Company: BHE
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-025644
Chunk: 126

Company: BENCHMARK ELECTRONICS INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 126
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 are not adding incremental capacity. The lack of capacity regarding these older technologies could constrain our ability to produce the full demand forecasts we are receiving from customers needing those parts. Lead times are also improving from the previous highs that prompted many suppliers to categorize some of their constrained components with non-cancellable and non-returnable business terms. Until recently, these constraints led to last-minute allocations and created inefficiencies in our operations, as well as increased costs to us and our customers.

We experience fluctuations in gross profit from period to period. Different programs contribute different gross profits depending on the type of services involved, location of production, size of the program, complexity of the product and level of material costs associated with the various products. Moreover, new programs can contribute relatively less to our gross profit in their early stages when manufacturing volumes are usually lower, resulting in inefficiencies and unabsorbed manufacturing overhead costs. During periods of low production volume, we generally have unabsorbed manufacturing overhead costs and reduced gross profit. Gross profit can also be impacted by higher costs associated with other situations, such as supply chain constraints. This includes supply chain premiums for excess component costs paid to secure available supply resulting in revenue with cost recovery only with no margin. In addition, a number of our new program ramps require incremental investment during the launch and ramp phase, which can exert downward pressure on our gross profit.

We have undertaken initiatives to restructure our business operations with the intention of improving utilization and reducing costs. During 2024, we recognized $6.3 million of restructuring charges primarily related to capacity and workforce reductions at our sites in the Americas.

During 2023, we recognized $7.3 million of restructuring charges primarily due to expenses associated with announced site closures or exits, reductions in work force and other restructuring activities primarily in the Americas. During 2023, we made the decision to no longer offer certain manufacturing capabilities in the Americas. In connection with that decision, we assessed the facility and equipment assets used in those manufacturing capabilities and recorded $1.1 million of impairment charges as a result of that assessment. The asset impairment charges are included in restructuring charges and other costs in the consolidated statement of income.

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See Note 16 to the consolidated financial statements in Part II, Item 8 of this Report for additional information on our restructuring charges.

Inflation, interest rates, disruption in the global economy and financial markets, geopolitical events, tariffs and trade restrictions continue to create uncertainty. However, we are not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require updates to