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Accounts Receivable Securitization Program | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Accounts Receivable Securitization Program [Abstract] |
Accounts Receivable Securitization Program | Note 8 Accounts Receivable Securitization Program We and a group of our U.S. subsidiaries maintain an accounts receivable securitization program with a bank and an issuer of commercial paper administered by the bank. As of December 31, 2011, the maximum purchase limit for receivable interests was $125 million, subject to the availability limits described below. The amounts available from time to time under the program may be less than $125 million due to a number of factors, including but not limited to our credit ratings, trade receivable balances, the creditworthiness of our customers and our receivables collection experience. During 2011, the level of eligible assets available under the program was lower than $125 million primarily due to our current credit ratings. As a result, the amount available to us under the program was $92 million at December 31, 2011. Although we do not believe that these restrictive provisions presently materially restrict our operations, if an additional event occurs that triggers one of these restrictive provisions, we could experience a further decline in the amounts available to us under the program or termination of the program. As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, we had no amounts outstanding under this program, and we did not utilize this program during 2011. The overall program is scheduled to expire in December 2012. In addition, the program includes a bank financing commitment that must be renewed annually. The bank financing commitment was renewed on December 2, 2011. Under this receivables program, two of our primary subsidiaries, Cryovac, Inc. and Sealed Air Corporation (US), sell all of their eligible U.S. accounts receivable to Sealed Air Funding Corporation, or SA Funding, an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of ours that was formed for the sole purpose of entering into the receivables program. SA Funding in turn may sell undivided ownership interests in these receivables to the issuer of commercial paper or to the bank, subject to specified conditions, up to a maximum of $125 million of receivables interests outstanding from time to time. SA Funding retains the receivables it purchases from the operating subsidiaries, except those as to which it sells receivables interests to the purchasers under the program. We have structured the sales of accounts receivable by the operating subsidiaries to SA Funding and the sales of receivables interests from SA Funding to the purchasers as “true sales” under applicable laws. The assets of SA Funding are not available to pay any of our creditors or creditors of other subsidiaries or affiliates. As a result of our adoption of a new accounting standard related to the transfer of financial assets on January 1, 2010, any transfers of ownership interests in receivables under this program are considered secured borrowings and will be recorded as liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Also, the costs associated with this program related to program fees on any outstanding borrowings under this program will now be included in interest expense, and the costs related to commitment fees on the unused portion of this program will continue to be included in other expense, net, on our consolidated statements of operations. To secure the performance of their obligations under the receivables program, SA Funding and the operating subsidiaries granted a first priority security interest to the bank that is acting as administrative agent under the program in accounts receivable owned by them, proceeds and collections of those receivables and other collateral. The bank and issuer of commercial paper under the program have no recourse to us, the operating subsidiaries’ or SA Funding’s other assets for any losses resulting from the financial inability of customers to pay amounts due on the receivables when they become due. As long as a termination event with respect to the receivables program has not occurred, the operating subsidiaries service, administer and collect the receivables under the receivables program as agents on behalf of SA Funding, the bank and the issuer of commercial paper. Before a termination event under the receivables program, SA Funding uses collections of receivables not otherwise required to be paid to the bank or the issuer of commercial paper to purchase new eligible receivables from the operating subsidiaries. We have undertaken to cause the operating subsidiaries to perform their obligations under the receivables program. Under limited circumstances, the bank and the issuer of commercial paper can end purchases of receivables interests before the above dates. A failure to comply with interest coverage, debt leverage ratios or various other ratios related to our receivables collection experience could result in termination of the receivables program. We were in compliance with these ratios at December 31, 2011 and 2010. During September 2011, we amended the program to remove a credit rating-based event of termination. In addition, as part of the renewal of the bank financing commitment in December 2011, certain definitions in the facility were amended to be consistent with the definitions under Sealed Air Corporation’s new Credit Facility. SEALED AIR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)

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- Definition Description of the accounts receivable securitization program. Securitization is a structured finance process that distributes risk by aggregating debt instruments in a pool, then issues new securities backed by the pool. + References No definition available. + Details
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