Trimas (TRS) Risk Analysis

We are, from time to time, subject to a variety of claims or litigation incidental to our businesses, including demands for damages arising out of use of our products, claims relating to intellectual property matters, and claims involving employment matters and commercial disputes. We currently carry insurance and maintain reserves for potential product liability claims. However, our insurance coverage may be inadequate if such claims do arise and any liability not covered by insurance could have a material adverse effect on our business. Although we have been able to obtain insurance in amounts we believe to be appropriate to cover such liability to date, our insurance premiums may increase in the future as a consequence of conditions in the insurance business generally or our situation in particular. Any such increase could result in lower operating profit or cause the need to reduce our insurance coverage. In addition, a future claim may be brought against us that could have a material adverse effect on us. Any product liability claim may also include the imposition of punitive damages, the award of which, pursuant to certain state laws, may not be covered by insurance. Our product liability insurance policies have limits that, if exceeded, may result in material costs that could have an adverse effect on our future profitability. In addition, warranty claims are generally not covered by our product liability insurance. Further, any product liability or warranty issues may adversely affect our reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality, safe products, divert management's attention, and could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, our former Lamons business is a named party to lawsuits related to asbestos contained in gaskets alleged to be formerly manufactured by it or its predecessors. While we sold the Lamons business in December 2019, we retained the asbestos-related liability exposure. Some of this litigation includes claims for punitive and consequential, as well as compensatory damages. We are not able to predict the outcome of these matters given that, among other things, claims may be initially made in jurisdictions without specifying the amount sought or by simply stating the minimum or maximum permissible monetary relief, and may be amended to alter the amount sought. Of the 5,080 claims pending at December 31, 2025, 33 set forth specific amounts of damages (other than those stating the statutory minimum or maximum). See Note 16, "Commitments and Contingencies," included in Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," within this Form 10-K for additional information. Total settlement costs (exclusive of defense costs) for all such cases, some of which were filed more than 30 years ago, have been $14.4 million. All relief sought in the asbestos cases is monetary in nature. To date, approximately 40% of our costs related to settlement and defense of asbestos litigation have been covered by our primary insurance. Effective February 14, 2006, we entered into a coverage-in-place agreement with our first level excess carriers regarding the coverage to be provided to us for asbestos-related claims when the primary insurance is exhausted. The coverage-in-place agreement makes asbestos defense costs and indemnity insurance coverage available to us that might otherwise be disputed by the carriers and provides a methodology for the administration of such expenses. Our primary insurance exhausted in November 2018, and we were solely responsible for defense costs and indemnity payments prior to the commencement of coverage under this agreement. During second quarter 2025, we reached the threshold of qualified future settlements required to commence excess carrier insurance coverage under the coverage-in-place agreement. In the event the asbestos defense costs and indemnity insurance coverage provided by the coverage-in-place agreement are unavailable to us for any reason, we may incur additional costs. We also may be required to incur additional defense costs and pay damage awards or settlements, or become subject to equitable remedies, in the future that could adversely affect our businesses.

Our success will depend, in part, on the efforts of our key leadership, including key operational, technical, commercial, manufacturing and financial personnel. Our business leadership teams have served a vast majority of their careers in, and are deeply experienced in, the industries we operate. Our future success will also depend on, among other factors, our ability to retain or attract other qualified personnel. The loss of the services of any of our key employees or the failure to retain or attract employees could have a material adverse effect on us.

We are subject to increasingly stringent environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to air emissions, wastewater discharges and chemical and hazardous waste management and disposal. A number of governments or governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating introducing regulatory changes in response to climate change, including regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Some of these laws hold owners or operators of land or businesses liable for their own and for previous owners' or operators' releases of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes. Other environmental laws and regulations require obtaining and complying with environmental permits. To date, costs of complying with environmental, health and safety requirements have not been material. However, the nature of our operations and our long history of industrial activities at certain of our current or former facilities, as well as those acquired, could potentially result in material liabilities. While we must comply with existing and pending climate change legislation, regulation and international treaties or accords, current laws and regulations have not had a material impact on our business, capital expenditures or financial position. Future events, including those relating to climate change or greenhouse gas regulation, could require us to incur expenses related to fund energy efficiency activities, fees or restrictions on certain activities, the modification or curtailment of operations, installation of pollution control equipment or investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites. Any adopted future regulations could also negatively impact our ability to compete with companies situated in areas not subject to such limitations, and we may not be able to recover the cost of compliance with new or more stringent laws and regulations, which could adversely impact our results of operations, cash flow or financial condition.

We may be subject to claims or inquiries regarding alleged unauthorized use of a third party's intellectual property. An adverse outcome in any intellectual property litigation could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, require us to license technology or other intellectual property rights from others, require us to comply with injunctions to cease marketing or using certain products or brands, or require us to redesign, re-engineer, or re-brand certain products or packaging, any of which could affect our business, financial condition and operating results. If we are required to seek licenses under patents or other intellectual property rights of others, we may not be able to acquire these licenses on acceptable terms, if at all. In addition, the cost of responding to an intellectual property infringement claim, in terms of legal fees and expenses and the diversion of management resources, whether or not the claim is valid, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.