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Commitments and contingent liabilities | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and contingent liabilities | Commitments and contingent liabilities Operating leases: The Company uses various leased facilities and equipment in its operations. The lease terms for these leased assets vary depending on the terms of the applicable lease agreement. At December 31, 2017, the Company had no residual value guarantees related to its operating leases. Future minimum lease payments as of December 31, 2017 under noncancellable operating leases are as follows:
| Future Lease Payments
| (Dollars in thousands)
2018 | $ | 30,262 |
2019 | 26,531 |
2020 | 21,355 |
2021 | 18,186 |
2022 | 15,774 |
2023 and thereafter | 27,167 |
Rental expense under operating leases was $36.2 million, $34.0 million and $34.6 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Environmental: The Company is subject to contingencies as a result of environmental laws and regulations that in the future may require the Company to take further action to correct the effects on the environment of prior disposal practices or releases of chemical or petroleum substances by the Company or other parties. Much of this liability results from the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, often referred to as Superfund, the U. S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and similar state laws. These laws require the Company to undertake certain investigative and remedial activities at sites where the Company conducts or once conducted operations or at sites where Company-generated waste was disposed. Remediation activities vary substantially in duration and cost from site to site. The nature of these activities, and their associated costs, depend on the mix of unique site characteristics, evolving remediation technologies, the regulatory agencies involved and their enforcement policies, as well as the presence or absence of other potentially responsible parties. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company has recorded $1.0 million and $1.1 million, respectively, in accrued liabilities and $5.8 million in other liabilities relating to these matters. Considerable uncertainty exists with respect to these liabilities, and if adverse changes in circumstances occur, potential liability may exceed the amount accrued as of December 31, 2017. The time frame over which the accrued amounts may be paid out, based on past history, is estimated to be 15-20 years. Litigation: The Company is a party to various lawsuits and claims arising in the normal course of business. These lawsuits and claims include actions involving product liability, intellectual property, employment, environmental and other matters. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company has recorded accrued liabilities of $3.8 million and $2.5 million, respectively, in connection with such contingencies, representing its best estimate of the cost within the range of estimated possible losses that will be incurred to resolve these matters. Of the amounts accrued as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $0.1 million and $1.6 million, respectively, pertain to discontinued operations. During the first quarter 2017, Teleflex Medical Trading (Shanghai) Company, Ltd. (“Teleflex Shanghai”), one of the Company’s subsidiaries, eliminated a key distributor within its sales channel in China and undertook a distributor to direct sales conversion within that channel. On March 24, 2017, the distributor submitted an application with the Shanghai International Economy and Trade Arbitration Commission (“SHIAC”) for arbitration alleging, among other things, that Teleflex Shanghai wrongfully terminated its relationship with the distributor. Pursuant to a supplementary submission filed by the distributor with SHIAC in July 2017, the distributor sought to recover $7.8 million in damages, and also sought to compel Teleflex Shanghai to repurchase Teleflex products that the distributor claimed it purchased from Teleflex Shanghai at a total price of $14.9 million. Teleflex Shanghai filed a counterclaim seeking payment from the distributor of $9.3 million in respect of outstanding trade receivables owed by the distributor to Teleflex Shanghai. In February 2018, Teleflex Shanghai and the distributor entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the outstanding claims of the parties. Under the agreement, Teleflex Shanghai accepted the return of certain inventories from the distributor for $11.9 million during the fourth quarter 2017. In connection with the return of the inventories, Teleflex Shanghai canceled $9.3 million in trade receivables owed by the distributor to Teleflex Shanghai. The Company has recorded a provision of $3.6 million in connection with the settlement. In 2006, the Company was named as a defendant in a wrongful death product liability lawsuit filed in the Louisiana State District Court for the Parish of Calcasieu, involving a product manufactured by the Company’s former marine business. In September 2014, the case was tried before a jury, which returned a verdict in favor of the Company. The plaintiff subsequently filed a motion for a new trial, which was granted, and the case was re-tried before a jury in December 2014. On December 5, 2014, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff, awarding $0.1 million in compensatory damages and $23.0 million in punitive damages, plus pre- and post-judgment interest on the compensatory damages and post-judgment interest on the punitive damages. The Company's post-trial motions seeking to overturn the verdict or reduce the amount of damages were denied in June 2015. The Company filed an appeal with the Louisiana Court of Appeal, and the plaintiff filed a cross-appeal, seeking to overturn the trial court’s denial of pre-judgment interest on the punitive damages award. On June 29, 2016, the Louisiana Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court verdict in all respects. The Company and the plaintiff filed applications for a writ of certiorari (a request for review) to the Louisiana Supreme Court. On January 13, 2017, the Louisiana Supreme Court granted the Company's writ application, and oral arguments were held on May 1, 2017. On October 18, 2017, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued its decision, affirming the lower court’s judgment in part and reducing the amount of punitive damages awarded to the plaintiff from $23.0 million to $4.3 million. On November 10, 2017 the Company paid $5.0 million (inclusive of interest) in settlement of the litigation. Based on information currently available, advice of counsel, established reserves and other resources, the Company does not believe that the outcome of any outstanding litigation and claims is likely to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to its business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, in the event of unexpected further developments, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of these matters, or other similar matters, if unfavorable, may be materially adverse to the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Legal costs such as outside counsel fees and expenses are charged to selling, general and administrative expenses in the period incurred. Tax audits and examinations: The Company and its subsidiaries are routinely subject to tax examinations by various tax authorities. As of December 31, 2017, the most significant tax examinations in process are in Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United States. The Company may establish reserves with respect to uncertain tax positions, after which it adjusts the reserves to address developments with respect to its uncertain tax positions, including developments in these tax examinations. Accordingly, developments in tax audits and examinations, including resolution of uncertain tax positions, could result in increases or decreases to the Company’s recorded tax liabilities, which could impact the Company’s financial results. Other: The Company has various purchase commitments for materials, supplies and items of permanent investment incident to the ordinary conduct of business. On average, such commitments are not at prices in excess of current market prices.

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