter.
Foreign and Domestic Operations and Revenues
Our business is conducted
principally in the United States, with sales outside of the United States as
follows: $21,821,000, $19,111,000 and
$14,249,000 in 2006, 2005 and 2004 respectively.
Excluding our
manufacturing facility in Tecate, Mexico (See Properties at
Quixote Cp (QUIX) - Description of business
Attention: Please help us to improve our services by answering the following poll:
Please Leave a comment to tell us how you think we can improve our services. |
More
Summary
Research Report
Description
Level 2 quotes
Charts
News
Profile
Balance Sheet
Income Statement
Cash Flow Statement
Insiders
SEC Filings
Analyst Recommendation
Earnings Report
Historical Prices
Recent Material Events
Key executives
Comments
Research Report
Description
Level 2 quotes
Charts
News
Profile
Balance Sheet
Income Statement
Cash Flow Statement
Insiders
SEC Filings
Analyst Recommendation
Earnings Report
Historical Prices
Recent Material Events
Key executives
Comments


