EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 849869
Filing Year: 2024
Filename: 849869_10-K_2024_0000849869-24-000014.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 1. BUSINESS.
GENERAL
We are a leading manufacturer of sustainable rigid packaging solutions for the world's essential consumer goods products. We had consolidated net sales of approximately $6.0 billion in 2023. Our products are used for a wide variety of end markets and we operate 107 manufacturing plants in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Our products include:
•dispensing and specialty closures for fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden products;
•steel and aluminum containers for pet and human food and general line products; and
•custom designed plastic containers for pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive products.
We are a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of dispensing and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets. Our leadership position in dispensing and specialty closures is a result of our ability to provide customers with market leading innovation and high levels of quality, service and technological support. Our dispensing and specialty closures business provides customers with an extensive variety of innovative dispensing systems and proprietary specialty closures solutions that ensure closure quality and safety, as well as state-of-the-art capping/sealing equipment and detection systems to complement our product offering. We have 44 dispensing and specialty closure manufacturing facilities located in North America, Europe, Asia and South America, from which we serve over 100 countries throughout the world. In addition, we license our technology to four other manufacturers for various international markets that we do not serve directly. For 2023, our dispensing and specialty closures business had net sales of $2.2 billion (approximately 37.1 percent of our consolidated net sales) and income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) of $281.0 million (approximately 45.2 percent of our consolidated EBIT excluding corporate expense).
We are also a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, and in North America we are the largest manufacturer of metal food containers with a unit volume market share in the United States in 2023 of more than half of the market. Our leadership in these markets is driven by our high levels of quality, service and technological support, our low cost producer position, our strong long-term customer relationships and our proximity to customers through our widespread geographic presence. We have 40 metal container manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and Asia, serving over 50 countries throughout the world. Additionally, we believe that we have the most comprehensive equipment capabilities in the industry. For 2023, our metal containers business had net sales of $3.1 billion (approximately 52.4 percent of our consolidated net sales) and EBIT of $287.4 million (approximately 46.3 percent of our consolidated EBIT excluding corporate expense).
Additionally, we are a leading manufacturer and supplier of custom containers in North America for a variety of markets, including the pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive markets. Our success with custom containers is largely due to our demonstrated ability to provide our customers with high levels of quality, service and technological support, along with our value-added design-focused products and our extensive geographic presence with 23 manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada. We produce custom containers from a full range of resin materials and offer a comprehensive array of molding and decorating capabilities. For 2023, our custom containers business had net sales of $626 million (approximately 10.5 percent of our consolidated net sales) and EBIT of $52.8 million (approximately 8.5 percent of our consolidated EBIT excluding corporate expense).
Our customer base includes some of the world’s best-known branded consumer products companies. Our philosophy has been to develop long-term customer relationships by acting in partnership with our customers by providing market leading innovation and reliable quality, service and technological support and utilizing our low cost producer position. The strength of our customer relationships is evidenced by our large number of multi-year supply arrangements, our high retention of customers’ business and our continued recognition from customers, as demonstrated by the many quality and service awards we have received. We estimate that in 2024 approximately 90 percent of our projected metal container sales and a majority of our projected dispensing and specialty closures and custom container sales will be under multi-year customer supply arrangements.
Our objective is to increase shareholder value by efficiently deploying capital and management resources to grow our business through acquisitions and organically, reduce operating costs and build sustainable competitive positions, or franchises. We believe that we will accomplish this goal because of our leading market positions and management expertise in acquiring, financing, integrating and efficiently operating consumer goods packaging businesses.
OUR HISTORY
We are a Delaware corporation. We were founded in 1987 by R. Philip Silver and D. Greg Horrigan. Since our inception, we have acquired forty businesses. Through acquisitions and organic growth, we have become a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of dispensing and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets, with net sales for the dispensing and specialty closures business of $2.2 billion in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 12.6 percent since our acquisition of the White Cap closures operations in the United States in 2003. As a result of the benefits of acquisitions and organic growth, we have become a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, with net sales for the metal containers business of $3.1 billion in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.2 percent since 1987, and have increased our overall share of the metal food container market in the United States from approximately ten percent in 1987 to more than half of the market in 2023. We have also grown our market position in the custom container business since 1987, with net sales for the custom container business increasing to $626.0 million in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.6 percent over that period. The following chart shows our acquisitions since our inception:
Acquired Business Year Products
Nestlé Food Company’s metal container manufacturing division
1987 Metal food containers
Monsanto Company’s custom container business 1987 Custom containers
Fort Madison Can Company of The Dial Corporation
1988 Metal food containers
Seaboard Carton Division of Nestlé Food Company
1988 Paperboard containers
Aim Packaging, Inc. 1989 Custom containers
Fortune Plastics Inc. 1989 Custom containers
Express Plastic Containers Limited 1989 Custom containers
Amoco Container Company 1989 Custom containers
Del Monte Corporation’s U.S. can manufacturing operations
1993 Metal food containers
Food Metal and Specialty business of American National Can Company
1995 Metal food containers and
metal closures
Finger Lakes Packaging Company, Inc., a subsidiary of Birds Eye Foods, Inc.
1996 Metal food containers
Alcoa Inc.’s North American aluminum roll-on closures business
1997 Aluminum roll-on closures
Rexam PLC’s North American custom container business 1997 Custom containers and plastic closures
Winn Packaging Co. 1998 Custom containers
Campbell Soup Company’s steel container manufacturing business
1998 Metal food containers
Clearplass Containers, Inc. 1998 Custom containers
RXI Holdings, Inc. 2000 Custom containers and plastic closures, caps, sifters and fitments
Thatcher Tubes LLC 2003 Custom containers
Amcor White Cap, LLC 2003 Metal, composite and plastic closures
Acquired Business Year Products
Pacific Coast Producers’ can manufacturing operations
2003 Metal food containers
Amcor White Cap (Europe, Asia and South America)
2006 - 2008 Metal, composite and plastic closures
Cousins-Currie Limited 2006 Custom containers
Grup Vemsa 1857, S.L.’s metal closures operations in Spain and China 2008 Metal closures
IPEC Global, Inc. and its subsidiaries 2010 Plastic closures
Vogel & Noot Holding AG’s metal container operations 2011 Metal containers
DGS S.A.’s twist-off metal closures operations 2011 Metal closures
Nestlé Purina PetCare’s metal container manufacturing operations
2011 Metal containers
Öntaş Öner Teneke Ambalaj Sanayi
ve Ticaret A.S.
2012 Metal containers and metal closures
Rexam High Barrier Food Containers, Inc., Rexam PLC’s thermoformed food container operations 2012 Thermoformed food containers
Amcor Packaging (Australia) Pty Ltd's metal closures operations in Australia 2013 Metal closures
Portola Packaging, Inc. and its subsidiaries 2013 Plastic closures
Tecnocap S.p.A.'s and Tecnocap LLC's metal closures operations in the U.S. 2013 Metal closures
Van Can Company's metal container manufacturing assets
2014 Metal containers
Injected Plastics Co.'s plastic closures operations
2015 Plastic closures
WestRock Company's dispensing and specialty closures business 2017 Dispensing and specialty closures
Cobra Plastics, Inc. 2020 Plastic and specialty closures
Albéa Group's dispensing operations 2020 Dispensing systems and specialty closures
Gateway Plastics LLC 2021 Dispensing systems and specialty closures
Unicep Packaging LLC 2021 Precision dosing dispensing systems
Easytech Closures S.p.A. 2021 Easy-open and sanitary metal ends
OUR STRATEGY
We intend to enhance our position as a leading manufacturer and supplier of consumer goods packaging products by continuing to aggressively pursue a strategy designed to achieve future growth and increase shareholder value by focusing on the following key elements:
SUPPLY “BEST VALUE” PACKAGING PRODUCTS WITH HIGH LEVELS OF QUALITY, SERVICE AND TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT
Since our inception, we have been, and intend to continue to be, devoted to consistently supplying our sustainable rigid packaging products with the combination of quality, price and service that our customers consider to be “best value.” In our dispensing and specialty closures business, we emphasize market leading innovation and high levels of quality, service and technological support. We believe our dispensing and specialty closures business is the premier innovative dispensing and specialty closures solutions provider to the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets. We manufacture throughout the world a wide range of highly engineered dispensing systems for fragrance and beauty, personal and health care, home care, lawn and garden and food products. We also offer customers an extensive variety of metal and plastic specialty closures for food and beverage products, as well as proprietary equipment solutions such as cap feeders, capping/sealing equipment and detection systems, to ensure high quality package safety. In our metal containers business, we focus on providing high quality and high levels of service and utilizing our low cost producer position to supply our customers with metal containers, which are infinitely recyclable and one of the most recycled packages in the world. We have made and are continuing to make significant capital investments to enhance the competitive advantages of metal containers, and we offer our customers value-added features such as our family of Quick Top® easy-open ends for our metal food containers, shaped metal food containers and alternative color offerings for metal food containers as well as a more sustainable solution for their packaging needs. In our custom containers business, we provide high levels of quality and service and focus on value-added, custom designed containers to meet changing product and packaging demands of our customers. We believe that we are one of the few businesses that can custom design, manufacture and decorate a wide variety of custom containers, providing the customer with the ability to satisfy more of its packaging needs for custom containers through one supplier. We will continue to supply customized products that can be delivered quickly to our customers with superior levels of design, development and technological support. We also have made and continue to make strategic investments to enhance the competitive position of our custom containers business.
MAINTAIN LOW COST PRODUCER POSITION
We will continue pursuing opportunities to strengthen our low cost position in our businesses by:
•maintaining a flat, efficient organizational structure, resulting in low selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of consolidated net sales;
•achieving and maintaining economies of scale;
•prudently investing in new technologies to increase manufacturing and production efficiency;
•rationalizing our existing plant structure; and
•serving our customers from our strategically located plants.
Through our dispensing and specialty closures facilities, we manufacture an extensive variety of highly engineered dispensing systems and metal and plastic specialty closures for the food, beverage, health care, garden, home, personal care, fragrance and beauty industries throughout the world utilizing state-of-the-art technology and equipment, and we also provide customers for our specialty closures with state-of-the-art capping/sealing equipment and detection systems. Through our metal container facilities, we believe that we provide the most comprehensive manufacturing capabilities in the industry. Through our custom container facilities, we have the capacity to manufacture customized products across the entire spectrum of resin materials, decorating techniques and molding processes required by our customers. We intend to leverage our manufacturing, design and engineering capabilities to continue to create cost-effective manufacturing systems that will drive our improvements in product quality, operating efficiency and customer support.
In late 2023, we announced a comprehensive cost reduction initiative to achieve $50 million of cost savings over the next two years from footprint rationalizations and other cost reduction actions in all of our businesses. As part of this initiative, we have already closed two dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities and one metal container manufacturing facility to date, relocating volumes from such facilities to other facilities, and we have
announced the closing of an additional metal container manufacturing facility and a custom container manufacturing facility from which volumes will be relocated to other facilities.
MAINTAIN AN OPTIMAL CAPITAL STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT GROWTH AND INCREASE SHAREHOLDER VALUE
Our financial strategy is to use reasonable leverage to support our growth and increase shareholder returns. Our stable and predictable cash flow, generated largely as a result of our long-term customer relationships and generally recession resistant business, supports our financial strategy. We intend to continue using reasonable leverage, supported by our stable cash flows, to make value enhancing acquisitions. In determining reasonable leverage, we evaluate our cost of capital and manage our level of debt to maintain an optimal cost of capital based on current market conditions. If acquisition opportunities are not identified over a long period of time, we may use our cash flow to repay debt, repurchase shares of our common stock or increase dividends to our stockholders or for other permitted purposes. In February 2021, we amended our senior secured credit facility, or as amended our Credit Agreement, to provide us with additional flexibility to, among other things, issue new senior secured notes, and we issued $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 1.4% Senior Secured Notes due 2026, or the 1.4% Notes, and used the proceeds therefrom to prepay $500.0 million of outstanding term loans under our Credit Agreement. In September and October 2021, we funded the purchase price for each of Gateway Plastics LLC, or Silgan Specialty Packaging, Unicep Packaging LLC, or Silgan Unicep, and Easytech Closures S.p.A., or Easytech, with revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement. In November 2021, we further amended our Credit Agreement to extend maturity dates by more than three years, increase our revolving loan facility from $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, borrow $1.0 billion in new term loans to refinance outstanding term and revolving loans under our Credit Agreement that were used to fund the three acquisitions completed in 2021 and the acquisition of the dispensing operations of the Albéa Group, or the Albéa Dispensing Business, in 2020, and provide us with additional flexibility with regard to our strategic initiatives. In March 2022, we redeemed all $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of our outstanding 4¾% Senior Notes due 2025, or the 4¾% Notes, with revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement and cash on hand. You should also read Notes 3 and 9 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
EXPAND THROUGH ACQUISITIONS AND ORGANIC GROWTH
We intend to continue to increase our market share in our current markets and related markets through acquisitions and organic growth. We use a disciplined approach to make acquisitions and investments that generate attractive cash returns. As a result, we expect to continue to expand and diversify our customer base, geographic presence and product lines. This strategy has enabled us to increase our net sales and EBIT since our founding.
With our acquisitions of the dispensing systems operations of WestRock Company, now operating under the name Silgan Dispensing Systems, the Albéa Dispensing Business, Silgan Specialty Packaging and Silgan Unicep and through organic growth, we established ourselves as a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of dispensing systems and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets. Since 2003, following our acquisition of the White Cap closures operations in the United States, net sales of our dispensing and specialty closures business have increased to $2.2 billion in 2023 as a result of acquisitions and organic growth, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 12.6 percent over that period. We intend to pursue further acquisition opportunities in the dispensing and specialty closures markets, including in dispensing systems, or in adjacent markets, such as our acquisitions of Silgan Specialty Packaging and Silgan Unicep. Additionally, we expect to continue to generate organic growth in our dispensing and specialty closures business, particularly in dispensing systems. In making investments to pursue organic growth, we use a disciplined approach to generate attractive cash returns.
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, primarily as a result of our acquisitions but also as a result of growth with existing customers. During the past 35 years, the metal food container market in North America has experienced significant consolidation primarily due to the desire by food processors to reduce costs and focus resources on their core operations rather than self-manufacture their metal food containers. Our acquisitions of the metal food container manufacturing operations of Nestlé Food Company, The Dial Corporation, or Dial, Del Monte Corporation, or Del Monte, Birds Eye Foods, Inc., or Birds Eye, Campbell Soup Company, or Campbell, Pacific Coast Producers, or Pacific Coast, and Nestlé Purina PetCare's steel container self-manufacturing assets, or Purina Steel Can, reflect this trend. We estimate that approximately ten percent of the market for metal food containers in the United States is still served by self-manufacturers.
We have expanded our metal containers business and increased our market share of metal containers primarily through acquisitions and growth with existing customers with net sales increasing to $3.1 billion in 2023,
representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.2 percent since 1987. We have also made, and are continuing to make, significant capital investments in our metal containers business to enhance our business and the competitive advantages of metal packaging for food, and we offer our customers value-added features such as our family of Quick Top® easy-open ends for metal food containers, shaped metal food containers and alternative color offerings for metal food containers as well as a more sustainable solution for their packaging needs. In 2023, approximately 70 percent of our metal food containers sold had an easy-open end.
We have grown our market position for our custom containers business since 1987, with net sales increasing to $626.0 million in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.6 percent over that period. We achieved this improvement primarily through strategic acquisitions as well as through organic growth. The custom containers segment of the consumer goods packaging industry continues to be highly fragmented, and we may pursue further acquisition opportunities in this market. We also expect to continue to generate organic growth in our custom containers business. As with acquisitions, we use a disciplined approach to pursue organic growth to generate attractive cash returns. Through a combination of these efforts, we intend to continue to expand our customer base in the markets that we serve, such as the pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive markets.
ENHANCE PROFITABILITY THROUGH PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS AND COST REDUCTIONS
We intend to continue to enhance profitability through investment of capital for productivity improvements, manufacturing efficiencies, manufacturing cost reductions, and the optimization of our manufacturing facilities footprints. The additional sales and production capacity provided through acquisitions and investments have enabled us to rationalize plant operations and decrease overhead costs through plant closings and downsizings. From 2018, we have closed four dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities and six metal containers manufacturing facilities in connection with our continuing efforts to streamline our plant operations, reduce operating costs and better match supply with geographic demand.
We expect that most future acquisitions will continue to enable us to realize manufacturing efficiencies as a result of optimizing production scheduling and other benefits from economies of scale and the elimination of redundant selling and administrative functions. In addition to the benefits realized through the integration of acquired businesses, we have improved and expect to continue to improve the operating performance of our plant facilities by investing capital for productivity improvements, manufacturing efficiencies and manufacturing cost reductions. While we have made some of these investments in certain of our plants, more opportunities still exist throughout our system. We will continue to use a disciplined approach to identify these opportunities to generate attractive cash returns.
In late 2023, we announced a comprehensive cost reduction initiative to achieve $50 million of cost savings over the next two years from footprint rationalizations and other cost reduction actions in all of our businesses. As part of this initiative, we have already closed two dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities and one metal container manufacturing facility to date, relocating volumes from such facilities to other facilities, and we have announced the closing of an additional metal container manufacturing facility and a custom container manufacturing facility from which volumes will be relocated to other facilities.
BUSINESS SEGMENTS
We are a holding company that conducts our business through various operating subsidiaries. We operate three businesses: our dispensing and specialty closures business; our metal containers business; and our custom containers business.
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES-37.1 PERCENT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED NET SALES IN 2023
We are a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of dispensing and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets. Our dispensing and specialty closures business provides customers with an extensive variety of innovative dispensing system solutions, including integrated dispensing packaging solutions, and proprietary metal and plastic specialty closures that ensure closure quality and safety, as well as state-of-the-art capping/sealing equipment and detection systems to complement our specialty closures product offering. We have 44 dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities located in North America, Europe, Asia and South America, from which we serve over 100 countries throughout the world. In addition, we license our technology to four other manufacturers for various markets that we do not serve directly. For 2023, our dispensing and specialty closures business had net sales of $2.2 billion (approximately 37.1 percent of our consolidated net sales) and EBIT of $281.0 million (approximately 45.2 percent of our consolidated EBIT excluding corporate expense). Since 2003, following our acquisition of the White Cap closures operations in the United States, we have grown our dispensing and specialty closures business through acquisitions and organic growth, with net sales increasing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 12.6 percent.
