We are a diversified global producer of fabricated metal products and are a
leading producer of steel, aluminum and composite pole, tower and other structures
in our Engineered Support Structures (ESS) segment, steel and concrete pole
structures in our Utilities Support Structures (Utility) segment and are a global
producer of mechanized irrigation systems in our Irrigation segment. Within
our Energy and Mining segment, we manufacture industrial access systems, grinding
media used in mining operations, and complex steel structures used in wind energy
and utility transmission applications outside the United States. We also provide
metal coating services, including galvanizing, painting and anodizing in our
Coatings segment. Our products sold through the ESS segment include outdoor
lighting, traffic control, and roadway safety structures, wireless communication
structures and components. Our pole structures sold through our Utility segment
support electrical transmission and distribution lines and related power distribution
equipment. Our Irrigation segment produces mechanized irrigation equipment that
delivers water, chemical fertilizers and pesticides to agricultural crops. Customers
and end-users of our products include state and federal governments, contractors,
utility and telecommunications companies, manufacturers of commercial lighting
fixtures and large farms as well as the general manufacturing sector.
Our strategy is to pursue growth opportunities that leverage our existing product
portfolio, knowledge of our principal end-markets and customers and engineering
capability to increase our sales, earnings and cash flow, including:
Increasing the Market Penetration of our Existing Products. Our strategy is
to increase our market penetration by differentiating our products from our
competitors’ products through superior customer service, technological
innovation and consistent high quality. For example, our Utility segment increased
its sales between 2010 and 2013 through our engineering capability, effective
coordination of our production capacity and strong customer service to meet
our customers’ requirements, especially on large, complex projects.
Bringing our Existing Products to New Markets. Our strategy is to expand the
sales of our existing products into geographic areas where we do not currently
have a strong presence as well as into applications for which end-users do not
currently purchase our type of product. In recent years, our Utility business
successfully expanded into new markets in Africa. We have also expanded our
geographic presence in Europe and North Africa for lighting structures. We have
also been successful introducing our pole products to utility and wireless communication
applications where customers have traditionally purchased lattice tower products.
Our strategy of building manufacturing presences in China and India was based
primarily on expanding our offering of pole structures for lighting, utility
and wireless communication to these markets. Our Irrigation segment has a long
history of developing new mechanized irrigation markets in emerging markets.
In recent years, these markets include China and Eastern Europe. Our 2015 acquisition
of American Galvanizing provides us with a presence in the Northeast U.S. galvanizing
market.
Developing New Products for Markets that We Currently Serve. Our strategy is
to grow by developing new products for markets where we have a comprehensive
understanding of end-user requirements and longstanding relationships with key
distributors and end-users. For example, in recent years we developed and sold
structures for tramway applications in Europe. The customers for this product
line include many of the state and local governments that purchase our lighting
structures. Another example is the development and expansion of decorative product
concepts for lighting applications that have been introduced to our existing
customer base. Our 2014 acquisition of the majority ownership in AgSense allows
us to offer expanded remote monitoring services over irrigation equipment and
other aspects of a farming operation.
Developing New Products for New Markets and Leverage a Core Competency to Further
Diversify our Business. Our strategy is to increase our sales and diversify
our business by developing new products for new markets or to leverage a core
competency. For example, we have been expanding our offering of specialized
decorative lighting poles in the U.S. including the fiberglass composite structures
offered through Shakespeare Composite Structures which we acquired in 2014.
Our reportable segments are as follows:
Engineered Support Structures: This segment consists of the manufacture and
distribution of engineered metal and composite structures and components for
global lighting and traffic, wireless communication, and roadway safety;
Utility Support Structures: This segment consists of the manufacture of engineered
steel and concrete structures for the global utility industry;
Energy and Mining: This segment, all outside of the United States, consists
of the manufacture of access systems applications, forged steel grinding media,
on and off shore oil, gas, and wind energy structures.
Coatings: This segment consists of galvanizing, anodizing and powder coating
services on a global basis; and
Irrigation: This segment consists of the manufacture of agricultural irrigation
equipment and related parts and services for the global agricultural industry
as well as tubular products for a variety of industrial customers.
Other: In addition to these five reportable segments, we have other operations
and activities that individually are not more than 10% of consolidated sales,
operating income or assets. These activities include the distribution of industrial
fasteners.
1.21% 
78.31 %