## ITEM 1A. rIsK FACTOrs 

The following are certain risk factors that could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The risks that are highlighted below are not the only ones that we face. These risk factors should be considered in connection with evaluating forward- looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K because these factors could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be negatively affected. 

## The bearing industry is highly competitive, and this competition results in significant pricing pressure for our products that could affect our revenues and profitability. 

The global bearing industry is highly competitive. We compete with domestic manufacturers and many foreign manufacturers of anti- friction bearings, including SKF Group, Schaeffler Group, NTN Corporation, JTEKT and NSK Ltd. The bearing industry is also capital intensive and profitability is dependent on factors such as labor compensation and productivity and inventory management, which are subject to risks that we may not be able to control. Due to the competitiveness within the bearing industry, we may not be able to increase prices for our products to cover increases in our costs. In many cases we face pressure from our customers to reduce prices, which could adversely affect our revenues and profitability. In addition, our customers may choose to purchase products from one of our competitors rather than pay the prices we seek for our products, which could adversely affect our revenues and profitability. 

## Competition and consolidation in the steel industry, together with potential global overcapacity, could result in significant pricing pressure for our products. 

Competition within the steel industry, both domestically and worldwide, is intense and is expected to remain so. Global production overcapacity has occurred in the past and may recur in the future, which would exert downward pressure on domestic steel prices and result in, at times, a dramatic narrowing, or with many companies the elimination, of gross margins. High levels of steel imports into the United States could exacerbate this pressure on domestic steel prices. In addition, many of our competitors are continuously exploring and implementing strategies, including acquisitions and the addition or repositioning of capacity, which focus on manufacturing higher margin products that compete more directly with our steel products. These factors could lead to significant downward pressure on prices for our steel products, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and profitability. 

## Our business is capital intensive, and if there are downturns in the industries that we serve, we may be forced to significantly curtail or suspend operations with respect to those industries, which could result in our recording asset impairment charges or taking other measures that may adversely affect our results of operations and profitability. 

Our business operations are capital intensive, and we devote a significant amount of capital to certain industries. If there are downturns in the industries that we serve, we may be forced to significantly curtail or suspend our operations with respect to those industries, including laying-off employees, recording asset impairment charges and other measures, which may adversely affect our results of operations and profitability. 

## Weakness in either global economic conditions or in any of the industries in which our customers operate, as well as the cyclical nature of our customers’ businesses generally or sustained uncertainty in financial markets, could adversely impact our revenues and profitability by reducing demand and margins. 

Our results of operations may be materially affected by the conditions in the global economy generally and in global capital markets. There has been extreme volatility in the capital markets and in the end markets in which our customers operate, which has negatively affected our revenues. Our revenues may also be negatively affected by changes in customer demand, additional changes in the product mix and negative pricing pressure in the industries in which we operate. Margins in those industries are highly sensitive to demand cycles, and our customers in those industries historically have tended to delay large capital projects, including expensive maintenance and upgrades, during economic downturns. As a result, our revenues and earnings are impacted by overall levels of industrial production. 

Our results of operations may be materially affected by the conditions in the global financial markets. If an end user cannot obtain financing to purchase our products, either directly or indirectly contained in machinery or equipment, demand for our products will be reduced, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and earnings. 