Our dispensing and specialty closures business manufactures dispensing systems for the precision dosing of fragrance and beauty, personal and health care, home care, lawn and garden and food products, such as perfume and other fragrance and beauty products; skin care, lotion, cosmetic, health care nasal spray and other topical application, soap, hair care and other bath and body products; hard surface cleaning, professional cleaning and air and fabric care products; lawn care and other garden products; and condiments and other food products. With our acquisition in 2020 of the Albéa Dispensing Business, we expanded our dispensing systems portfolio, including for highly engineered pumps, sprayers and foam dispensing solutions for the beauty, fragrance and personal care markets. With our acquisition in 2021 of Silgan Specialty Packaging, we further grew our dispensing systems portfolio with integrated dispensing packaging solutions offerings. Our acquisition in 2021 of Silgan Unicep complemented our global dispensing and specialty closures business by expanding and extending our precision dosing capabilities and comprehensive product offering into new and existing markets and broadened our exposure to health care and Point-of-Care diagnostics markets. We also manufacture metal and plastic specialty closures, many of which maintain a vacuum for safety and extended shelf-life purposes, for food and beverage products, such as ready-to-drink teas, sports and enhanced drinks, dairy products, juice drinks, tomato sauce, salsa, pickles, baby food, ketchup and other condiments, preserves, soup, cooking sauces, gravies, fruits and vegetables. We provide customers for our specialty closures with custom formulations of sealing/lining materials, designed either to minimize removal torques and enhance openability of our closures or to maintain sealability of our closures, in each case to meet the unique needs of our customers while also meeting applicable regulatory requirements. We offer our customers an extensive range of decorating options for our dispensing and specialty closures for product differentiation. We also provide customers with sealing/capping equipment and detection systems to complement our specialty closures product offering. As a result of our extensive range of dispensing and specialty closures, our geographic presence and our focus on providing market leading innovation and high levels of quality, service and technological support, we believe that we are uniquely positioned to serve the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets for all of their dispensing and specialty closure needs.
METAL CONTAINERS-52.4 PERCENT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED NET SALES IN 2023
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, and in North America we are the largest manufacturer of metal food containers with a unit volume market share in the United States in 2023 of more than half of the market. Our metal containers business is engaged in the manufacture and sale of steel and aluminum containers that are used primarily by processors and packagers for food products, such as pet food, vegetables and fruits, soup, proteins (e.g., meat, chicken and seafood) and other miscellaneous food products, as well as general line metal containers for products such as promotional products. With our acquisition in 2021 of Easytech, we increased our manufacturing capacity for easy-open ends for metal containers. We have 40 metal container manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and Asia, serving over 50 countries throughout the world. For 2023, our metal containers business had net sales of $3.1 billion (approximately 52.4 percent of our consolidated net sales) and EBIT of $287.4 million (approximately 46.3 percent of our consolidated
EBIT excluding corporate expense). Since 1987, we have grown our metal containers business through acquisitions and organic growth, with net sales increasing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.2 percent. We estimate that approximately 90 percent of our projected metal container sales in 2024 will be pursuant to multi-year customer supply arrangements.
Although metal containers face competition from plastic, paper, glass and composite containers, we believe metal containers are superior to plastic, paper and composite containers in applications where the contents are prepared at high temperatures, or packaged in larger consumer or institutional quantities, or where the long-term storage of the product is desirable while maintaining the product’s quality. In addition, metal containers are one of the most recycled packages in the world and are infinitely recyclable. We also believe that metal containers are generally more desirable than glass containers because metal containers are more durable and less costly to transport. We have increased our market share of metal food containers in the United States primarily through acquisitions and growth with existing customers, and have enhanced our business by focusing on providing customers with high quality, high levels of service, a more sustainable solution for their packaging needs and value-added features such as our family of Quick Top® easy-open ends, shaped metal food containers and alternative color offerings for metal food containers. In addition, we have made and continue to make significant capital investments to enhance the competitive advantages of metal containers for food.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS-10.5 PERCENT OF OUR CONSOLIDATED NET SALES IN 2023
We produce custom containers from a full range of resin materials and offer a comprehensive array of molding and decorating capabilities. We are one of the leading manufacturers of custom designed high density polyethylene, or HDPE, and polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, containers in North America for the markets that we serve. We are also a leading manufacturer in North America of thermoformed barrier and non-barrier bowls and trays for shelf-stable food products. We operate 23 custom container manufacturing facilities in the United States and Canada. For 2023, our custom containers business had net sales of $626.0 million (approximately 10.5 percent of our consolidated net sales) and EBIT of $52.8 million (approximately 8.5 percent of our consolidated EBIT excluding corporate expense). Since 1987, we have improved our market position for our custom containers business, with net sales increasing at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.6 percent.
We manufacture custom designed and stock plastic containers for food and beverage products, including peanut butter, salad dressings, condiments, spices, dairy products and liquor; consumer health and pharmaceutical products, including respiratory products, gastrointestinal products, tablets, antacids, mouthwash and other health and pharmaceutical products; personal care products, including shampoos, conditioners, hand creams, lotions, liquid soap and other cosmetics and toiletries; home care products, including cleaning products; lawn and garden products; and automotive care products. In addition, we manufacture thermoformed barrier and non-barrier bowls and trays for food products, such as pet food and soups and other ready-to-eat meals, as well as thermoformed tubs for food products. We also manufacture plastic closures, caps, sifters and fitments for food and household products, including salad dressings, condiments, peanut butter, spices, liquid margarine, powdered drink mixes and arts and crafts supplies.
Our leading position in the custom container market is largely driven by our rapid response to our customers’ design, development and technology support needs and our value-added, diverse product line. This product line is the result of our ability to produce custom containers from a full range of resin materials using a broad array of manufacturing, molding and decorating capabilities. We also strive to remain current with and, to some extent, anticipate innovations in resin composition and applications and changes in the technology for the manufacturing of custom containers. We benefit from our large scale and nationwide presence, as significant consolidation is occurring in many of our customers’ markets. Through these capabilities, we are well-positioned to serve our customers, who demand customized solutions as they continue to seek innovative means to differentiate their products in the marketplace using packaging.
MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCTION
As is the practice in the industry, most of our customers provide us with periodic estimates of products and quantities pursuant to which commitments are given. These estimates enable us to effectively manage production and control working capital requirements. We schedule our production to meet customers’ requirements. Because the production time for our products is short, the backlog of customer orders in relation to our sales is not material.
As of February 1, 2024, we operated a total of 107 manufacturing facilities in 20 different countries throughout the world that serve the needs of our customers.
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES BUSINESS
We utilize two basic processes to produce dispensing systems and plastic closures. In the compression molded process, pellets of resin are heated, extruded and then compressed to form a shell. The shell can include a molded linerless seal or a custom formulated, compression molded sealing system. The shell can then be slit and printed depending on its end use. In the injection molded process, pellets of resin are heated and injected into a mold, forming either a shell or other dispensing systems component, such as a trigger, decorative shroud, actuator, valve or overcap. The shell can include a molded linerless seal or a custom formulated sealing system. The shell can then be slit and printed depending on its end use. In the case of a dispensing system, the dispensing system components are assembled into the dispensing system and can be printed depending on the end use of the dispensing system.
The manufacturing operations for metal closures include cutting, coating, lithographing, fabricating and lining. We manufacture twist-off, lug style and press-on, twist-off steel closures and aluminum roll-on closures for glass, metal and plastic containers, ranging in size from 18 to 110 millimeters in diameter. We employ state-of-the-art multi-die presses to manufacture metal closures, offering a low-cost, high quality means of production. We also provide customers of our dispensing and specialty closures business with custom formulations of sealing/lining materials, designed to optimize torque removal and enhance the openability of our closures while meeting applicable regulatory requirements.
METAL CONTAINERS BUSINESS
The manufacturing operations of our metal containers business include cutting, coating, lithographing, fabricating, assembling and packaging finished cans. We use three basic processes to produce cans. The first two methods of producing cans start by forming a shallow cup that is then formed into the desired height using either the draw and iron process or the draw and redraw process. Using the draw and redraw process, we manufacture steel and aluminum two-piece cans, the height of which generally does not exceed the diameter. For cans the height of which is greater than the diameter, we manufacture steel two-piece cans by using a drawing and ironing process. The third method is the traditional three-piece method that requires three pieces of flat metal to form a cylindrical body with a welded side seam, a bottom and a top. High integrity of the side seam is assured by the use of sophisticated electronic weld monitors and coatings that are thermally cured by induction and convection processes. We manufacture can bodies and ends from thin, high-strength aluminum alloys and steels by utilizing proprietary tool and die designs and selected can making equipment. We also manufacture our Quick Top® easy-open ends from both steel and aluminum alloys in a sophisticated precision progressive die process. We regularly review our Quick Top® easy-open end designs for improvements for optimum consumer preference through consumer studies and feedback.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS BUSINESS
We utilize two basic processes to produce custom containers. In the extrusion blowmolding process, pellets of resin are heated and extruded into a tube. A two-piece metal mold is then closed around the tube and high pressure air is blown into it causing a bottle to form in the mold’s shape. In the injection and injection stretch blowmolding processes, pellets of resin are heated and injected into a mold, forming a preform. The preform is then blown into a bottle-shaped metal mold, creating a bottle.
Our thermoformed bowls, trays and tubs are manufactured by melting pellets of resin into an extruded sheet. The sheet is then formed in a mold to make the bowl, tray or tub.
We have state-of-the-art decorating equipment, including several of the largest sophisticated decorating facilities in the United States. Our decorating methods for custom containers are in-mold labeling, which applies a plastic film label to the bottle during the blowing process, and post-mold decoration. Post-mold decoration includes:
•silk screen decoration which enables the applications of images in multiple colors to the bottle;
•pressure sensitive decoration which uses a plastic film or paper label with an adhesive;
•heat transfer decoration which uses a coated label applied by heat; and
•shrink sleeve labeling.
RAW MATERIALS
Based upon our existing arrangements with suppliers and our current and anticipated requirements, we believe that we have made adequate provisions for acquiring our raw materials for the foreseeable future. As a result of significant consolidation of suppliers, we are, however, dependent upon a limited number of suppliers for our steel, aluminum, certain resin, coatings and compound raw materials. Increases in the prices of raw materials have generally been passed along to our customers in accordance with our multi-year customer supply arrangements and through general price increases.
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES BUSINESS
We use resins in pellet form, such as homopolymer polypropylene, copolymer polypropylene and HDPE, thermoplastic elastomer lining materials, processing additives and colorants in the manufacture of dispensing systems and plastic closures. We use tinplate and tin free steel (TFS), aluminum, organic coatings, low-metallic inks and pulpboard, plastic and organic lining materials in the manufacture of metal closures. Although no assurances can be given, we believe we have made adequate provisions to purchase sufficient quantities of these raw materials to meet our customers' requirements for the foreseeable future, despite the significant consolidation of suppliers and facility closings by suppliers and absent unforeseen events such as hurricanes or other extreme weather conditions.
Our supply agreements with our dispensing systems and specialty closures customers generally provide for the pass through of changes in our metal and resin costs, subject in many cases with respect to resin to a lag in the timing of such pass through. For our dispensing systems and specialty closures customers without long-term agreements, we have also generally increased prices to pass through increases in our metal and resin costs.
METAL CONTAINERS BUSINESS
We use tinplated and chromium plated steel, aluminum, copper wire, organic coatings, lining compound and inks in the manufacture and decoration of our metal container products. Our material requirements are supplied through agreements and purchase orders with suppliers with whom we have long-term relationships. If our suppliers fail to deliver under their arrangements, we would be forced to purchase raw materials on the open market, and no assurances can be given that we would be able to purchase such raw materials or, if we are so able, that we would be able to purchase such raw materials at comparable prices or terms. Although there has been significant consolidation of suppliers and facility closings by suppliers, we believe that we have made adequate provisions to purchase sufficient quantities of these raw materials to meet our customers' requirements for the foreseeable future.
Our metal container supply agreements with our customers provide for the pass through of changes in our metal costs. For our metal container customers without long-term agreements, we have also generally increased prices to pass through increases in our metal costs.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS BUSINESS
The raw materials we use in our custom containers business are primarily resins in pellet form such as virgin HDPE, virgin PET, recycled HDPE, recycled PET, polypropylene and, to a lesser extent, low and medium density polyethylene. Our resin requirements are acquired through multi-year arrangements for specific quantities of resins with several major suppliers of resins. The price that we pay for resin raw materials is not fixed and is subject to market pricing, which has fluctuated significantly in the past few years. Our custom container supply agreements with our customers provide for the pass through of changes in our resin costs, subject in many cases to a short lag in the timing of such pass through. For our custom container customers without long-term agreements, we have also generally increased prices to pass through increases in our resin costs.
We believe that we have made adequate provisions to purchase sufficient quantities of resins to meet our customers' requirements for the foreseeable future, absent unforeseen events such as significant hurricanes or other extreme weather conditions.
SALES AND MARKETING
Our philosophy has been to develop long-term customer relationships by acting in partnership with our customers, providing reliable quality and service. We market our products primarily by a direct sales force, including manufacturer's representatives, and for our custom containers business, in part, through a network of distributors. Because of the high cost of transporting empty containers, our metal containers business generally sells to customers within a 300 mile radius of its manufacturing plants.
Approximately 13 percent, 13 percent and 12 percent of our consolidated net sales were to Nestlé in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. No other customer accounted for more than 10 percent of our total consolidated net sales during those years.
You should also read “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Business, Operations and Certain Financial Matters-We face competition from many companies and we may lose sales or experience lower margins on sales as a result of such competition” included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES BUSINESS
We are a leading worldwide manufacturer and supplier of dispensing systems and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets. We have 44 dispensing and specialty closure manufacturing facilities located in North America, Europe, Asia and South America, from which we serve over 100 countries throughout the world.
Our largest customers of our dispensing and specialty closures business include Campbell, The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Dairy Farmers of America, Estée Lauder Companies, Inter Parfums Holdings, S.A., The Kraft Heinz Company, or Kraft Heinz, L'Oréal S.A., LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Mizkan Holdings Co., Ltd., Molson Coors Brewing Company, Mt. Olive Pickle Company, Inc., Natura & Co., Nestlé S.A., or Nestlé, O Boticário, PepsiCo Inc., Prime Hydration, LLC, The Procter & Gamble Company, Puig, S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc., The Scotts Company LLC, Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., STADA Arzneimittel AG, and Unilever, plc. We have multi-year supply arrangements with many of our customers in the United States. Outside of the United States, the dispensing and specialty closures business has had long-term relationships with most of its customers. While we have multi-year supply arrangements with some of our dispensing and specialty closures customers outside of the United States, as is common practice, many supply arrangements with customers outside of the United States are negotiated on a year-by-year basis.
In addition, we license our technology to four other manufacturers who supply products in Israel, South Korea, South Africa, the Indian Ocean Islands, the Philippines and Thailand.
METAL CONTAINERS BUSINESS
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, and in North America we are the largest manufacturer of metal food containers with a unit volume market share in the United States in 2023 of more than half of the market. We have 40 metal containers manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and Asia, serving over 50 countries throughout the world. Our largest customers for these products include Campbell, Conagra Brands, Inc., Del Monte, Eagle Family Foods Group LLC, General Mills, Inc., Goya Foods, Inc., Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation, Kraft Heinz, Mars, Incorporated, Nestlé, Nortera Foods Inc., O-AT-KA Milk Products, LLC, Pacific Coast, Stanislaus Food Products Company, Thai Union Group and Tony Downs Foods Co.
We have entered into multi-year supply arrangements with most of our customers for our metal containers business. We estimate that approximately 90 percent of our projected metal container sales in 2024 will be pursuant to multi-year customer supply arrangements. Historically, we have been successful in continuing these multi-year customer supply arrangements. In Europe, our metal containers business has had long-term relationships with many of its customers, although, as is common practice, many supply arrangements are negotiated on a year-by-year basis.
Since our inception in 1987, we have supplied Nestlé with substantially all of its U.S. metal food container requirements. Our net sales of metal food containers to Nestlé in North America and Europe in 2023 were $671.7 million. We also supply Nestlé with dispensing solutions and metal and plastic closures in North America and Europe and plastic containers in North America. In 2018, we entered into long-term supply agreements with Nestlé that run through 2025 for the supply of all of Nestlé’s North American metal food container requirements for pet food and other food products and to support growth initiatives of Nestlé. These long-term supply agreements replaced
previous supply agreements with Nestlé. Each of these long-term supply agreements provide for certain prices and specify that those prices will be increased or decreased based upon price change formulas.
Our metal containers business’ sales and income from operations are dependent, in part, upon the vegetable and fruit harvests in the midwest and western regions of the United States and, to a lesser extent, in a variety of national growing regions in Europe. The size and quality of these harvests varies from year to year, depending in large part upon the weather conditions in those regions. Because of the seasonality of the harvests, we have historically experienced higher unit sales volume in the third quarter of our fiscal year and generated a disproportionate amount of our annual income from operations during that quarter. You should also read “Risk Factors-Risks Related to Business, Operations and Certain Financial Matters-The seasonality of the fruit and vegetable packing industry causes us to incur short-term debt” included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS BUSINESS
We are one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of custom designed and stock plastic containers sold in North America for a variety of markets, including the pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive markets. We are also a leading manufacturer and supplier in North America of thermoformed barrier and non-barrier bowls and trays for shelf-stable food products and pet food products. We market our custom containers in most areas of North America through a direct sales force and a large network of distributors. We also market certain stock plastic containers through an on-line shopping catalog.
Our largest customers for our custom containers business include Badia Spices Inc., Berlin Packaging LLC, Conagra Brands, Inc., General Mills, Inc., Kraft Heinz, Lactalis Canada Inc., Mars, Incorporated, McCormick & Company, Incorporated, Nice-Pak Products, Inc., Perrigo Company plc, The Procter & Gamble Company, The Scotts Company LLC, TricorBraun, Inc. and Winland Foods, Inc.
