Horizon Kinetics Holding's Suppliers Performance

We owned all of our manufacturing facilities until February 1, 2013, when we sold the facilities and entered into a lease with the new owner for a portion of the facilities. Please see Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 for information on our leasing back certain of the manufacturing facilities that we sold. We own and operate all of our manufacturing equipment. We manufacture all of our products with the exception of the following products: (1) those products for which we act as a distributor; and (2) our Scott’s Liquid Gold® Dust ’N Go wipes. For all of our products, we must maintain sufficient inventories to ship most orders as they are received.

Quality control is enforced at all stages of production, as well as upon the receipt of raw materials from suppliers. Raw materials are purchased from a number of suppliers and, at the present time, are readily available. However, we do not have long term contracts with our suppliers and any contracts we do have with suppliers may be terminated at any time. Our sole supplier for the oxygenated oil used in our Neoteric Diabetic® Healing Cream product is a French company with which we have a non-exclusive supply agreement. In addition, we have sole suppliers for two of the polymers used in our Scott’s Liquid Gold® Floor Restore product. We believe that we have good relationships with all of our suppliers.

Most of our manufacturing operations, including most packaging, are highly automated, and, as a result, our manufacturing operations are not labor intensive, nor, for the most part, do they involve extensive training. We currently operate on a one-shift basis. Our manufacturing facilities are capable of producing substantially larger quantities of our products without any expansion, and, for that reason, we believe that our physical plant facilities are adequate for the foreseeable future.

In 2001, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Neoteric Cosmetics, Inc. (“Neoteric”), commenced purchases of skin care sachets from Montagne Jeunesse under a distributorship agreement covering the United States. Pursuant to our distribution agreement with Montagne Jeunesse that became effective on September 15, 2014, we continue as the exclusive distributor to market and sell Montagne Jeunesse’s skin care sachets in the United States. The initial term of the distribution agreement with Montagne Jeunesse expires on September 15, 2017 and automatically renews for two year terms, unless terminated at the end of any such term upon six months prior notice.

Under the terms of the agreement, Neoteric agreed, among other things: (1) not to distribute during the duration of the agreement any goods of the same description as and which compete with the Montagne Jeunesse products; (2) to use our commercially reasonable endeavors to develop, promote and sell the products in the United States and to expand the sale of the products to all potential purchasers by all reasonable and proper means; (3) to purchase certain core products; and (4) to maintain an inventory of the products for our own account for sale of these products throughout the United States. Montagne Jeunesse agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to meet all of our orders for the products. The initial pricing terms for the products were negotiated with Montagne Jeunesse. Any changes to the prices must be mutually agreed to by both parties and must be agreed to at least six months in advance. Neoteric may not assign or transfer any rights or obligations under the agreement or subcontract the performance of any obligation.

Under our new distribution agreement with Church & Dwight that became effective on January 1, 2015, we are the exclusive distributor of Batiste Dry Shampoo products in the specialty retailer channel in the United States. The specialty retailer channel includes primarily beauty supply stores, such as Ulta, our largest customer, apparel retailers, department stores, hair salons and distributors to hair salons. Church & Dwight retained the rights to sell Batiste products to the remainder of the market in the United States.

The agreement provides that we will not be permitted to manufacture, distribute or sell any products that are competitive with Batiste Dry Shampoo products. The initial pricing terms for the Batiste products were negotiated with Church & Dwight, but may be increased by Church & Dwight at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice of any price increase. The initial term of the agreement runs through December 31, 2016 and will automatically renew for successive one year terms until it is terminated by either party upon 120 days’ prior written notice.

We owned all of our manufacturing facilities until February 1, 2013, when we sold the facilities and entered into a lease with the new owner for a portion of the facilities. Please see Note 10 to our Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 for information on our leasing back certain of the manufacturing facilities that we sold. We own and operate all of our manufacturing equipment. We manufacture all of our products with the exception of the following products: (1) those products for which we act as a distributor; and (2) our Scott’s Liquid Gold® Dust ’N Go wipes. For all of our products, we must maintain sufficient inventories to ship most orders as they are received.

Quality control is enforced at all stages of production, as well as upon the receipt of raw materials from suppliers. Raw materials are purchased from a number of suppliers and, at the present time, are readily available. However, we do not have long term contracts with our suppliers and any contracts we do have with suppliers may be terminated at any time. Our sole supplier for the oxygenated oil used in our Neoteric Diabetic® Healing Cream product is a French company with which we have a non-exclusive supply agreement. In addition, we have sole suppliers for two of the polymers used in our Scott’s Liquid Gold® Floor Restore product. We believe that we have good relationships with all of our suppliers.

Most of our manufacturing operations, including most packaging, are highly automated, and, as a result, our manufacturing operations are not labor intensive, nor, for the most part, do they involve extensive training. We currently operate on a one-shift basis. Our manufacturing facilities are capable of producing substantially larger quantities of our products without any expansion, and, for that reason, we believe that our physical plant facilities are adequate for the foreseeable future.

In 2001, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Neoteric Cosmetics, Inc. (“Neoteric”), commenced purchases of skin care sachets from Montagne Jeunesse under a distributorship agreement covering the United States. Pursuant to our distribution agreement with Montagne Jeunesse that became effective on September 15, 2014, we continue as the exclusive distributor to market and sell Montagne Jeunesse’s skin care sachets in the United States. The initial term of the distribution agreement with Montagne Jeunesse expires on September 15, 2017 and automatically renews for two year terms, unless terminated at the end of any such term upon six months prior notice.

Under the terms of the agreement, Neoteric agreed, among other things: (1) not to distribute during the duration of the agreement any goods of the same description as and which compete with the Montagne Jeunesse products; (2) to use our commercially reasonable endeavors to develop, promote and sell the products in the United States and to expand the sale of the products to all potential purchasers by all reasonable and proper means; (3) to purchase certain core products; and (4) to maintain an inventory of the products for our own account for sale of these products throughout the United States. Montagne Jeunesse agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to meet all of our orders for the products. The initial pricing terms for the products were negotiated with Montagne Jeunesse. Any changes to the prices must be mutually agreed to by both parties and must be agreed to at least six months in advance. Neoteric may not assign or transfer any rights or obligations under the agreement or subcontract the performance of any obligation.

Under our new distribution agreement with Church & Dwight that became effective on January 1, 2015, we are the exclusive distributor of Batiste Dry Shampoo products in the specialty retailer channel in the United States. The specialty retailer channel includes primarily beauty supply stores, such as Ulta, our largest customer, apparel retailers, department stores, hair salons and distributors to hair salons. Church & Dwight retained the rights to sell Batiste products to the remainder of the market in the United States.

The agreement provides that we will not be permitted to manufacture, distribute or sell any products that are competitive with Batiste Dry Shampoo products. The initial pricing terms for the Batiste products were negotiated with Church & Dwight, but may be increased by Church & Dwight at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice of any price increase. The initial term of the agreement runs through December 31, 2016 and will automatically renew for successive one year terms until it is terminated by either party upon 120 days’ prior written notice.