FORM 10-K

15 expenses are driven by, among other things, our assumptions of the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, the discount rate used for future payment obligations and the rates of future cost growth. Additionally, as part of our annual evaluation of these plans, significant changes in our assumptions, due to changes in economic, legislative and/or demographic experience or circumstances, or changes in our actual investment returns could negatively impact the funded status of our plans requiring us to substantially increase our pension liability with a resulting decrease in shareholders’ equity. Also, changes in pension legislation and regulations could increase the cost associated with our defined benefit pension plans. Our business could be adversely affected by strikes or work stoppages and other labor issues. Approximately 7,200, or 27%, of our U.S. employees are unionized, and many of our non-U.S. employees are represented by organized councils. As a result, we may experience work stoppages, which could negatively impact our ability to manufacture our products on a timely basis, resulting in strain on our relationships with our customers and a loss of revenues. The presence of unions also may limit our flexibility in responding to competitive pressures in the marketplace. In addition, the workforces of many of our suppliers and customers are represented by labor unions. Work stoppages or strikes at the plants of our key suppliers could disrupt our manufacturing processes; similar actions at the plants of our customers could result in delayed or canceled orders for our products. Any of these events could adversely affect our results of operations. Currency, raw material price and interest rate fluctuations may adversely affect our results. We are exposed to a variety of market risks, including the effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, raw material prices and interest rates. Currency variations also contribute to variations in sales of products and services in impacted jurisdictions. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency rates could adversely affect our profitability in future periods. We monitor and manage these exposures as an integral part of our overall risk management program. In some cases, we purchase derivatives or enter into contracts to insulate our results of operations from these fluctuations. Nevertheless, changes in currency exchange rates, raw material prices and interest rates can have substantial adverse effects on our results of operations. We may be unable to effectively mitigate pricing pressures. In some markets, particularly where we deliver component products and services to OEMs, we face ongoing customer demands for price reductions, which sometimes are contractually obligated. However, if we are unable to effectively mitigate future pricing pressures through technological advances or by lowering our cost base through improved operating and supply chain efficiencies, our results of operations could be adversely affected. Unanticipated changes in our tax rates or exposure to additional income tax liabilities could affect our profitability. We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and various non-U.S. jurisdictions, and our domestic and international tax liabilities are subject to the location of income among these different jurisdictions. Our effective tax rate could be adversely affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, changes in the amount of earnings indefinitely reinvested offshore, changes to unrecognized tax benefits or changes in tax laws, which could affect our profitability. In particular, the carrying value of deferred tax assets is dependent on our ability to generate future taxable income, as well as changes to applicable statutory tax rates. In addition, the amount of income taxes we pay is subject to audits in various jurisdictions, and a material assessment by a tax authority could affect our profitability. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) was enacted on December 22, 2017 and significantly changed U.S. income tax law. We have made provisional estimates of the impact of the Act on the remeasurement of our net deferred tax assets and the one-time transition tax in 2017. However, the financial reporting effects of the Act are complex and are subject to change as guidance interpreting the Act is issued. The effect of such guidance, as well as any additional tax reform legislation in the United States or elsewhere, could adversely affect our effective tax rate, have a material impact on the value of our deferred tax assets or increase our future U.S. tax expense. Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments None. Item 2. Properties On December 30, 2017, we operated a total of 63 plants located throughout the U.S. and 52 plants outside the U.S. We own 61 plants and lease the remainder for a total manufacturing space of approximately 24.6 million square feet. We consider the productive capacity of the plants operated by each of our business segments to be adequate. We also own or lease offices, warehouses, training and service centers and other space at various locations. In general, our facilities are in good condition, are considered to be adequate for the uses to which they are being put and are substantially in regular use.