We have arrangements to sell some of our custom containers to distributors, who in turn resell those products primarily to regional customers. Custom containers sold to distributors are generally manufactured by using generic and custom molds with decoration added to meet the end users’ requirements. The distributors’ warehouses and their sales personnel enable us to market and inventory a wide range of such products to a variety of customers.
We have multi-year supply arrangements with the majority of our customers for our custom containers business. In addition, many of our supply arrangements with our customers are for custom containers made from proprietary molds.
COMPETITION
The packaging industry is highly competitive. We compete in this industry with manufacturers of similar and other types of packaging, as well as fillers, food processors and packers who manufacture containers for their own use and for sale to others. We attempt to compete effectively through the quality of our products, competitive pricing and our ability to meet customer requirements for delivery, performance and technical assistance.
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES BUSINESS
Our dispensing and specialty closures business competes primarily with AptarGroup, Inc., Bericap Holding GmbH, Berry Global Group, Inc., Closures Systems International, Inc., Crown Holdings, Inc., Eviosys Packaging Switzerland GmbH, Guala Dispensing Mexico, S.A. de C.V., Massilly Holding SAS and Tecnocap S.p.A. With our ability to manufacture an extensive range of dispensing systems and specialty closures that ensure closure quality and safety, as well as state-of-the-art capping/sealing equipment and detection systems to complement our specialty closures product offering, and our global presence, we believe we are uniquely positioned to serve the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden product companies for all of their dispensing and specialty closure needs.
METAL CONTAINERS BUSINESS
Of the commercial metal container manufacturers, Crown Holdings, Inc., Eviosys Packaging Switzerland GmbH, Sonoco Products Company and Trivium Packaging are our most significant competitors. Our competitors also include other regional suppliers. As an alternative to purchasing containers from commercial can manufacturers, customers have the ability to invest in equipment to self-manufacture their containers. Additionally,
customers can choose to use other types of packaging for their products, such as plastic, paper, glass and composite containers.
Because of the high cost of transporting empty containers, our metal containers business generally sells to customers within a 300 mile radius of its manufacturing plants. Strategically located existing plants give us an advantage over competitors from other areas, but we could be potentially disadvantaged by the relocation of a major customer.
Although metal containers face competition from plastic, paper, glass and composite containers, we believe that metal containers are superior to plastic, composite and paper containers in applications, where the contents are prepared at high temperatures or packaged in larger consumer or institutional quantities or where long-term storage of the product is desirable while maintaining the product’s quality. We also believe that metal containers are more desirable generally than glass containers because metal containers are more durable and less costly to transport. In addition, metal containers are one of the most recycled packages in the world and are infinitely recyclable.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS BUSINESS
Our custom containers business competes with a number of large national and global producers of custom containers for the pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive markets. These competitors include Alpla-Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co. KG, Amcor plc, Berry Global Group, Inc., Cebal Americas, Altium Packaging LLC, Graham Packaging Company, Plastipak Holdings, Inc. and Pretium Packaging LLC. In addition to our rapid response to our customers’ design, development and technology support needs and our value-added, diverse product line, we strive to remain current with and, to some extent, anticipate innovations in resin composition and applications and changes in the technology for the manufacturing of custom containers and closures.
SILGAN TEAM
As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 3,600 salaried and 10,800 hourly employees on a full-time basis. Approximately 33 percent of our hourly plant employees in the United States and Canada as of that date were represented by a variety of unions, and most of our hourly employees in Europe, Asia, South America and Central America were represented by a variety of unions or other labor organizations. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, Campbell provided us with approximately 120 hourly employees on a full-time basis at one of the facilities that we lease from Campbell.
Our labor contracts expire at various times between 2024 and 2026. As of December 31, 2023, contracts covering approximately 13 percent of our hourly employees in the United States and Canada will expire during 2024. We expect no significant changes in our relations with these unions.
We believe our success is a result of our unrelenting focus on our core strategies and mission statement principles, which have been consistent since our founding and are captured in our mission statement. We focus on meeting the unique needs of our customers, pursuing growth where we have a competitive advantage and responding where we do not. Critical to our success are the contributions and efforts of the entire Silgan team who meet this challenge to compete and win in the markets we serve. Accordingly, investing in our people is vital for us. At each of our locations, we provide competitive compensation and benefits and strive to provide a safe, rewarding, diverse and inclusive workplace for our employees. The safety of our entire team is a top priority for us, as evidenced by our industry leading, low lost time incident and recordable rates.
GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS
We are subject to federal, foreign, state and local governmental laws and regulations, including environmental laws and regulations and health and safety related laws and regulations.
In general, environmental laws and regulations limit the discharge of pollutants into the environment and establish standards for the treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous waste. We believe that we are either in compliance in all material respects with all presently applicable environmental laws and regulations or are operating in accordance with appropriate variances, schedules under compliance orders or similar arrangements.
In addition to costs associated with regulatory compliance, we may be held liable for alleged environmental damage associated with the past disposal of hazardous substances. Those that generate hazardous substances that are disposed of at sites at which environmental problems are alleged to exist, as well as the owners of those sites and other classes of persons, are subject to claims for clean-up and natural resource damages under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, or CERCLA, regardless of fault or the legality of the original disposal. CERCLA and many similar state and foreign statutes may hold a responsible party liable for the entire clean-up cost at a particular site even though that party may not have caused the entire problem. Other state statutes may impose proportionate rather than joint and several liability. The federal Environmental Protection Agency or a state or foreign agency may also issue orders requiring responsible parties to undertake removal or remedial actions at sites.
We are subject to the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other federal, foreign, state and local laws regulating noise exposure levels and other safety and health concerns in the production areas of our plants.
While management does not believe that any of the regulatory matters described above, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material effect on our capital expenditures, earnings, financial position or competitive position, we cannot assure you that a material environmental or other regulatory claim will not arise in the future.
RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Our research, product development and product engineering efforts relating to our dispensing and specialty closures business are conducted at our research facilities in Downers Grove, Illinois, Grandview, Missouri, Spokane, Washington, Mequon, Wisconsin, Hannover, Germany and Waalwijk, Netherlands. Our research, product development and product engineering efforts relating to our metal containers business are conducted at our research facilities in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Our research, product development and product engineering efforts with respect to our custom containers business are performed by our manufacturing and engineering personnel located at our custom containers manufacturing facilities. In addition to research, product development and product engineering, these sites also provide technical support to our customers. The amounts we have spent on research and development during the last three fiscal years are not material.
We rely on a combination of patents, trade secrets, unpatented know-how, technological innovation, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, nondisclosure agreements and other protective measures to protect our intellectual property. We do not believe that any individual item of our intellectual property portfolio is material to our business. We employ various methods, including confidentiality agreements and nondisclosure agreements, with third parties, employees and consultants to protect our trade secrets and know-how. However, others could obtain knowledge of our trade secrets and know-how through independent development or other means.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
We file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. The SEC maintains a website that contains annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information that issuers (including the Company) file electronically with the SEC. The Internet address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.
We maintain a website, the Internet address of which is http://www.silganholdings.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report. We make available free of charge on or through our website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K (and any amendments to those reports) and Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed on behalf of our directors and executive officers as soon as reasonably practicable after such documents are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.
The following are certain risk factors that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently view as immaterial may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
RISKS RELATED TO BUSINESS, OPERATIONS AND CERTAIN FINANCIAL MATTERS
WE FACE COMPETITION FROM MANY COMPANIES AND WE MAY LOSE SALES OR EXPERIENCE LOWER MARGINS ON SALES AS A RESULT OF SUCH COMPETITION.
The manufacture and sale of dispensing and specialty closures, metal containers and custom containers is highly competitive. We compete with other manufacturers of these products and manufacturers of alternative packaging products, as well as packaged goods companies who manufacture closures and containers for their own use and for sale to others. We compete primarily on the basis of price, quality and service. To the extent that any of our competitors is able to offer better prices, quality and/or services, we could lose customers and our sales and margins may decline.
In 2023, approximately 90 percent of our metal container sales and a majority of our dispensing and specialty closures and custom container sales were pursuant to multi-year supply arrangements. Although no assurances can be given, we have been successful historically in continuing these multi-year customer supply arrangements. Additionally, in general, many of these arrangements provide that during the term the customer may receive competitive proposals for all or up to a portion of the products we furnish to the customer. We have the right to retain the business subject to the terms and conditions of the competitive proposal. If we match a competitive proposal, it may result in reduced sales prices for the products that are the subject of the proposal. If we choose not to match a competitive proposal, we may lose the sales that were the subject of the proposal. Moreover, due to our fixed costs, we may be unable to maintain our margins at past levels if we are not able to achieve capacity utilization rates similar to prior periods in our manufacturing facilities.
The loss of any major customer, a significant reduction in the purchasing levels of any major customer, whether due to competition, inventory destocking, weather related events or any other reason, or a significant adverse change in the terms of our supply agreement with any major customer could adversely affect our results of operations.
DEMAND FOR OUR PRODUCTS COULD BE AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO FOOD AND BEVERAGES AND CHANGES IN CONSUMER PREFERENCES.
We manufacture and sell sustainable rigid packaging solutions for consumer goods products. Many of our products are used to package food and beverages, and therefore they come into direct contact with these products. Accordingly, such products must comply with various laws and regulations for food and beverages applicable to our customers. Changes in such laws and regulations could negatively impact our customers’ demand for our products as they comply with such changes and/or require us to make changes to our products. Additionally, because our products are used to package consumer goods, we are subject to a variety of risks that could influence consumer behavior and negatively impact demand for our products, including changes in consumer preferences driven by various health-related and environmental concerns and perceptions. For example, due largely to changes in consumer preferences, we changed the coatings and compounds in most of our metal closure and metal container products to not intentionally include bisphenol A in such coatings and compounds, resulting in additional costs. In addition, some U.S. states have passed or are contemplating legislation restricting, and the European Union is reviewing a proposal to restrict, the use of materials that contain per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which may require us to incur costs to modify our products in order to comply with these requirements.
OUR FINANCIAL RESULTS COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES OF RAW MATERIALS OR MAINTAIN OUR ABILITY TO PASS RAW MATERIAL PRICE INCREASES THROUGH TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
We purchase steel, aluminum, plastic resins and other raw materials from various suppliers. Sufficient quantities of these raw materials may not be available in the future, whether due to reductions in capacity because of, among other things, significant consolidation of, and facility closings by, suppliers, increased demand in excess of available supply, unforeseen events such as significant hurricanes and other extreme weather conditions or natural disasters, government imposed quotas, pandemics, political unrest and instability or other reasons. Temporary industry-wide shortages of certain raw materials have occurred in the past and can lead to increased raw material prices. In addition, such materials are subject to price fluctuations due to a number of factors, including
increases in demand or decreases in availability for such raw materials, the availability of other substitute materials, tariffs, increases in the frequency, severity or duration of extreme weather-related events, other supply chain challenges and general economic conditions, all of which are beyond our control.
Over the last few years, there has been significant consolidation of suppliers of steel worldwide. In addition, tariffs, quotas and court cases have negatively impacted the ability and desire of steel suppliers to competitively supply steel outside of their countries. The United States has imposed tariffs and quotas on steel supply into the United States from certain foreign countries, which has increased the cost of steel imported into the United States as well as ultimately steel manufactured in the United States. Additionally, exemptions from tariffs granted by the United States have been inconsistent and unpredictable. In Europe, quotas on foreign steel supply have negatively impacted the ability of foreign steel suppliers to supply steel into Europe. Additional tariffs and/or quotas or other limitations on steel supply could further negatively impact the ability and desire of steel suppliers to competitively supply steel outside of their countries. Our metal container and metal closures supply agreements with our customers provide for the pass through of changes in our metal costs. For our customers without long-term agreements, we also generally increase prices to pass through increases in our metal costs. However, the impact of tariffs and quotas could create volatility in the applicable markets and therefore create challenges for us and our customers in passing through costs related to such tariffs and quotas.
Our resin requirements are primarily acquired through multi-year arrangements for specific quantities of resins with several major suppliers of resins. The prices that we pay for resins are not fixed and are subject to market pricing, which has fluctuated significantly in the past few years. Our dispensing and specialty closures and custom containers supply agreements with our customers generally provide for the pass through of changes in resin costs, subject in many cases to a lag in the timing of such pass through. For customers without long-term agreements, we also generally increase prices to pass through increases in our resin costs.
Although no assurances can be given, we expect to be able to purchase sufficient quantities of raw materials to timely meet all of our customers’ requirements in 2024. Additionally, although no assurances can be given, we generally have been able to pass raw material cost increases through to our customers. The loss of our ability to pass those cost increases through to our customers or the inability of our suppliers to meet our raw material requirements, however, could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
GLOBAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, DISRUPTIONS IN CREDIT MARKETS AND IN MARKETS GENERALLY AND THE INSTABILITY OF THE EURO COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR BUSINESS, FINANCIAL CONDITION OR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
The global financial markets have experienced substantial disruption, including, among other things, volatility in securities prices, bank failures, diminished liquidity and credit availability, rating downgrades of certain investments and declining valuations of others. Additionally, the global economy has experienced recessions, and economic uncertainty is generally continuing worldwide. Most recently, global markets have experienced significant inflation which created greater economic uncertainty, particularly as banking authorities have increased interest rates to combat inflation. Our interest and other debt expense before loss on early extinguishment of debt was $47.0 million higher in 2023 than in 2022 primarily due to the impact of higher interest rates. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to obtain additional financing in the future, including on terms satisfactory to us, could be adversely affected due to, among other risks we face, any such economic conditions, disruptions of the global financial markets or of markets generally or tightening of credit in the financial markets.
Economic conditions and disruptions in the credit markets and in markets generally could also harm the liquidity or financial position of our customers or suppliers, which could in turn cause such parties to fail to meet their contractual or other obligations to us or reduce our customers’ purchases from us, any of which could negatively affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. Additionally, under such circumstances, the creditworthiness of the counterparties to our interest rate and commodity pricing transactions could deteriorate, thereby increasing the risk that such counterparties fail to meet their contractual obligations to us.
Global markets are also susceptible to other disruptions and resulting negative impacts from other occurrences and events, such as pandemics and contagious diseases like COVID-19 and conflicts in parts of the world, which could negatively affect global markets and the global economy. Such occurrences and events could cause or require us, our suppliers or our customers to temporarily suspend operations in affected regions, otherwise disrupt or affect our, our suppliers’ or our customers’ operations or businesses, disrupt supply chains and logistics, commerce and travel, or cause an economic downturn or otherwise negatively impact consumer behavior and demand. Although our businesses experienced significant demand increases for many of our products in 2020 and
2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, any such occurrences, events or disruptions could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Beginning in 2021, a number of industries have generally experienced supply chain challenges, which in many cases have resulted in longer lead times and additional costs. These supply chain challenges have been due to a variety of events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, labor supply issues and, most recently, the current conflict in the Middle East. Our businesses were impacted by these supply chain challenges in 2021 and, to a lesser extent, in 2022. As a result, we incurred additional costs that impacted our results of operations and experienced longer lead times for certain equipment purchases. Additionally, many of our customers and suppliers were impacted by these supply chain challenges, which negatively impacted our businesses. Continued supply chain challenges or additional supply chain challenges would impact our businesses and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition or results of operations.
A SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN NORMAL CROP YIELD MAY REDUCE DEMAND FOR OUR METAL CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES FOR FOOD PRODUCTS.
Our metal containers business is dependent, in part, upon the vegetable and fruit harvests in the midwest and western regions of the United States and, to a lesser extent, in a variety of national growing regions in Europe. Our dispensing and specialty closures business is also dependent, in part, upon the vegetable and fruit harvests. The size and quality of these harvests varies from year to year, depending in large part upon the weather conditions in applicable regions, and our results of operations could be impacted accordingly. Additionally, climate change and the increasing frequency, severity or duration of extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes, unexpected freezing weather conditions, wildfires, flooding, tornadoes and droughts, could adversely affect these harvests and cause us to incur additional costs to prepare for, respond to and mitigate the effects of such conditions. As a consequence, our results of operations could be negatively impacted. Our sales, income from operations and net income could be materially adversely affected in a year in which crop yields are substantially lower than normal.
THE SEASONALITY OF THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PACKING INDUSTRY CAUSES US TO INCUR SHORT-TERM DEBT.
We sell metal containers and closures used to package fruits and vegetables, which is a seasonal process. As a result, we have historically generated a disproportionate amount of our annual income from operations in our third quarter. Additionally, as is common in the packaging industry, we must access working capital to build inventory ahead of the fruit and vegetable packing process. We also provide extended payment terms to some of our customers due to the seasonality of the fruit and vegetable packing process and, accordingly, carry accounts receivable for some customers beyond the end of the packing season. Due to our seasonal requirements, we may incur short-term indebtedness to finance our working capital requirements.
THE COST OF PRODUCING AND SUPPLYING , AND THE AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PRODUCE AND SUPPLY, OUR PRODUCTS MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY VARIOUS FACTORS.
The cost of producing and supplying our products is affected by many factors, some of which can be volatile and some of which may be challenging. Most recently, the cost of producing and supplying our products has been impacted by significant inflation in raw materials, energy such as natural gas and electricity, freight and other items necessary to produce and supply our products. We forecast and monitor our energy usage and, from time to time, use commodity futures or swaps to reduce the impact of energy price fluctuations. While we have generally been able to increase our prices to pass through raw material and certain other cost increases, no assurances can be given that we will be able to increase our prices to pass through all cost inflation that we experience, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Many countries, including the United States, have imposed tariffs on imported products from certain other countries, including products and components supplied cross border within a company. Although we engage in limited cross border supply within our businesses, tariffs or quotas imposed on any cross border supplies within our businesses would increase the cost of our products and could adversely impact our results of operations. Additionally, local suppliers tend to increase prices for their products due to the protection offered by tariffs. Any such increases would increase the cost of our products and could adversely impact our results of operations.
In addition, our businesses may be adversely affected by changes in the availability of certain resources that are necessary to produce and supply our products (including electrical power, natural gas, and oil). For example, our businesses rely on a continuous energy supply to conduct their respective operations. If the availability of energy or certain other resources is reduced or interrupted for a significant period of time, our businesses’ ability to
produce and supply our products may be hampered, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Many of our international operations depend on the availability of natural gas. If the current conflict in Russia and Ukraine is not resolved, any further sanctions imposed or actions taken by the United States or other countries, and any retaliatory measures by Russia in response, could affect the price and supply of natural gas throughout Europe, including our facilities in Europe. It is uncertain when conditions will improve, if at all, or whether additional governmental sanctions will be enacted in future periods, and it is not possible to predict the direct and indirect impacts of this evolving situation and its effect on future periods. Such a disruption in the supply of natural gas could impact our ability to continue our operations at such facilities at normal levels and otherwise cause disruptions at our facilities in Europe, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
WE MAY BE UNABLE TO ACHIEVE, OR MAY BE DELAYED IN ACHIEVING, ADEQUATE RETURNS FROM OUR EFFORTS TO OPTIMIZE OUR OPERATIONS, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL CONDITION.
We continually strive to improve our operating performance and further enhance our franchise positions in our businesses through the investment of capital for productivity improvements, manufacturing efficiencies, manufacturing cost reductions and the optimization of our manufacturing facilities footprints. For example, in late 2023 we announced a comprehensive cost reduction initiative to achieve $50 million of cost savings over the next two years from footprint rationalizations and other cost reduction actions in all of our businesses. Our operations include complex manufacturing systems as well as intricate scheduling and numerous geographic and logistical complexities associated with our facilities and our customers’ facilities. Accordingly, our efforts to achieve productivity improvements, manufacturing efficiencies and manufacturing cost reductions and to optimize our manufacturing facilities footprints are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could impact our ability to achieve adequate returns from our efforts as planned. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, completing any such efforts on time and as planned and retaining customers impacted thereby.
IF WE WERE REQUIRED TO WRITE-DOWN ALL OR PART OF OUR GOODWILL OR TRADE NAMES, OUR NET INCOME AND NET WORTH COULD BE MATERIALLY ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
As a result of our acquisitions, we have $2.0 billion of goodwill and $32.1 million of indefinite-lived trade names recorded on our consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2023. We are required to periodically determine if our goodwill and trade names have become impaired, in which case we would write-down the impaired portion. If we were required to write-down all or part of our goodwill or trade names, our net income and net worth could be materially adversely affected.
INCREASED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY THREATS AND MORE SOPHISTICATED AND TARGETED COMPUTER CRIME COULD POSE A RISK TO OUR SYSTEMS, NETWORKS, PRODUCTS, SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES.
In order to conduct our business without interruption, we rely on information technology systems, networks and services, some of which are managed, hosted and provided by third-party service providers. These systems, networks or services could fail on their own accord or may be vulnerable to a variety of interruptions or shutdowns, including interruptions or shutdowns due to cyberattacks or other similar disruptions, natural disasters, power outages, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks or failures during the process of upgrading or replacing software or hardware. Although we have not experienced any material breaches or material losses related to cybersecurity incidents, cyberattacks or other disruptions to date, increased global security threats, employees working remotely more often and more sophisticated and targeted computer crime pose a risk to the security of our systems and networks and those of our third-party service providers and the confidentiality, availability and integrity of our data. Depending on their nature and scope, such threats could potentially lead to adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, the loss of data due to damaged or destroyed servers, the compromise of confidential information, including confidential information relating to our employees and customers, improper use of our systems and networks, manipulation and destruction of data, defective products, our inability to access our systems, production downtimes and operational disruptions, which in turn could adversely affect our reputation, competitiveness and results of operations. A cyberattack or other disruption may also result in a financial loss, including potential fines or other payments for failure to safeguard data.
We have taken steps and incurred costs and continue to take steps and incur costs to further strengthen the security of our computer systems and continue to assess, maintain and enhance the ongoing effectiveness of our information security systems. While we attempt to mitigate these risks by employing a number of measures, including development and implementation of cybersecurity policies and procedures, employee training, comprehensive monitoring of our networks and systems and maintenance of backup and protective systems, our
systems, networks, products, solutions and services remain potentially vulnerable to advanced persistent threats. The techniques used by criminals to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive data change frequently and often are not recognizable until launched against a target or until a breach has already occurred. Accordingly, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures. It is therefore possible that in the future we may suffer a criminal attack where unauthorized parties gain access to personal information or other sensitive data in our possession or otherwise disrupt our business, and we may not be able to identify any such incident in a timely manner.
We maintain and have access to data and information that is subject to privacy and security laws, data protection laws and applicable regulations. The interpretation and application of such laws, including federal, state and international laws, relating to the collection, use, retention, disclosure, security and transfer of personally identifiable data in the United States (including but not limited to the California Consumer Privacy Act and other state consumer privacy laws where applicable), Europe (including but not limited to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation) and elsewhere, are uncertain and evolving. Despite our efforts to protect such information, breaches or misplaced or lost data could have a materially adverse impact on our business.
As a result of potential cyberattack threats and existing and new data protection requirements, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur ongoing operating costs as part of our efforts to protect and safeguard our sensitive data and personal information. These efforts also may divert management and employee attention from other business and growth initiatives. A breach in information privacy could result in legal or reputational risks and could have a materially adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR INDEBTEDNESS
OUR INDEBTEDNESS COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR CASH FLOW.
At December 31, 2023, we had $3.44 billion of total consolidated indebtedness. We incurred much of this indebtedness as a result of financing acquisitions and refinancing our previously outstanding debt. In addition, at December 31, 2023, after taking into account outstanding letters of credit of $21.5 million, we had up to $1.48 billion of revolving loans available to be borrowed under our Credit Agreement. We also have available to us under our Credit Agreement an uncommitted multi-currency incremental loan facility in an amount of up to an additional $1.25 billion (which amount may be increased as provided in our Credit Agreement), which may take the form of one or more incremental term loan facilities, increased commitments under our revolving loan facility and/or incremental indebtedness in the form of senior secured loans and/or notes, and we may incur additional indebtedness as permitted by our Credit Agreement and our other instruments governing our indebtedness.
A significant portion of our cash flow must be used to service our indebtedness and is therefore not available to be used in our business. In 2023, we paid $155.4 million in interest on our indebtedness. Our ability to generate cash flow is subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that may be beyond our control. In addition, a significant portion of our indebtedness bears interest at floating rates, and therefore a substantial increase in interest rates could adversely impact our results of operations. The discontinuation of the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, which expired on June 30, 2023, could also affect interest rates and financing costs. New rates may not be as favorable to us as those in effect prior to the discontinuation of LIBOR, and these new rates may be more volatile. While we have transitioned to using the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, in place of LIBOR, SOFR has a limited history and SOFR-based reference rates may perform differently from LIBOR, which may affect our net interest expense, change our market risk profile and require changes to our financing strategies. Based on the average outstanding amount of our variable rate indebtedness in 2023, a one percentage point change in the interest rates for our variable rate indebtedness would have impacted our 2023 interest expense by an aggregate amount of approximately $13.2 million, after taking into account the average outstanding notional amount of our interest rate swap agreements during 2023.
Our indebtedness could have important consequences. For example, it could:
•increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
•require us to dedicate a significant portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, acquisitions and capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes;
•limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate;
•restrict us from making strategic acquisitions or exploiting business opportunities; and
•limit, along with the financial and other restrictive covenants in our indebtedness, among other things, our ability to borrow additional funds.
DESPITE OUR CURRENT LEVELS OF INDEBTEDNESS, WE MAY INCUR ADDITIONAL DEBT IN THE FUTURE, WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR LEVERAGE.
We are continually evaluating and pursuing acquisition opportunities in the consumer goods packaging market and may incur additional indebtedness, including indebtedness under our Credit Agreement, to finance any such acquisitions and to fund any resulting increased operating needs. For example, in September and October 2021, we funded the purchase price for each of Silgan Specialty Packaging, Silgan Unicep and Easytech with aggregate revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement of $747.9 million. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks we now face could increase. We will have to effect any new financing in compliance with the agreements governing our then existing indebtedness. The indentures governing the 3¼% Senior Notes due 2025, or the 3¼% Notes, our 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028, or the 4⅛% Notes, our 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, or the 2¼% Notes, and the 1.4% Notes do not prohibit us from incurring additional indebtedness.
THE TERMS OF OUR DEBT INSTRUMENTS RESTRICT THE MANNER IN WHICH WE CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS AND MAY LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT ELEMENTS OF OUR GROWTH STRATEGY.
Our Credit Agreement contains numerous covenants, including financial and operating covenants, some of which are quite restrictive. These covenants affect, and in many respects limit, among other things, our ability to:
•incur additional indebtedness;
•create liens;
•consolidate, merge or sell assets;
•make certain advances, investments and loans;
•enter into certain transactions with affiliates; and
•engage in any business other than the packaging business and certain related businesses.
The indentures governing the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes contain certain covenants that also generally restrict our ability to create liens, issue guarantees, engage in sale and leaseback transactions and consolidate, merge or sell assets. These covenants could restrict us in the pursuit of our growth strategy.
UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGE OF CONTROL EVENTS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SATISFY ALL OF OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER OUR CREDIT AGREEMENT AND INDENTURES.
Under our Credit Agreement, the occurrence of a change of control (as defined in our Credit Agreement) constitutes an event of default, permitting, among other things, the acceleration of amounts owed thereunder. Additionally, upon the occurrence of a change of control repurchase event as defined in the indentures governing the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes, we must make an offer to repurchase the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest to the date of purchase. We may not have sufficient funds or be able to obtain sufficient financing to meet such obligations under our Credit Agreement and such indentures. In addition, even if we were able to finance such obligations, such financing may be on terms that are unfavorable to us or less favorable to us than the terms of our existing indebtedness.
RISKS RELATED TO ACQUISITIONS
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PURSUE OUR GROWTH STRATEGY BY ACQUISITION.
Historically, we have grown predominantly through acquisitions. Our future growth will depend in large part on additional acquisitions of consumer goods packaging businesses. We may not be able to locate or acquire other suitable acquisition candidates consistent with our strategy, and we may not be able to fund future acquisitions because of limitations under our indebtedness or otherwise, including due to the limited availability of funds if the financial markets are impaired or if we cannot borrow funds at rates which we find attractive.
FUTURE ACQUISITIONS MAY CREATE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR OPERATING RESULTS AND DIVERT OUR MANAGEMENT’S ATTENTION.
In pursuing our strategy of growth through acquisitions, we will face risks commonly encountered with an acquisition strategy. These risks include:
•failing to identify material problems and liabilities in our due diligence review of acquisition targets;
•failing to obtain sufficient indemnification rights to fully offset possible liabilities associated with acquired businesses;
•failing to integrate the operations, technologies and personnel of the acquired businesses;
•difficulties in identifying or retaining employees for the acquired businesses;
•disrupting our ongoing business;
•diluting our limited management resources;
•operating in new geographic regions; and
•impairing relationships with employees and customers of the acquired business as a result of changes in ownership and management.
Through our experience integrating our acquisitions, we have learned that, depending upon the size of the acquisition, it can take us up to two to three years to completely integrate an acquired business into our operations and systems and realize the full benefit of the integration. During the early part of this integration period, the operating results of an acquired business may decrease from results attained prior to the acquisition due to costs, delays or other challenges that arise when integrating the acquired business. In addition, we may not be able to achieve potential synergies or maintain the levels of revenue, earnings or operating efficiency that each business had achieved or might achieve separately. Moreover, indebtedness incurred to fund acquisitions could adversely affect our liquidity and financial stability.
RISKS RELATED TO EMPLOYEES AND PENSION OBLIGATIONS
IF WE ARE UNABLE TO RETAIN KEY MANAGEMENT, WE MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
We believe that our future success depends, in large part, on our experienced management team. Losing the services of key members of our current management team could make it difficult for us to manage our business and meet our objectives.
PROLONGED WORK STOPPAGES AT OUR FACILITIES WITH UNIONIZED LABOR OR OTHER WORK OR LABOR INTERRUPTIONS, INCLUDING DUE TO PANDEMICS, COULD JEOPARDIZE OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION.
As of December 31, 2023, we employed approximately 10,800 hourly employees on a full-time basis. Approximately 33 percent of our hourly plant employees in the United States and Canada as of that date were represented by a variety of unions, and most of our hourly employees in Europe, Asia, South America and Central America were represented by a variety of unions or other labor organizations. Our labor contracts expire at various times between 2024 and 2026. We cannot assure you that, upon expiration of existing collective bargaining agreements, new agreements will be reached without union action or that any such new agreements will be on terms no less favorable to us than current agreements. Disputes with the unions representing our employees could result in strikes or other labor protests that could disrupt our operations and divert the attention of management from operating our business. A strike or work stoppage could make it difficult for us to find a sufficient number of people with the necessary skills to replace those employees. Prolonged work stoppages at our facilities could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Over the past few years, the United States and, to a lesser extent, Europe experienced a tightened labor market which made it more difficult to find employees to fill open positions. While the availability of labor has improved, any recurrence of a more tightened labor market could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
IF THE INVESTMENTS IN OUR U.S. PENSION BENEFIT PLANS DO NOT PERFORM AS EXPECTED, WE MAY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS TO THESE PLANS, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE AVAILABLE TO COVER OPERATING AND OTHER EXPENSES.
We maintain noncontributory, defined benefit pension plans covering some of our U.S. employees, which we fund based on certain actuarial assumptions. The plans’ assets consist primarily of fixed income securities and common stock. If the investments of the plans do not perform at expected levels, then we may have to contribute additional funds to ensure that the plans will be able to pay out benefits as scheduled. Such an increase in funding would result in a decrease in our available cash flow. In addition, any such investment performance significantly below our expected levels could adversely impact our results of operations. For example, the significant market declines in investment values during 2022 as compared to our assumed rate of return for the plans for that year had a non-cash unfavorable impact of approximately $48.0 million on other pension income in our results of operations in 2023.
WE PARTICIPATE IN MULTIEMPLOYER PENSION PLANS UNDER WHICH, IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE COULD INCUR ADDITIONAL LIABILITIES WHICH MAY BE MATERIAL AND MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR FINANCIAL RESULTS.
We currently participate in two multiemployer pension plans which provide defined benefits to certain of our union employees. In 2022, we withdrew from participating in the United Food & Commercial Workers - Local One Pension Fund, or the UFCW Pension Fund. As a result of such withdrawal, we expect to incur cash expenditures for the withdrawal liability of approximately $0.1 million annually until 2042. In 2019, we withdrew from participating in the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan, or the Central States Pension Plan. As a result of such withdrawal, we expect to incur cash expenditures for the withdrawal liability of approximately $2.6 million annually until 2040. Because of the nature of multiemployer pension plans, there are risks associated with participating in such plans that differ from single-employer pension plans. Amounts contributed by an employer to a multiemployer pension plan are not segregated into a separate account and are not restricted to provide benefits only to employees of that contributing employer. In the event that another participating employer to a multiemployer pension plan in which we participate no longer contributes to such plan, the unfunded obligations of such plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers, including us. In such event, our required contributions to such plan could increase, which could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. In the event that we withdraw from participation in a multiemployer pension plan in which we participate or otherwise cease to make contributions to such a plan or in the event of the termination of such a plan, we would be required under applicable law to make withdrawal liability payments to such plan in respect of the unfunded vested benefits of such plan, which unfunded vested benefits could be significant. Such withdrawal liability payments could be material and could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. For further information with respect to our withdrawal from the Central States Pension Plan and the UFCW Pension Fund, please see Notes 4 and 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
RISKS RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS
OUR INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS RISKS THAT MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR FINANCIAL RESULTS.
Our international operations generated approximately $1.61 billion, or approximately 27 percent, of our consolidated net sales in 2023. As of February 1, 2024, we have a total of 45 manufacturing facilities in a total of 19 countries outside of the United States, including Canada, Mexico and countries located in Europe, Asia and South America, serving customers in approximately 100 countries worldwide. Our business strategy may include continued expansion of international activities. Accordingly, the risks associated with operating in foreign countries, including Canada, Mexico and countries located in Europe, Asia and South America, may have a negative impact on our liquidity and net income. For example, the current economic uncertainty throughout the world, the current conflict in Russia and Ukraine, the current situation and recent geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East and the current trade uncertainty throughout the world may have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. As a result of the current conflict in Russia and Ukraine, we shut down and ceased operations at our two metal container manufacturing facilities in Russia at the beginning of 2023, resulting in a reduction in net sales in our metal containers segment of $54.3 million in 2023 as compared to 2022.
Risks associated with operating in foreign countries could make it more difficult, impossible or more expensive to manufacture or deliver our products to our customers, obtain raw materials from our suppliers, or perform critical functions of our business, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
•political, social and economic instability;
•inconsistent product regulation or policy changes by foreign agencies or governments;
•war, civil disturbance or acts of terrorism;
•the impact of pandemics and other diseases;
•trade disputes;
•compliance with and changes in applicable foreign laws;
•loss or non-renewal of treaties or similar agreements with foreign tax authorities;
•difficulties in enforcement of contractual obligations and intellectual property rights;
•high social benefits for labor;
•national and regional labor strikes;
•imposition of limitations on conversions of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars or payment of dividends and other payments by non-U.S. subsidiaries;
•foreign exchange rate risks;
•difficulties in expatriating cash generated or held by non-U.S. subsidiaries;
•uncertainties arising from local business practices and cultural considerations;
•changes in tax laws, or the interpretation thereof, affecting foreign tax credits or tax deductions relating to our non-U.S. earnings or operations;
•hyperinflation, currency devaluation or defaults in certain foreign countries;
•duties, taxes or government royalties, including the imposition or increase of withholding and other taxes on remittances and other payments by non-U.S. subsidiaries;
•customs, import/export and other trade compliance regulations or policies;
•product boycotts;
•non-tariff barriers and higher duty rates;
•difficulty in collecting international accounts receivable and potentially longer payment cycles;
•application of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar laws;
•increased costs in maintaining international manufacturing and marketing efforts; and
•taking of property by nationalization or expropriation without fair compensation.
WE ARE SUBJECT TO THE EFFECTS OF FLUCTUATIONS IN FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES.
Our reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. As a result of our international operations, a portion of our consolidated net sales, and some of our costs, assets and liabilities, are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As a result, we must translate local currency financial results into U.S. dollars based on average exchange rates prevailing during a reporting period for the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. Consequently, changes in exchange rates may unpredictably and adversely affect our consolidated operating results. For example, during times of a strengthening U.S. dollar, our reported international revenue and earnings will be reduced because the local currency will translate into fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, a weakening U.S. dollar will effectively increase the dollar-equivalent of our expenses denominated in foreign currencies. Although we may use currency exchange rate protection agreements from time to time to reduce our exposure to currency exchange rate fluctuations in some cases, these hedges may not eliminate or reduce the effect of currency fluctuations.
RISKS RELATED TO LEGAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS
WE ARE SUBJECT TO COSTS AND LIABILITIES RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND RISKS RELATED TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, AND WE MAY BE IMPACTED BY NEW, CHANGED OR INCREASED REGULATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.
We continually review our compliance with environmental and other laws, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act and other laws regulating noise exposure levels and other safety and health concerns in the production areas of our plants in the United States and environmental protection, health and safety laws and regulations abroad. We may incur liabilities for noncompliance, or substantial expenditures to achieve compliance, with environmental and other laws or changes thereto in the future or as a result of the application of additional laws and regulations to our business, including those limiting greenhouse gas emissions, those requiring compliance with the European Commission’s registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals (REACH) procedures, and those imposing changes that would have the effect of increasing the cost of producing or would otherwise adversely affect the demand for plastic products. In addition, stricter regulations, or stricter interpretations of existing laws or regulations, may impose new liabilities on us, and we may become obligated in the future to incur costs associated with the investigation and/or remediation of contamination at our facilities or other locations. Such liabilities, expenditures and costs could have a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, results of operation, financial condition or competitive position.
Many of our products come into contact with the food and beverages that they package, and therefore we may be subject to risks and liabilities related to health and safety matters in connection with our products. Changes in or additional health and safety laws and regulations in connection with our products may also impose new requirements and costs on us. Such requirements, liabilities and costs could have a material adverse effect on our capital expenditures, results of operations, financial condition or competitive position.
We are involved in various legal proceedings, contract disputes and claims arising in the ordinary course of our business. Although we are not able to predict the outcome of such proceedings, investigations, disputes and claims, any payments in respect thereof, including pursuant to any settlements, will reduce our available cash flows and could adversely impact our results of operations.
Several governmental bodies in jurisdictions where we operate have introduced and are increasingly considering regulatory changes to address the impacts of potential changes in climate and global warming. Additionally, entities across many sectors in private industry are considering and introducing environmental criteria as a factor or commercial term in decisions relating to activities, including lending, insurance, investing and purchasing. We are unable to predict what further regulatory changes may be adopted by governments or what environmental criteria or requirements may be adopted or supported by private sector entities in the future. Such changes or requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and capital expenditures.
IF WE FAIL TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING TO A REASONABLE ASSURANCE LEVEL, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY REPORT OUR FINANCIAL RESULTS AND MAY BE REQUIRED TO RESTATE PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED FINANCIAL INFORMATION, WHICH COULD HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON OUR OPERATIONS, INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IN OUR BUSINESS AND THE TRADING PRICES OF OUR SECURITIES.
Effective internal controls are necessary to provide reliable financial reports and to assist in the effective prevention of fraud. Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. We also need to adapt our internal control over financial reporting as our business grows and changes. As we grow our business and acquire other businesses, our internal controls could become increasingly complex, requiring more time and resources. As further discussed in Item 9A, “Controls and Procedures,” included elsewhere in this Annual Report, management concluded that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. There is no assurance that, in the future, material weaknesses will not be identified that would cause management to change its conclusion as to the effectiveness of our internal controls. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, as such standards are modified, supplemented or amended from time to time, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, civil or criminal penalties or litigation. In addition, failure to maintain adequate internal controls could result in financial statements that do not accurately reflect our financial condition, and we may be required to restate previously published financial
information, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations, investor confidence in our business and the trading prices of our securities.
CHANGES IN U.S. GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES (U.S. GAAP) AND SEC RULES AND REGULATIONS COULD MATERIALLY IMPACT OUR REPORTED RESULTS
U.S. GAAP and SEC accounting and reporting changes are common. These changes could have significant effects on our reported results when compared to prior periods and other companies and may even require us to retrospectively adjust prior periods. Additionally, material changes to the presentation of transactions in the consolidated financial statements could impact key ratios that investors, analysts and credit rating agencies use to assess or rate our performance and could ultimately impact our ability to access the credit markets in an efficient manner.
RISKS RELATED TO OUR COMMON STOCK
OUR PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL INFLUENCE OVER US AND THEIR EXERCISE OF THAT INFLUENCE COULD BE ADVERSE TO YOUR INTERESTS.
As of December 31, 2023, Messrs. Silver and Horrigan beneficially owned an aggregate of 24,406,009 shares of our common stock, or approximately 23 percent of our outstanding common stock. This amount does not include shares of our common stock owned by affiliates and related family transferees of Messrs. Silver and Horrigan that are not deemed to be beneficially owned by Messrs. Silver or Horrigan. Accordingly, if Messrs. Silver and Horrigan act together, they will be able to exercise substantial influence over all matters submitted to the stockholders for a vote, including the election of directors.
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS COULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF DISCOURAGING, DELAYING OR PREVENTING A MERGER OR ACQUISITION. ANY OF THESE EFFECTS COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE MARKET PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK.
Provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated by-laws may have the effect of delaying or preventing transactions involving a change of control of Silgan Holdings Inc., including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a substantial premium for their shares over then current market prices, and may limit the ability of stockholders to approve transactions that they may deem to be in their best interests.
In particular, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that:
•the Board of Directors is authorized to issue one or more classes of preferred stock having such designations, rights and preferences as may be determined by the Board;
•the Board of Directors is divided into three classes, and each year approximately one-third of the directors are elected for a term of three years;
•the Board of Directors is fixed at seven members, subject to the ability of the Board of Directors to increase the size of the Board of Directors to up to nine members for a period of time; and
•action taken by the holders of common stock must be taken at a meeting and may not be taken by consent in writing.
Additionally, our amended and restated by-laws provide that a special meeting of the stockholders may only be called by our Chairman of the Board on his own initiative or at the request of a majority of the Board of Directors, and may not be called by the holders of common stock.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.
We own and lease properties for use in the ordinary course of business. Our properties consist primarily of 44 manufacturing facilities for our dispensing and specialty closures business, 40 manufacturing facilities for our metal containers business, and 23 manufacturing facilities for our custom containers business. We own 56 of these facilities and lease 51. The leases expire at various times through 2040. Some of these leases contain renewal options as well as various purchase options.
We lease our principal executive offices and the administrative headquarters and principal places of business for our dispensing and specialty closures business, our metal containers business and our custom containers business.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
We are a party to routine legal proceedings, contract disputes and claims arising in the ordinary course of our business. We are not a party to, and none of our properties are subject to, any pending legal proceedings which could have a material adverse effect on our business or financial condition.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.
Our common stock is quoted on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SLGN. As of January 31, 2024, we had 27 holders of record of our common stock.
We began paying quarterly cash dividends on our common stock in 2004, and have increased the amount of the quarterly cash dividend payable on our common stock each year since then. The payment of future dividends is at the discretion of our Board of Directors and will be dependent upon our consolidated results of operations and financial condition, federal tax policies and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors.
ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
On March 4, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase by us of up to an aggregate of $300.0 million of our common stock by various means from time to time through and including December 31, 2026, of which we repurchased approximately $206.7 million of our common stock. We did not repurchase any of our equity securities in the fourth quarter of 2023. Accordingly, at December 31, 2023, we had approximately $93.3 million remaining for the repurchase of our common stock under this authorization.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
The following discussion and analysis is intended to assist you in understanding our consolidated financial condition and results of operations for the three-year period ended December 31, 2023. Our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report contain detailed information that you should refer to in conjunction with the following discussion and analysis.
GENERAL
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of sustainable rigid packaging solutions for the world's essential consumer goods products. We currently produce dispensing and specialty closures for the fragrance and beauty, food, beverage, personal and health care, home care and lawn and garden markets; steel and aluminum containers for pet and human food and general line products; and custom designed plastic containers for the pet and human food, consumer health and pharmaceutical, personal care, home care, lawn and garden and automotive markets. We are a leading worldwide manufacturer of dispensing and specialty closures, a leading manufacturer of metal containers in North America and Europe, the largest manufacturer of metal food containers in North America with a unit volume market share in the United States for the year ended December 31, 2023 of more than half of the market, and a leading manufacturer of custom containers in North America for a variety of markets.
Our objective is to increase shareholder value by efficiently deploying capital and management resources to grow our business through acquisitions and organically, reduce operating costs, build sustainable competitive positions, or franchises. We have grown our net sales and income from operations largely through acquisitions but also through organic growth, and we continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities in the consumer goods packaging market.
SALES GROWTH
We have increased net sales and market share in our dispensing and specialty closures, metal containers, and custom containers businesses through both acquisitions and organic growth. As a result, we have expanded and diversified our customer base, geographic presence and product lines.
With our acquisitions of Silgan Dispensing Systems, the Albéa Dispensing Business, Silgan Specialty Packaging and Silgan Unicep and through organic growth, we established ourselves as a leading worldwide manufacturer of dispensing systems and specialty closures for food, beverage, health care, garden, home, personal care, fragrance and beauty products. Since 2003, following our acquisition of the White Cap closures operations in the United States, net sales of our dispensing and specialty closures business have increased to $2.2 billion in 2023 as a result of acquisitions and organic growth, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 12.6 percent over that period. We intend to pursue further acquisition opportunities in the dispensing and specialty closures markets, including in dispensing systems, or in adjacent markets, such as our acquisitions of Silgan
Specialty Packaging and Silgan Unicep. Additionally, we expect to continue to generate organic growth in our dispensing and specialty closures business, particularly in dispensing systems. In 2023, sales for our dispensing and specialty closures business decreased approximately 4 percent as compared to 2022 principally as a result of lower volumes for closures for food and beverage products, primarily due to customer destocking activities in the United States in the second half of 2023 and the impact of inflation in non-U.S. markets, and non-recurring volumes from $16.3 million of net sales in 2022 associated with Russia, partially offset by volume growth in higher margin dispensing products. For 2024, we expect continued growth in our higher margin dispensing products and higher volume levels for our closures for food and beverage products as compared to 2023.
We are a leading manufacturer and supplier of metal containers in North America and Europe, primarily as a result of our acquisitions but also as a result of growth with existing customers. During the past 35 years, the metal food container market in North America has experienced significant consolidation primarily due to the desire by food processors to reduce costs and focus resources on their core operations rather than self-manufacture their metal food containers. Our acquisitions of the metal food container manufacturing operations of Nestlé, Dial, Del Monte, Birds Eye, Campbell, Pacific Coast and Purina Steel Can reflect this trend. We estimate that approximately ten percent of the market for metal food containers in the United States is still served by self-manufacturers. Despite a relatively flat market, we increased our share of the market for metal food containers in the United States primarily through acquisitions and growth with existing customers, particularly in the growing pet food market. Since 1987, net sales of our metal containers business have increased to $3.1 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 7.2 percent. We also enhanced our business by focusing on providing customers with high levels of quality and service, a more sustainable solution for their packaging needs and value-added features such as our Quick Top® easy-open ends, shaped metal food containers and alternative color offerings for metal food containers. In 2023, unit volumes for our metal containers business decreased by approximately 7 percent as compared to 2022 primarily as a result of customer destocking activities in the second half of 2023 and non-recurring volumes from $54.3 million of net sales in 2022 associated with Russia. For 2024, we expect that volumes for our metal containers will improve over 2023, primarily driven by growth in pet food products, despite continued customer destocking activities in certain end markets in the first half of 2024.
We have improved the market position of our custom containers business since 1987, with net sales increasing to $626 million in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 5.6 percent over that period. We achieved this improved market position primarily through strategic acquisitions as well as through organic growth. The custom container market of the consumer goods packaging industry continues to be highly fragmented. We have focused on the segment of this market where custom design and decoration allows customers to differentiate their products such as in personal care. We may pursue further acquisition opportunities in markets where we believe that we can successfully apply our acquisition and value-added operating expertise and strategy. In 2023, volumes in our custom containers business decreased 9 percent as compared to 2022 primarily due to customer destocking activities in the second half of 2023 and the non-renewal of contract business that did not meet reinvestment criteria. For 2024, we expect to commercialize new business wins during the year which should offset continued customer destocking activities in the first half of 2024.
OPERATING PERFORMANCE
We have improved the operating performance of our plant facilities through the investment of capital for productivity improvements, manufacturing efficiencies, manufacturing cost reductions and the optimization of our manufacturing facilities footprints. Our acquisitions and investments have enabled us to rationalize plant operations and decrease overhead costs through plant closings and downsizings and to realize manufacturing efficiencies as a result of optimizing production scheduling. In late 2023, we announced a comprehensive cost reduction initiative to achieve $50 million of cost savings over the next two years from footprint rationalizations and other cost reduction actions in all of our businesses. As part of this initiative, we have already closed two dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities and one metal container manufacturing facility to date, relocating volumes from such facilities to other facilities, and we have announced the closing of an additional metal container manufacturing facility and a custom container manufacturing facility from which volumes will be relocated to other facilities.
Historically, we have been successful in renewing our multi-year supply arrangements with our customers. We estimate that in 2024 approximately 90 percent of our projected metal containers sales and a majority of our projected dispensing and specialty closures and custom containers sales will be under multi-year arrangements.
Many of our multi-year customer supply arrangements generally provide for the pass through of changes in raw material, labor and other manufacturing costs, thereby significantly reducing the exposure of our results of operations to the volatility of these costs. Our metal closures and metal containers supply agreements with our
customers provide for the pass through of changes in our metal costs. For our metal closures and metal containers customers without long-term contracts, we have also generally increased prices to pass through increases in our metal costs. Our dispensing systems, plastic closures and plastic containers supply agreements with our customers provide for the pass through of changes in our resin costs, subject in many cases to a lag in the timing of such pass through. For our dispensing systems, plastic closures and plastic containers customers without long-term contracts, we have also generally increased prices to pass through increases in our resin costs.
Our metal containers business is dependent, in part, upon the vegetable and fruit harvests in the midwest and western regions of the United States and, to a lesser extent, in a variety of national growing regions in Europe. Our dispensing and specialty closures business is also dependent, in part, upon vegetable and fruit harvests. The size and quality of these harvests varies from year to year, depending in large part upon the weather conditions in applicable regions. Because of the seasonality of the harvests, we have historically experienced higher unit sales volume in the third quarter of our fiscal year and generated a disproportionate amount of our annual income from operations during that quarter. Additionally, as is common in the packaging industry, we provide extended payment terms to some of our customers in our metal containers business due to the seasonality of the vegetable and fruit packing process.
USE OF CAPITAL
Historically, we have used leverage to support our growth and increase shareholder returns. Our stable and predictable cash flow, generated largely as a result of our long-term customer relationships and generally recession resistant business, supports our financial strategy. We intend to continue using reasonable leverage, supported by our stable cash flows, to make value enhancing acquisitions. In determining reasonable leverage, we evaluate our cost of capital and manage our level of debt to maintain an optimal cost of capital based on current market conditions. If acquisition opportunities are not identified over a long period of time, we may use our cash flow to repay debt, repurchase shares of our common stock or increase dividends to our stockholders or for other permitted purposes. In February 2021, we amended our Credit Agreement to provide us with additional flexibility to, among other things, issue new senior secured notes, and we issued $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of our 1.4% Notes and used the proceeds therefrom to prepay $500.0 million of outstanding term loans under our Credit Agreement. In September and October 2021, we funded the purchase price for Silgan Specialty Packaging, Silgan Unicep and Easytech with revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement. In November 2021, we further amended our Credit Agreement to extend maturity dates by more than three years, increase our revolving loan facility from $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, borrow $1.0 billion in new term loans to refinance outstanding term and revolving loans under our Credit Agreement that were used to fund the three acquisitions completed in 2021 and the acquisition of the Albéa Dispensing Business in 2020, and provide us with additional flexibility with regard to our strategic initiatives. In March 2022, we redeemed all $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of our outstanding 4¾% Notes with revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement and cash on hand. You should also read Notes 3 and 9 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
To the extent we utilize debt for acquisitions or other permitted purposes in future periods, our interest expense may increase. Further, since the revolving loan and term loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement bear interest at floating rates, our interest expense is sensitive to changes in prevailing rates of interest and, accordingly, our interest expense may vary from period to period. After taking into account interest rate swap agreements that we entered into to mitigate the effect of interest rate fluctuations, at December 31, 2023, we had $675.3 million of indebtedness, or approximately 20 percent of our total outstanding indebtedness, which bore interest at floating rates. Over the course of the year, we also borrow revolving loans under our revolving loan facilities which bear interest at floating rates to fund our seasonal working capital needs. Accordingly, during 2023 our average outstanding variable rate debt, after taking into account the average outstanding notional amount of our interest rate swap agreements, was approximately 34 percent of our total outstanding indebtedness. You should also read Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report for information regarding our interest rate swap agreements.
In light of our strategy to use leverage to support our growth and optimize shareholder returns, we have incurred and will continue to incur significant interest expense. For 2023, 2022 and 2021, our aggregate interest and other debt expense before loss on early extinguishment of debt as a percentage of our income before interest and income taxes was 29.1 percent, 21.0 percent and 18.8 percent, respectively.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following table sets forth certain income statement data expressed as a percentage of net sales for each of the periods presented. You should read this table in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
Operating Data:
Net sales:
Dispensing and Specialty Closures 37.1 % 36.1 % 38.0 %
Metal Containers 52.4 52.6 49.5
Custom Containers 10.5 11.3 12.5
Consolidated 100.0 100.0 100.0
Cost of goods sold 83.4 83.7 83.8
Gross profit 16.6 16.3 16.2
Selling, general and administrative expenses 6.4 6.5 6.7
Rationalization charges 0.2 1.1 0.3
Other pension and postretirement income 0.1 (0.7) (0.9)
Income before interest and income taxes 9.9 9.4 10.1
Interest and other debt expense 2.9 2.0 1.9
Income before income taxes 7.0 7.4 8.2
Provision for income taxes 1.6 2.1 1.9
Net income 5.4 % 5.3 % 6.3 %
Summary results for our reportable segments for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are provided below.
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
(Dollars in millions)
Net sales:
Dispensing and Specialty Closures $ 2,221.4 $ 2,316.7 $ 2,160.5
Metal Containers 3,140.8 3,371.8 2,808.0
Custom Containers 626.0 723.0 708.6
Consolidated $ 5,988.2 $ 6,411.5 $ 5,677.1
Income before interest and income taxes:
Dispensing and Specialty Closures
$ 281.0 $ 323.0 $ 262.1
Metal Containers 287.4 234.2 253.7
Custom Containers 52.8 92.5 92.4
Corporate (25.8) (47.7) (32.1)
Consolidated $ 595.4 $ 602.0 $ 576.1
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 COMPARED WITH YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022
Net Sales. Consolidated net sales were $6.0 billion in 2023, representing a 6.6 percent decrease as compared to 2022 primarily as a result of lower volumes across all segments, non-recurring net sales associated with Russia in 2022, and a less favorable mix of products sold and the unfavorable impact from the pass through of lower resin costs in the custom containers segment. These decreases were partially offset by a more favorable mix of products sold in the dispensing and specialty closures segment, price increases primarily related to inflation in labor and other manufacturing costs in the dispensing and specialty closures and metal containers segments and the impact from favorable foreign currency translation.
Gross Profit. Gross profit margin increased 0.3 percentage points to 16.6 percent in 2023 as compared to 16.3 percent in 2022 for the reasons discussed below in “Income before Interest and Income Taxes.”
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of consolidated net sales decreased 0.1 percentage point to 6.4 percent for 2023 as compared to 6.5 percent in 2022. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $32.6 million in 2023 as compared to 2022. The decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses was primarily due to the charge of $25.2 million for the settlement with the European Commission in the prior year and effective cost management in 2023.
Other pension and postretirement expense (income). Other pension and postretirement expense in 2023 was $4.3 million, while other pension and postretirement (income) in 2022 was $(45.2) million. The year-over-year change in other pension and postretirement expense (income) were the result of a lower pension asset balance in 2023 due to a lower rate of return on assets in 2022, higher pension plan interest cost and a decrease in the expected long-term rate of return on U.S. pension plan assets in 2023 as compared to 2022. The expected long-term rate of return on pension plan assets was decreased from 6.9 percent in 2022 to 5.5 percent in 2023 due to planned changes in investment allocations for our U.S. pension plans to a liability driven investment strategy that more closely matches plan assets with plan liabilities primarily using long duration bonds.
Income before Interest and Income Taxes. Income before interest and income taxes for 2023 decreased by $6.6 million as compared to 2022, while margin increased to 9.9 percent from 9.4 percent over the same periods. The decrease in income before interest and income taxes was primarily the result of lower volumes across all segments, the favorable impact in 2022 from inventory management programs in the metal containers and dispensing and specialty closures segments, other pension and postretirement expense in 2023 as compared to other pension and postretirement income in 2022, the unfavorable impact of higher costs related to labor challenges that impacted output at a U.S. food and beverage closures facility, cost recovery in the prior year of certain customer project expenditures in the dispensing and specialty closures segment and a less favorable mix of products sold in the custom containers segment. These decreases were partially offset by lower rationalization charges, the $25.2 million charge in 2022 for the settlement with the European Commission, the favorable impact in 2023 from price increases primarily related to inflation in other manufacturing costs in all segments, a more favorable mix of products sold in the dispensing and specialty closures segment and lower selling, general and administrative costs across all segments. Income before interest and income taxes included rationalization charges of $8.4 million and $74.1 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Rationalization charges in 2022 included $73.8 million primarily related to the write-off of net assets of operations in Russia, partially offset by a rationalization credit of $8.5 million related to finalizing the liability for the withdrawal from the Central States Pension Plan in 2019. Rationalization charges in 2023 included a rationalization credit of $17.7 million related to a loss recovery from Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft, or OeKB, an Austrian entity that provides financial services including credit insurance, in respect of such net assets in Russia.
Interest and Other Debt Expense. Interest and other debt expense before loss on early extinguishment of debt for 2023 was $173.3 million, an increase of $47.0 million as compared to $126.3 million for 2022 due primarily to higher weighted average interest rates, partially offset by a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $1.5 million in 2022.
Provision for Income Taxes. The effective tax rates for 2023 and 2022 were 22.8 percent and 28.1 percent, respectively. The effective tax rate in 2022 was unfavorably impacted by the write-off of net assets related to operations in Russia and the European Commission settlement, each of which was non-deductible.
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 COMPARED WITH YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2021
Net Sales. Consolidated net sales were $6.4 billion in 2022, representing a 12.9 percent increase as compared to 2021 primarily as a result of higher average selling prices due to the pass through of higher raw material and other inflationary costs, higher volumes in the dispensing and specialty closures segment and a more favorable mix of products sold in the custom containers segment, partially offset by lower volumes in the metal containers and custom containers segments and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation.
Gross Profit. Gross profit margin increased 0.1 percentage points to 16.3 percent in 2022 as compared to 16.2 percent in 2021 for the reasons discussed below in “Income before Interest and Income Taxes.”
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of consolidated net sales decreased 0.2 percentage point to 6.5 percent for 2022 as compared to 6.7 percent in 2021. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $38.9 million in 2022 as compared to 2021. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses was principally a result of a charge of $25.2 million for the settlement with the European Commission, the inclusion of a full year of expenses from the acquisitions completed late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter of 2021, and inflation in such expenses and an increase in travel related expenses in 2022 as compared to 2021.
Income before Interest and Income Taxes. Income before interest and income taxes for 2022 increased by $25.9 million, or 4.5 percent, as compared to 2021 primarily due to higher average selling prices principally as a result of the pass through of higher raw material and other inflationary costs, strong operating performance in all segments including the benefits of inventory management programs in the dispensing and specialty closures and metal containers segments, the favorable year-over-year comparative impact from the delayed pass through of resin costs in the dispensing and specialty closures and custom containers segments and cost recovery for certain customer project expenditures in the dispensing and specialty closures segment. These increases were partially offset by inflation in manufacturing and selling, general and administrative costs, higher rationalization charges primarily due to the write-off of net assets to service the Russian market in the metal containers segment, higher corporate expenses as a result of a charge of $25.2 million related to the European Commission settlement, lower volumes in the metal containers and custom containers segments, a less favorable mix of products sold in the metal containers segment, the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation and the inclusion in the prior year of charges from the write-up of inventory for purchase accounting. Income before interest and income taxes included rationalization charges of $74.1 million and $15.0 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Rationalization charges in 2022 included $73.8 million primarily related to the write-off of net assets of operations in Russia, partially offset by a rationalization credit of $8.5 million related to finalizing the liability for the withdrawal from the Central States Pension Plan in 2019. Results for 2021 also included costs attributed to announced acquisitions of $5.0 million and a charge for the write-up of inventory for purchase accounting of $2.6 million.
Interest and Other Debt Expense. Interest and other debt expense before loss on early extinguishment of debt for 2022 was $126.3 million, an increase of $17.9 million as compared to $108.4 million for 2021 due primarily to higher weighted average outstanding borrowings as a result of the acquisitions completed in the latter half of 2021, partially offset by the impact from lower foreign currency exchange rates on outstanding Euro denominated debt. Loss on early extinguishment of debt was $1.5 million and $1.4 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Provision for Income Taxes. The effective tax rates for 2022 and 2021 were 28.1 percent and 23.0 percent, respectively. The effective tax rate in 2022 was unfavorably impacted by the write-off of net assets related to operations in Russia and the European Commission settlement, each of which was non-deductible.
NON-GAAP MEASURES
Generally accepted accounting principles in the United States are commonly referred to as GAAP. A non-GAAP financial measure is generally defined as a financial measure that purports to measure financial performance, financial position or liquidity but excludes or includes amounts that could not be so adjusted in the most comparable GAAP measure. Adjusted EBIT and adjusted EBIT margin are unaudited supplemental measures of financial performance that the Company uses, which are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP and therefore are non-GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as alternatives to income before interest and income taxes or any other measures derived in accordance with GAAP. Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for any financial data prepared in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company uses such non-GAAP financial measures because it considers them to be important and useful supplemental measures of its and its segments’ financial performance which provide a more complete understanding of the Company and its segments than could be obtained absent such non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that it is important and useful to present these non-GAAP financial measures because they allow for a better period-over-period comparison of results by removing the impact of items that, in management’s view, do not reflect the Company’s or its segments’ core operating performance. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to review and analyze the operating performance of the Company and its segments. Investors and others are urged to review and consider carefully the adjustments made by management to the most comparable GAAP financial measure to arrive at these non-GAAP financial measures.
Adjusted EBIT, a non-GAAP financial measure, means income before interest and income taxes excluding, as applicable, acquired intangible asset amortization expense, other pension expense (income) for U.S. pension plans, rationalization (credits) charges, the impact from charges for the write-up of acquired inventory required under purchase accounting, the charge for the European Commission settlement and costs attributed to announced acquisitions. Adjusted EBIT margin, a non-GAAP financial measure, means adjusted EBIT divided by segment net sales.
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense is a non-cash expense related to acquired operations that management believes is not indicative of the ongoing performance of the acquired operations. Since the Company’s U.S. pension plans are significantly over funded and have no required cash contributions for the foreseeable future based on current regulations, management views other pension expense (income) from the Company’s U.S. pension plans, which excludes service costs, as not reflective of the operational performance of the Company or its segments. While rationalization costs are incurred on a regular basis, management views these costs more as an investment to generate savings rather than period costs. The write-up of acquired inventory required under purchase accounting is viewed by management as part of the acquisition and is a non-cash charge that is not considered to be indicative of the ongoing performance of the acquired operations. The charge for the European Commission settlement is nonrecurring and non-operational and relates to prior years and is not indicative of the ongoing cost structure of the Company or its segments. Costs attributed to announced acquisitions consist of third party fees and expenses that are viewed by management as part of the acquisition and not indicative of the ongoing cost structure of the Company.
A reconciliation of such non-GAAP financial measures for the periods presented is provided below:
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
(Dollars in millions)
Dispensing and Specialty Closures
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) $ 281.0 $ 323.0 $ 262.1
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense 47.2 46.8 38.3
Other pension expense (income) for U.S. pension plans 1.1 (11.0) (12.6)
Rationalization charges 11.3 1.0 5.8
Purchase accounting write-up of inventory - - 1.6
Adjusted EBIT $ 340.6 $ 359.8 $ 295.2
Metal Containers
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) $ 287.4 $ 234.2 $ 253.7
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense 1.4 1.2 1.7
Other pension expense (income) for U.S. pension plans 1.5 (26.3) (30.1)
Rationalization (credits) charges (7.9) 73.1 8.9
Purchase accounting write-up of inventory - - 1.0
Adjusted EBIT $ 282.4 $ 282.2 $ 235.2
Custom Containers
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) $ 52.8 $ 92.5 $ 92.4
Acquired intangible asset amortization expense 4.5 4.5 4.6
Other pension expense (income) for U.S. pension plans 1.0 (10.2) (10.8)
Rationalization charges 5.0 - 0.3
Adjusted EBIT $ 63.3 $ 86.8 $ 86.5
Corporate
Loss before interest and income taxes (EBIT) $ (25.8) $ (47.7) $ (32.1)
European Commission settlement - 25.2 -
Costs attributed to announced acquisitions - - 5.0
Adjusted EBIT $ (25.8) $ (22.5) $ (27.1)
Total adjusted EBIT $ 660.5 $ 706.3 $ 589.8
DISPENSING AND SPECIALTY CLOSURES SEGMENT
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
(Dollars in millions)
Net sales $ 2,221.4 $ 2,316.7 $ 2,160.5
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) 281.0 323.0 262.1
Income before interest and income taxes margin (EBIT margin) 12.6 % 13.9 % 12.1 %
Adjusted EBIT $ 340.6 $ 359.8 $ 295.2
Adjusted EBIT margin 15.3 % 15.5 % 13.7 %
In 2023, net sales for the dispensing and specialty closures segment decreased $95.3 million, or 4.1 percent, as compared to 2022. This decrease was primarily the result of lower unit volumes of approximately seven percent, including from non-recurring net sales associated with Russia in 2022 of $16.3 million, partially offset by a more favorable mix of products sold, the impact of favorable foreign currency translation of approximately $24 million and higher average selling prices primarily related to inflation in other manufacturing costs. The decrease in unit volumes was principally the result of lower volumes for closures for food and beverage markets primarily due to customer destocking activities in U.S. markets and the impact of inflation in non-U.S. markets and non-recurring volumes associated with Russia, partially offset by volume growth in higher margin dispensing products.
In 2022, net sales for the dispensing and specialty closures segment increased $156.2 million, or 7.2 percent, as compared to 2021. This increase was primarily the result of higher average selling prices due to the pass through of higher raw material and other inflationary costs and higher unit volumes of approximately one percent, partially offset by the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation of approximately $106 million. The increase in unit volumes was primarily the result of higher unit volumes for beauty and fragrance and dispensing products, including from the acquisitions completed in 2021. This increase was partially offset by volume decreases in closures for certain food and beverage markets as compared to record volumes in 2021, primarily due to customer pre-buy activity in the fourth quarter of 2021 in advance of significant metal inflation in 2022, and a decrease in volumes for lawn and garden, hygiene and home cleaning products which were impacted by further inventory corrections throughout the supply chain in 2022.
In 2023, adjusted EBIT of the dispensing and specialty closures segment decreased $19.2 million as compared to 2022, and adjusted EBIT margin decreased to 15.3 percent from 15.5 percent over the same periods. The decrease in adjusted EBIT was primarily due to lower unit volumes, the favorable impact in 2022 from an inventory management program and cost recovery for certain customer project expenditures, and the unfavorable impact of higher costs related to labor challenges that impacted output at a U.S. food and beverage closures facility, partially offset by a more favorable mix of products sold, higher selling prices primarily related to inflation in other manufacturing costs and lower selling, general and administrative costs.
In 2022, adjusted EBIT of the dispensing and specialty closures segment increased $64.6 million as compared to 2021, and adjusted EBIT margin increased to 15.5 percent from 13.7 percent over the same periods. The increase in adjusted EBIT was primarily due to higher average selling prices due to the pass through of higher raw material and other inflationary costs, strong operating performance including the benefit of an inventory management program, the favorable impact in 2022 from the delayed pass through of lower resin costs as compared to the unfavorable impact in 2021 from the delayed pass through of higher resin costs and cost recovery for certain customer project expenditures, partially offset by inflation in manufacturing and selling, general and administrative costs and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation.
METAL CONTAINERS SEGMENT
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
(Dollars in millions)
Net sales $ 3,140.8 $ 3,371.8 $ 2,808.0
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) 287.4 234.2 253.7
Income before interest and income taxes margin (EBIT margin) 9.2 % 6.9 % 9.0 %
Adjusted EBIT $ 282.4 $ 282.2 $ 235.2
Adjusted EBIT margin 9.0 % 8.4 % 8.4 %
In 2023, net sales for the metal containers segment decreased $231.0 million, or 6.9 percent, as compared to 2022. This decrease was primarily the result of lower unit volumes of approximately seven percent, including from non-recurring net sales associated with Russia in 2022 of $54.3 million, partially offset by higher average selling prices due to the lagged contractual pass through of inflation in labor and other manufacturing costs and the impact of favorable foreign currency translation of approximately $11 million. The decrease in unit volumes was principally the result of customer destocking activities and non-recurring volumes associated with Russia.
In 2022, net sales for the metal containers segment increased $563.8 million, or 20.1 percent, as compared to 2021. This increase was primarily a result of higher average selling prices due to the pass through of higher raw material and other manufacturing costs, partially offset by lower unit volumes of approximately eleven percent and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation of approximately $52 million. The decrease in unit volumes was principally the result of the impact of customer pre-buy activity in the fourth quarter of 2021 in advance of significant price increases due to unprecedented metal inflation in 2022, lower fruit and vegetable volumes as compared to higher volumes in the prior year from customer restocking and the continued unfavorable impact from certain customers' ongoing supply chain and labor challenges in 2022.
In 2023, adjusted EBIT of the metal containers segment increased $0.2 million as compared to 2022, and adjusted EBIT margin increased to 9.0 percent from 8.4 percent for the same periods. The increase in adjusted EBIT was primarily due to higher average selling prices due to the lagged contractual pass through of inflation in labor and other manufacturing costs and lower selling, general and administrative costs mostly offset by the favorable impact in the prior year from an inventory management program and lower unit volumes.
In 2022, adjusted EBIT of the metal containers segment increased $47.0 million as compared to 2021, and adjusted EBIT margin remained constant at 8.4 percent over the same periods. The increase in adjusted EBIT was primarily attributable to strong operating performance, which included an inventory management program, and higher average selling prices due to the pass through of higher raw material and other inflationary costs. These benefits were partially offset by inflation in manufacturing and selling, general and administrative costs, lower unit volumes, a less favorable mix of products sold and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation.
CUSTOM CONTAINERS SEGMENT
Year Ended December 31,
2023 2022 2021
(Dollars in millions)
Net sales $ 626.0 $ 723.0 $ 708.6
Income before interest and income taxes (EBIT) 52.8 92.5 92.4
Income before interest and income taxes margin (EBIT margin) 8.4 % 12.8 % 13.0 %
Adjusted EBIT $ 63.3 $ 86.8 $ 86.5
Adjusted EBIT margin 10.1 % 12.0 % 12.2 %
In 2023, net sales for the custom containers segment decreased $97.0 million, or 13.4 percent, as compared to 2022. This decrease was principally due to lower volumes of approximately nine percent, the unfavorable impact from the pass through of lower resin costs, a less favorable mix of products sold and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation of approximately $4 million. The decline in volumes was primarily due to customer destocking activities and the non-renewal of contract business that did not meet reinvestment criteria.
In 2022, net sales for the custom containers segment increased $14.4 million, or 2.0 percent, as compared to 2021. This increase was principally due to higher average selling prices, including the pass through of higher resin and other inflationary costs and a more favorable mix of products sold, partially offset by lower volumes of approximately eight percent and the impact of unfavorable foreign currency translation of approximately $5 million. The decline in volumes was due primarily to higher volumes in the prior year as a result of increased demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent inventory corrections throughout the supply chain in 2022, particularly for home, personal care and lawn and garden products.
In 2023, adjusted EBIT of the custom containers segment decreased $23.5 million as compared to 2022, and adjusted EBIT margin decreased to 10.1 percent from 12.0 percent over the same periods. The decrease in adjusted EBIT was primarily attributable to lower volumes and a less favorable mix of products sold, partially offset by price increases primarily related to inflation in other manufacturing costs and cost savings.
In 2022, adjusted EBIT of the custom containers segment increased $0.3 million as compared to 2021, while adjusted EBIT margin decreased to 12.0 percent from 12.2 percent over the same periods. The increase in adjusted EBIT was primarily attributable to higher average selling prices, the favorable impact in 2022 from the delayed pass through of lower resin costs as compared to the unfavorable impact in 2021 from the delayed pass through of higher resin costs and strong operating performance. These increases were partially offset by lower volumes and inflation in manufacturing and selling, general and administrative costs.
CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY
Our principal sources of liquidity have been net cash from operating activities and borrowings under our debt instruments, including our Credit Agreement. Our liquidity requirements arise primarily from our obligations under the indebtedness incurred in connection with our acquisitions and the refinancing of that indebtedness, capital investment in new and existing equipment and the funding of our seasonal working capital needs.
On June 22, 2023, we amended our Credit Agreement to provide for the transition from LIBOR based interest rates to SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rates) and SONIA (Sterling Overnight Index Average) based interest rates and to provide for standard interest rate benchmark replacement language. Such amendment also reduced the spread adjustments for Term SOFR borrowings.
On March 28, 2022, we redeemed all $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 4¾% Notes, at a redemption price of 100 percent of their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. We funded this redemption with revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement and cash on hand. As a result of this redemption, we recorded a pre-tax charge for the loss on early extinguishment of debt of $1.5 million during the first quarter of 2022 for the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs.
In November 2021, we amended our Credit Agreement to extend maturity dates by more than three years, increase our multi-currency revolving loan facility from $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, borrow $1.0 billion in new term
loans to refinance outstanding term and revolving loans under our Credit Agreement that were used to fund the purchase prices for the three acquisitions completed in 2021 and the acquisition of the Albéa Dispensing Business in 2020, and provide us with additional flexibility with regard to our strategic initiatives. As a result of the repayment of term and revolving loans under our Credit Agreement in connection with this amendment to our Credit Agreement, we recorded a pre-tax charge for the loss on early extinguishment of debt of $0.5 million in 2021.
We used aggregate revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement of $747.9 million to fund the purchase price for our acquisitions of Silgan Specialty Packaging, Silgan Unicep and Easytech in September and October 2021.
On February 1, 2021, we amended our Credit Agreement to provide us with additional flexibility to, among other things, issue new senior secured notes. On February 10, 2021, we issued $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 1.4% Notes at 99.945 percent of their principal amount. The proceeds from the sale of the 1.4% Notes were $499.7 million. We used the proceeds from the sale of the 1.4% Notes to prepay $500.0 million of outstanding incremental term loans under our Credit Agreement that were used to fund the purchase price for the Albéa Dispensing Business. We paid the initial purchasers' discount and offering expenses related to the sale of the 1.4% Notes with cash on hand. As a result of this prepayment, we recorded a pre-tax charge for the loss on early extinguishment of debt of $0.9 million in 2021 for the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs.
You should also read Notes 3 and 9 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report with regard to our debt.
In 2023, we used cash provided by operating activities of $482.6 million, increases in outstanding checks of $99.1 million and net borrowings of revolving loans and proceeds from other foreign long-term debt of an aggregate $13.4 million to fund net capital expenditures and other investing activities of $223.8 million, repurchases of our common stock of $184.0 million, dividends paid on our common stock of $78.9 million, the repayment of long-term debt of $58.1 million, the repayment of principal amounts under finance leases of $2.9 million and to increase cash and cash equivalents (including the positive effect of exchange rate changes of $9.9 million) by $57.3 million.
In 2022, we used cash provided by operations of $748.4 million, cash and cash equivalents of $45.8 million and net borrowings of revolving loans and proceeds from other foreign long-term debt of an aggregate of $16.0 million to fund the redemption of the 4¾% Notes and the repayment of other foreign long-term debt for an aggregate of $301.3 million, decreases in outstanding checks of $164.4 million, net capital expenditures and other investing activities of $215.6 million, dividends paid on our common stock of $71.9 million, repurchases of our common stock of $45.1 million, the repayment of principal amounts under finance leases of $2.9 million and the negative effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents of $9.0 million.
In 2021, we used proceeds from new term loans under our Credit Agreement of $1.0 billion and from the issuance of the 1.4% Notes of $499.7 million, cash provided by operating activities of $556.8 million and increases in outstanding checks of $141.7 million to fund repayments of long-term debt of $900.0 million, the purchase price for the acquisitions of Silgan Specialty Packaging, Silgan Unicep and Easytech for an aggregate $745.7 million, net capital expenditures and other investing activities of $230.3 million, dividends paid on our common stock of $62.5 million, debt issuance costs of $11.1 million, net repayments of revolving loans of $9.3 million, repurchases of our common stock of $8.6 million under our stock-based compensation plan, the repayment of principal amounts under finance leases of $1.3 million and to increase cash and cash equivalents (including the negative effect of exchange rate changes of $7.5 million) by $221.9 million.
At December 31, 2023, we had $3.44 billion of total consolidated indebtedness and cash and cash equivalents on hand of $642.9 million. In addition, at December 31, 2023, we had outstanding letters of credit of $21.5 million and no outstanding revolving loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement.
Under our Credit Agreement, we have available to us $1.5 billion of revolving loans under a multi-currency revolving loan facility. Revolving loans under our Credit Agreement may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including acquisitions, capital expenditures, dividends, stock repurchases and refinancings and repayments of other debt. Revolving loans may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed under the revolving loan facilities from time to time until November 9, 2026. At December 31, 2023, after taking into account outstanding letters of credit of $21.5 million, borrowings available under the revolving loan facilities of our Credit Agreement were $1.48 billion. Under our Credit Agreement, we also have available to us an uncommitted multi-currency incremental loan facility in an amount of up to an additional $1.25 billion (which amount may be increased as provided in our Credit Agreement), which may take the form of one or more incremental term loan facilities, increased commitments under the revolving loan facilities and/or incremental indebtedness in the form of senior
secured loans and/or notes, and we may incur additional indebtedness as permitted by our Credit Agreement and our other instruments governing our indebtedness. You should also read Notes 3 and 9 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Because we sell metal containers and closures used in fruit and vegetable pack processing, we have seasonal sales. As is common in the packaging industry, we must utilize working capital to build inventory and then carry accounts receivable for some customers beyond the end of the packing season. Due to our seasonal requirements, which generally peak sometime in the summer or early fall, we may incur short-term indebtedness to finance our working capital requirements. Our peak seasonal working capital requirements have historically averaged approximately $375.0 million and were generally funded with revolving loans under our senior secured credit facility, other foreign bank loans and cash on hand. For 2024, we expect to fund our seasonal working capital requirements with cash on hand, revolving loans under our Credit Agreement and foreign bank loans. We may use the available portion of revolving loans under our Credit Agreement, after taking into account our seasonal needs and outstanding letters of credit, for other general corporate purposes, including acquisitions, capital expenditures, dividends, stock repurchases and refinancing and repayments of other debt.
We use a variety of working capital management strategies, including supply chain financing, or SCF, programs. In light of evolving market practices with respect to payment terms, we have entered into various SCF arrangements with financial institutions pursuant to which (i) we sell receivables of certain customers without recourse to such financial institutions and accelerate payment in respect of such receivables sooner than provided in the applicable supply agreements with such customers and (ii) we have effectively extended our payment terms on certain of our payables.
For our customer-based SCF arrangements, we negotiate the terms of such SCF arrangements with the applicable financial institutions providing such SCF arrangements independent of our agreements with our customers. Under such SCF arrangements, we elect to sell our receivables for the applicable customer to the applicable financial institution on a non-recourse basis at a discount or credit spread based upon the creditworthiness of such customer. Such customer is then obligated to pay the applicable financial institution with respect to such receivables on their due date. Upon any such sale, we no longer have any credit risk with respect to such receivables, and we will have accelerated our receipt of cash in respect of such receivables thereby reducing our net working capital. Payments in respect of receivables sold under such SCF arrangements are reflected in net cash provided by operating activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Separate from such SCF arrangements, we generally maintain the contractual right with customers in respect of which we have entered into SCF arrangements to require shorter payment terms or require our customers to negotiate shorter payment terms as a result of changes in market conditions, including changes in interest rates and general market liquidity, or in some cases for any reason. Approximately 12 percent and 21 percent of our annual net sales for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, were subject to customer-based SCF arrangements. Based on our estimate, we improved our days sales outstanding by approximately 22 days for 2023 as a result of such customer-based SCF arrangements.
For our suppliers, we believe that we negotiate the best terms possible, including payment terms. In connection therewith, we initiated a SCF program with a major global financial institution. Under this SCF program, a qualifying supplier may elect, but is not obligated, to sell its receivables from us to such financial institution. A participating supplier negotiates its receivables sale arrangements directly with the financial institution under this SCF program. While we are not party to, and do not participate in the negotiation of, such arrangements, such financial institution allows a participating supplier to utilize our creditworthiness in establishing a credit spread in respect of the sale of its receivables from us as well as other applicable terms. This may provide a supplier with more favorable terms than it would be able to secure on its own. We have no economic interest in a supplier’s decision to sell a receivable. Once a qualifying supplier elects to participate in this SCF program and reaches an agreement with the financial institution, the supplier independently elects which individual invoices to us that they sell to the financial institution. All of our payments to a participating supplier are paid to the financial institution on the invoice due date under our agreement with such supplier, regardless of whether the individual invoice was sold by the supplier to the financial institution. The financial institution then pays the supplier on the invoice due date under our agreement with such supplier for any invoices not previously sold by the supplier to the financial institution. Amounts due to a supplier that elects to participate in this SCF program are included in accounts payable in our Consolidated Balance Sheet, and the associated payments are reflected in net cash provided by operating activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Separate from this SCF program, we and suppliers who participate in this SCF program generally maintain the contractual right to require the other party to negotiate in good faith the existing payment terms as a result of changes in market conditions, including changes in interest
rates and general market liquidity, or in some cases for any reason. Approximately 12 percent of our Cost of Goods Sold in our Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, were subject to this SCF program. At December 31, 2023, outstanding trade accounts payables subject to this SCF program were approximately $330.2 million.
Certain economic developments such as changes in interest rates, general market liquidity or the creditworthiness of customers relative to us could impact our participation in customer-based SCF arrangements. Future changes in our suppliers’ financing policies or certain economic developments, such as changes in interest rates, general market conditions or liquidity or our creditworthiness relative to a supplier could impact a supplier’s participation in our supplier SCF program and/or our ability to negotiate favorable payment terms with suppliers. However, any such impacts are difficult to predict. If such supply chain financing arrangements ended or suppliers otherwise change their payment terms, our net working capital would likely increase, although because of numerous variables we cannot predict the amount of any such increase, and it would be necessary for us to fund such net working capital increase using cash on hand or revolving loans under our Credit Agreement or other indebtedness.
On March 4, 2022, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase by us of up to an aggregate of $300.0 million of our common stock by various means from time to time through and including December 31, 2026. In 2023, we repurchased a total of 3,893,098 shares of our common stock at an average price per share of $44.86, for a total purchase price of $174.6 million. In 2022, we repurchased an aggregate of 786,235 shares of our common stock at an average price per share of $40.80, for a total purchase price approximately $32.1 million. As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $93.3 million remaining for the repurchase of our common stock under this authorization.
In addition to our operating cash needs and excluding any impact from acquisitions, we believe our cash requirements over the next few years will consist primarily of:
•capital expenditures of approximately $240.0 million in 2024, and thereafter annual capital expenditures of approximately the same amount which may increase as a result of specific growth or specific cost savings projects;
•principal payments of bank term loans and revolving loans under our Credit Agreement and other outstanding debt agreements and obligations (excluding finance leases) of $852.7 million in 2024, $106.7 million in 2025, $603.7 million in 2026, $653.2 million in 2027, and $1.16 billion thereafter;
•cash payments for quarterly dividends on our common stock as approved by our Board of Directors;
•annual payments to satisfy employee withholding tax requirements resulting from certain restricted stock units becoming vested, which payments are dependent upon the price of our common stock at the time of vesting and the number of restricted stock units that vest, none of which is estimable at this time (payments in 2023 were not significant);
•our interest requirements, including interest on revolving loans (the principal amount of which will vary depending upon seasonal requirements) and term loans under our Credit Agreement, which bear fluctuating rates of interest, the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes;
•payments of approximately $135 million for federal, state and foreign tax liabilities in 2024, which may increase annually thereafter; and
•payments for postretirement benefit and foreign pension benefit plan obligations, which are not expected to be significant.
We believe that cash generated from operations and funds from borrowings available under our Credit Agreement will be sufficient to meet our expected operating needs, planned capital expenditures, debt service requirements (both principal and interest), tax obligations, pension benefit plan contributions, share repurchases required under our equity-based compensation plans and common stock dividends for the foreseeable future. We continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities in the consumer goods packaging market and may incur additional indebtedness, including indebtedness under our Credit Agreement, to finance any such acquisition.
Our Credit Agreement contains restrictive covenants that, among other things, limit our ability to incur debt, sell assets and engage in certain transactions. The indentures governing the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes contain certain covenants that generally restrict our ability to create liens, engage in sale and leaseback transactions, issue guarantees and consolidate, merge or sell assets. We do not expect these limitations to have a material effect on our business or our results of operations. We are in compliance with all
financial and operating covenants contained in our financing agreements and believe that we will continue to be in compliance during 2024 with all of these covenants.
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
Our contractual cash obligations at December 31, 2023 are provided below:
Payment due by period
Total Less than
1 year 1-3
years 3-5
years More than
5 years
(Dollars in millions)
Long-term debt obligations $ 3,376.5 $ 852.7 $ 710.4 $ 1,806.4 $ 7.0
Interest on fixed rate debt 198.7 67.6 84.6 45.2 1.3
Interest on variable rate debt(1)
209.6 64.4 106.3 38.9 -
Operating lease obligations(2)
281.6 56.0 90.3 46.4 88.9
Finance lease obligations(2)
78.7 29.8 6.1 6.3 36.5
Purchase obligations(3)
35.9 35.9 - - -
Other pension and postretirement
benefit obligations(4)(5)
99.1 7.1 14.9 16.7 60.4
Total $ 4,280.1 $ 1,113.5 $ 1,012.6 $ 1,959.9 $ 194.1
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(1)These amounts represent expected cash payments of interest on our variable rate long-term debt under our Credit Agreement, after taking into consideration our interest rate swap agreements, at prevailing interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates at December 31, 2023.
(2)Operating and finance lease obligations include imputed interest.
(3)Purchase obligations represent commitments for capital expenditures of $35.9 million. Obligations that are cancellable without penalty are excluded.
(4)Other pension obligations consist of annual cash expenditures for the withdrawal liability related to the Central States Pension Plan through 2040 and the UFCW Local One Pension Fund through 2042 and for foreign pension plan and other postretirement benefit obligations which have been actuarially determined through the year 2033.
(5)Based on current legislation and the current funded status of our domestic pension benefit plans, there are no minimum required contributions to our pension benefit plans in 2024.
At December 31, 2023, we also had outstanding letters of credit of $21.5 million that were issued under our Credit Agreement.
You should also read Notes 4, 9, 10, 11 and 13 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.
EFFECT OF INFLATION AND INTEREST RATE FLUCTUATIONS
Historically, inflation has not had a material effect on us, other than to increase our cost of borrowing. In general, we have been able to increase the sales prices of our products to reflect any increases in the prices of raw materials (subject to contractual lag periods) and to significantly reduce the exposure of our results of operations to increases in other costs, such as labor and other manufacturing costs.
Because we have indebtedness which bears interest at floating rates, our financial results will be sensitive to changes in prevailing market rates of interest. As of December 31, 2023, we had $3.44 billion of indebtedness outstanding, of which $975.3 million bore interest at floating rates. Historically, we have entered into interest rate swap agreements to mitigate the effect of interest rate fluctuations. As of December 31, 2023, we have four U.S. dollar interest rate swap agreements outstanding, each for $75.0 million notional principal amount, which mature in 2026. Depending upon future market conditions and our level of outstanding variable rate debt, we may enter into additional interest rate swap or hedge agreements (with counterparties that, in our judgment, have sufficient creditworthiness) to hedge our exposure against interest rate volatility.
GUARANTEED SECURITIES
Each of the 3¼% Notes, the 4⅛% Notes, the 2¼% Notes and the 1.4% Notes were issued by us and are guaranteed by our U.S. subsidiaries that also guarantee our obligations under our Credit Agreement, collectively the Obligor Group.
The following summarized financial information relates to the Obligor Group as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023. Intercompany transactions, equity investments and other intercompany activity within the Obligor Group have been eliminated from the summarized financial information. Investments in our subsidiaries that are not part of the Obligor Group of $1.6 billion as of December 31, 2023 are not included in noncurrent assets in the table below.
(Dollars in millions)
Current assets $ 1,403.5
Noncurrent assets 3,988.8
Current liabilities 1,967.8
Noncurrent liabilities 3,123.8
At December 31, 2023, the Obligor Group held current receivables due from other subsidiary companies of $35.6 million; long-term notes receivable due from other subsidiary companies of $748.8 million; and current payables due to other subsidiary companies of $10.9 million.
Year Ended
December 31, 2023
(Dollars in millions)
Net sales $ 4,443.5
Gross profit 627.0
Net income 202.2
For the year ended December 31, 2023, net income in the table above excludes income from equity method investments of other subsidiary companies of $123.8 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Obligor Group recorded the following transactions with other subsidiary companies: sales to such other subsidiary companies of $49.5 million; net credits from such other subsidiary companies of $28.9 million; and net interest income from such other subsidiary companies of $36.4 million. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Obligor Group received dividends from other subsidiary companies of $15.8 million.
RATIONALIZATION CHARGES
In the fourth quarter of 2022, we recognized a rationalization charge of $73.8 million in the metal containers segment related to the write-off of net assets to service the Russian market. Our two metal container manufacturing facilities in Russia were closed at the beginning of 2023. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we recorded a rationalization credit of $17.7 million in the metal containers segment related to a loss recovery from OeKB in respect of such net assets.
In 2019, we withdrew from the Central States Pension Plan, and estimated total rationalization expenses and cash expenditures from such withdrawal of $62.0 million at that time. In the fourth quarter of 2022, we finalized the calculation of the withdrawal liability with the Central States Pension Plan and revised the total expected costs of the withdrawal liability as of the withdrawal date to be $51.1 million, with total expected future cash expenditures of $41.9 million. Accordingly, the fourth quarter of 2022 includes a rationalization credit of $8.5 million in the metal containers segment for the adjustment to the withdrawal liability for the Central States Pension Plan as finalized. Remaining expenses related to the accretion of interest for the withdrawal liability for the Central States Pension Plan are expected to be approximately $0.9 million per year to be recognized annually through 2040, and remaining cash expenditures for the withdrawal liability related to the Central States Pension Plan are expected to be approximately $2.6 million per year through 2040.
We continually evaluate cost reduction opportunities across each of our segments, including rationalizations of our existing facilities through plant closings and downsizings. We use a disciplined approach to identify opportunities that generate attractive cash returns. In late 2023, we announced a comprehensive cost reduction initiative to achieve $50 million of cost savings over the next two years from footprint rationalizations and other cost reduction actions in all of our businesses. As part of this initiative, we have already closed two dispensing and specialty closures manufacturing facilities and one metal container manufacturing facility to date, relocating volumes from such facilities to other facilities, and we have announced the closing of an additional metal container manufacturing facility and a custom container manufacturing facility from which volumes will be relocated to other facilities.
Under our rationalization plans, we made cash payments of $16.3 million, $9.0 million and $9.9 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Excluding the impact of our withdrawal from the Central States Pension Plan discussed above, remaining cash expenditures for our rationalization plans are expected to be $15.7 million. You should also read Note 4 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES
U.S. generally accepted accounting principles require estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Some of these estimates and assumptions require difficult, subjective and/or complex judgments. Critical accounting policies cover accounting matters that are inherently uncertain because the future resolution of such matters is unknown. We believe that our accounting policies for pension expense and obligations and rationalization charges and testing goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives for impairment reflect the more significant judgments and estimates in our consolidated financial statements. You should also read our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Our pension expense and obligations are developed from actuarial valuations. Two critical assumptions in determining pension expense and obligations are the discount rate and expected long-term return on plan assets. We evaluate these assumptions at least annually. Other assumptions reflect demographic factors such as retirement, mortality and turnover and are evaluated periodically and updated to reflect our actual experience. Actual results may differ from actuarial assumptions. The discount rate represents the market rate for non-callable high-quality fixed income investments and is used to calculate the present value of the expected future cash flows for benefit obligations under our pension benefit plans. A decrease in the discount rate increases the present value of benefit obligations and increases pension expense, while an increase in the discount rate decreases the present value of benefit obligations and decreases pension expense. A 25 basis point change in the discount rate would have a countervailing impact on our annual pension expense by approximately $1.1 million. For 2023, we decreased our domestic discount rate to 5.3 percent from 5.6 percent to reflect market interest rate conditions. We consider the current and expected asset allocations of our U.S. pension benefit plans, as well as historical and expected long-term rates of return on those types of plan assets, in determining the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets. A 25 basis point change in the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets would have a countervailing impact on our annual pension expense by approximately $2.0 million. In 2023, we decreased our expected long-term rate of return on plan assets from 6.9 percent to 5.5 percent due to changes we made in 2023 in the investment allocations for our U.S. pension plans, which are overfunded with plan assets of approximately 134 percent of projected benefit obligations at December 31, 2023, to a liability driven investment strategy that more closely matches plan assets with plan liabilities primarily using long duration fixed income securities. Our expected long-term rate of return on plan assets will remain at 5.5 percent in 2024.
Historically, we have maintained a strategy of acquiring businesses and enhancing profitability through productivity and cost reduction opportunities. Acquisitions require us to estimate the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the transactions. These estimates of fair value are based on market participant perspectives when available and our business plans for the acquired entities, which include eliminating operating redundancies, facility closings and rationalizations and assumptions as to the ultimate resolution of liabilities assumed. We also continually evaluate the operating performance of our existing facilities and our business requirements and, when deemed appropriate, we exit or rationalize existing operating facilities. Establishing reserves for acquisition plans and facility rationalizations requires the use of estimates. Although we believe that these estimates accurately reflect the costs of these plans, actual costs incurred may differ from these estimates.
Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives are reviewed for impairment each year and more frequently if circumstances indicate a possible impairment. Our tests for goodwill impairment require us to make
certain assumptions to determine the fair value of our reporting units. In 2023, we calculated the fair value of our reporting units using the market approach, which required us to estimate future expected earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, and estimate EBITDA market multiples using publicly available information for each of our reporting units. Developing these assumptions requires the use of significant judgment and estimates. Actual results may differ from these forecasts. If an impairment were to be identified, it could result in additional expense recorded in our consolidated statements of income.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements we have made in “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and elsewhere in this Annual Report which are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting us and therefore involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Therefore, the actual results of our operations or our financial condition could differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements.
The discussion in our “Risk Factors” and our “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition” sections highlight some of the more important risks identified by our management, but should not be assumed to be the only factors that could affect future performance. Other factors that could cause the actual results of our operations or our financial condition to differ from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements include, but are not necessarily limited to, our ability to satisfy our obligations under our contracts; the impact of customer claims and disputes; compliance by our suppliers with the terms of our arrangements with them; changes in consumer preferences for different packaging products; changes in general economic conditions; the idling or loss of one or more of our significant manufacturing facilities; our ability to finance any increase in our net working capital in the event that our supply chain financing arrangements end; changes in tax rates in any jurisdiction where we conduct business; changes to trade policies, including new tariffs or changes to trade agreements or treaties; and other factors described elsewhere in this Annual Report or in our other filings with the SEC.
Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 should not be construed as exhaustive or as any admission regarding the adequacy of our disclosures. Certain risk factors are detailed from time to time in our various public filings. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our filings with the SEC.
You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts. Forward-looking statements use terms such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “continues,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “pro forma” or similar expressions in connection with any disclosure of future operating or financial performance. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the risks described under “Risk Factors,” that may cause our actual results of operations, financial condition, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results of operations, financial condition, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
Market risks relating to our operations result primarily from changes in interest rates and, with respect to our international dispensing and specialty closures and metal container operations and our Canadian custom container operations, from foreign currency exchange rates. In the normal course of business, we also have risk related to commodity price changes for items such as natural gas. We employ established policies and procedures to manage our exposure to these risks. Interest rate, foreign currency and commodity pricing transactions are used only to the extent considered necessary to meet our objectives. We do not utilize derivative financial instruments for trading or other speculative purposes.
INTEREST RATE RISK
Our interest rate risk management objective is to limit the impact of interest rate changes on our net income and cash flow. To achieve our objective, we regularly evaluate the amount of our variable rate debt as a percentage of our aggregate debt. During 2023, our average outstanding variable rate debt, after taking into account the average outstanding notional amount of our interest rate swap agreements, was 34 percent of our average outstanding total debt. At December 31, 2023, our outstanding variable rate debt, after taking into account interest rate swap agreements, was approximately 20 percent of our outstanding total debt. Over the course of the year, we also borrow revolving loans under our revolving loan facilities which bear interest at variable rates to fund our seasonal working capital needs. From time to time, we manage a portion of our exposure to interest rate fluctuations in our variable rate debt through interest rate swap agreements. As of December 31, 2023, we have four U.S. dollar interest rate swap agreements outstanding, each for $75.0 million notional principal amount, which mature in April 2026. These agreements effectively convert interest rate exposure from variable rates to fixed rates of interest. We entered into these agreements with banks under our Credit Agreement, and our obligations under these agreements were guaranteed and secured on a pari passu basis with our obligations under our Credit Agreement. Depending upon future market conditions and our level of outstanding variable rate debt, we may enter into additional interest rate swap or hedge agreements (with counterparties that, in our judgment, have sufficient creditworthiness) to hedge our exposure against interest rate volatility. You should also read Notes 9 and 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
Based on the average outstanding amount of our variable rate indebtedness in 2023, a one percentage point change in the interest rates for our variable rate indebtedness would have impacted our 2023 interest expense by an aggregate of approximately $13.2 million, after taking into account the average outstanding notional amount of our interest rate swap agreements during 2023.
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE RISK
Currently, we conduct a portion of our manufacturing and sales activity outside the United States, primarily in Europe. In an effort to minimize foreign currency exchange risk, we have financed our acquisitions of our European operations primarily with borrowings denominated in Euros. We also have operations in Canada, Mexico, Asia and South America that are not considered significant to our consolidated financial statements. Where available, we have borrowed funds in local currency or implemented certain internal hedging strategies to minimize our foreign currency risk related to foreign operations. In addition, we are exposed to gains and losses from limited transactions of our operations denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of such operations. We are also exposed to possible losses in the event of a currency devaluation in any of the foreign countries where we have operations. You should also read Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.
COMMODITY PRICING RISK
We purchase raw materials for our products such as metal and resins. These raw materials are generally purchased pursuant to contracts or at market prices established with the vendor. In general, we do not engage in hedging activities for these raw materials due to our ability to pass on price changes to our customers.
We also purchase commodities, such as natural gas and electricity, and are subject to risks on the pricing of these commodities. In general, we purchase these commodities pursuant to contracts or at market prices. We manage a portion of our exposure to natural gas price fluctuations through natural gas swap agreements. These agreements effectively convert pricing exposure for natural gas from market pricing to a fixed price. The total fair value of our natural gas swap agreements in effect at December 31, 2023 and 2022 and during such years was not significant. You should also read Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 included elsewhere in this Annual Report.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.
We refer you to Item 15, “Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules,” below for a listing of financial statements and schedules included in this Annual Report, which are incorporated here in this Annual Report by this reference.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE.
Not applicable.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
As required by Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based upon that evaluation, as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were effective to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that our disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the Principal Executive Officer and the Principal Financial Officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
There were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting during the period covered by this Annual Report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, these internal controls.
MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.
Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013 Framework). Based on this assessment and those criteria, management believes that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023.
The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP (PCAOB ID: 42), our independent registered public accounting firm, and Ernst & Young LLP has issued an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting which is provided below.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
TO THE STOCKHOLDERS AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SILGAN HOLDINGS INC.
OPINION ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
We have audited Silgan Holdings Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Silgan Holdings Inc. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the 2023 consolidated financial statements of the Company and our report dated February 29, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
BASIS FOR OPINION
The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
DEFINITION AND LIMITATIONS OF INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Stamford, Connecticut
February 29, 2024

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION.
None.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
The information with respect to directors, executive officers and corporate governance required by this Item is incorporated here in this Annual Report by reference to our Proxy Statement, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report, for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.
The information with respect to executive compensation required by this Item is incorporated here in this Annual Report by reference to our Proxy Statement, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report, for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.
The information with respect to security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management and related stockholder matters required by this Item is incorporated here in this Annual Report by reference to our Proxy Statement, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report, for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.
The information with respect to certain relationships and related transactions, and director independence required by this Item is incorporated here in this Annual Report by reference to our Proxy Statement, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report, for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.
The information with respect to principal accountant fees and services required by this Item is incorporated here in this Annual Report by reference to our Proxy Statement, to be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year covered by this Annual Report, for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held in 2024.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2023 and 2022
Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
SCHEDULE:
II. Valuation and Qualifying Accounts for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021
All other financial statement schedules not listed have been omitted because they are not applicable or not required, or because the required information is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
EXHIBITS:
Exhibit
Number
Description
3.1 Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Silgan Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 13, 2006, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.2 Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Silgan Holdings Inc. to amend the stockholder voting standard (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 11, 2010, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.3 Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Silgan Holdings Inc. to increase the number of authorized shares of our common stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 11, 2010, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.4 Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Silgan Holdings Inc. to permit an increase in the size of the Board of Directors for a period of time, to increase the number of authorized shares of our common stock and to make an immaterial administrative change (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 15, 2018, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.5 Amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Silgan Holdings Inc. to permit an increase in the size of the Board of Directors for a period of time (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.6 Amended and Restated By-laws of Silgan Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 13, 2006, Commission File No. 000-22117).
3.7 First Amendment to Amended and Restated By-laws of Silgan Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.1 Indenture, dated as of February 13, 2017, with respect to the 3¼% Senior Notes due 2025, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 17, 2017, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.2 First Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of February 13, 2017, with respect to the 3¼% Senior Notes due 2025, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.3 Second Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of February 13, 2017, with respect to the 3¼% Senior Notes due 2025, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.4 Form of Silgan Holdings Inc. 3¼% Senior Note due 2025 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 17, 2017, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.5 Indenture, dated as of November 12, 2019, with respect to the 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November 12, 2019, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.6 Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 26, 2020, with respect to the 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 26, 2020, Commission File No. 000-22117).
Exhibit
Number
Description
4.7 Second Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture dated as of November 12, 2019 with respect to the 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.8 Third Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of November 12, 2019 with respect to the 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc. and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.9 Form of Silgan Holdings Inc. 4⅛% Senior Notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November 12, 2019, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.10 Indenture, dated as of February 26, 2020, with respect to the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 26, 2020, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.11 First Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of February 26, 2020, with respect to the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.12 Second Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of February 26, 2020, with respect to the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc., U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, Elavon Financial Services DAC, UK Branch, as paying agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028, and Elavon Financial Services DAC, as registrar and transfer agent in respect of the 2¼% Senior Notes due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.13 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.13 Form of Silgan Holdings Inc. 2¼% Senior Note due 2028 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 26, 2020, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.14 Indenture, dated as of February 10, 2021, with respect to the 1.4% Senior Secured Notes due 2026, by and between Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank National Association, as trustee and collateral agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.15 First Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture, dated as of February 10, 2021, with respect to the 1.4% Senior Secured Notes due 2026, by and among Silgan Holdings Inc., certain U.S. subsidiaries of Silgan Holdings Inc. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as agent for Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee and collateral agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.16 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.16 Form of Silgan Holdings Inc. 1.4% Senior Secured Note due 2026 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
4.17 Description of Securities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, Commission File No. 000-22117).
Exhibit
Number
Description
10.1 Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2017, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, Silgan Plastics Canada Inc., Silgan Holdings B.V., Silgan International Holdings B.V., each other revolving borrower party thereto from time to time, each other incremental term loan borrower party thereto from time to time, various lenders party thereto from time to time, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent, Bank of America, N.A., Goldman Sachs Bank USA, HSBC Bank USA, National Association, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, as Co-Syndication Agents, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., TD Bank, N.A. and CoBank, ACB, as Co-Documentation Agents, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman Sachs Bank USA, HSBC Bank USA, National Association, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated March 30, 2017, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.2 First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 30, 2018, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, Silgan Plastics Canada Inc., Silgan Holdings B.V., Silgan International Holdings B.V., the other Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated June 5, 2018, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.3 Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2021, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, Silgan Plastics Canada Inc., Silgan International Holdings B.V., the other Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated February 3, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.4 Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of November 9, 2021, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, the other Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November 12, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.5 Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2023, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan Containers LLC, Silgan Plastics LLC, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corporation, the other Guarantors party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Administrative Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, dated August 3, 2023, Commission File No. 001-41459)
+10.6 Employment Agreement, dated June 30, 2004, between Silgan Holdings Inc. and Robert B. Lewis (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.7 Employment Agreement, dated October 1, 2007, between Silgan Holdings Inc. and Adam J. Greenlee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.8 Officer Agreement, dated October 1, 2007, between Silgan Holdings Inc. and Adam J. Greenlee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.9 Officer Agreement, dated August 31, 2015, between Silgan Plastics LLC. and Jay A. Martin (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.10 Silgan Holdings Inc. Senior Executive Performance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.11 Amendment to Silgan Holdings Inc. Senior Executive Performance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.24 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, Commission File No. 000-22117).
Exhibit
Number
Description
+10.12 Amendment No. 2 to Silgan Holdings Inc. Senior Executive Performance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K, dated February 23, 2023, Commission File No. 001-41459)
+10.13 Amendment No. 3 to Silgan Holdings Inc. Senior Executive Performance Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.14 Silgan Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Appendix A of our Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A, dated April 21, 2015, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.15 Amendment to the Silgan Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2019, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.16 Second Amendment to the Silgan Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2021, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.17 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (Employee) under the Silgan Holdings Inc. Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2022, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.18 Silgan Holdings Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 filed with our Registration Statement on Form S-8, dated May 30, 2023, Commission File No. 333-272264)
10.19 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (Employee) under the Silgan Holdings Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, dated August 3, 2023, Commission File No. 001-41459)
10.20 Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (Outside Director) under the Silgan Holdings Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, dated August 3, 2023, Commission File No. 001-41459)
+10.21 Silgan Containers Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as amended (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.22 First Amendment to Silgan Containers Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.23 Second Amendment to Silgan Containers Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.28 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.24 Third Amendment to Silgan Containers Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.26 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, Commission File No. 000-22117).
+10.25 Form of Indemnification Agreement for Directors and Executive Officers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2012, Commission File No. 000-22117).
10.26 Securities and Assets Sale Agreement, dated April 21, 2020, among Silgan Holdings Inc., Silgan International Holdings B.V., Silgan Dispensing Systems Holdings Company, Silgan Dispensing Systems Brazil Packaging Industry Ltda., Silgan Dispensing Systems (Wuxi) Co., Ltd., Twist Beauty Packaging S.A.S., Twist Beauty Packaging Holding France S.A.S., Albéa Services SAS, Twist Beauty Packaging Holdings Corp., Twist Beauty Packaging Holding Mexico S. DE R.L DE CV, and Albéa Packaging (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated April 23, 2020, Commission File No. 000-22117).
Exhibit
Number
Description
10.27 Second Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement dated as of November 28, 2022 among R. Philip Silver, D. Greg Horrigan and Silgan Holdings Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 filed with our Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November 28, 2022, Commission File No. 001-41459).
14 Code of Ethics applicable to Silgan Holdings’ principal executive officer(s), principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, Commission File No. 000-22117).
*21 Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
*22 Subsidiary Guarantors and Issuers of Guaranteed Securities
*23 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.
*31.1 Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
*31.2 Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
*32.1 Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
*32.2 Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
*97 Clawback Policy
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*101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.
*101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
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*104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).
___________________
*Filed herewith.
+ Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.