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Derivative Instruments and Risk Management
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Instruments and Risk Management

NOTE 11 – DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT

The Company has limited involvement with derivative instruments and does not trade them. The Company does use derivatives to manage certain interest rate, foreign currency exchange rate and raw material cost exposures, as the need arises. As at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 the Company did not hold any interest rate or raw material derivatives.

The Company enters into various foreign currency forward exchange contracts to minimize currency exchange rate exposure from expected future cash flows. As at September 30, 2014 the contracts have maturity dates of up to eighteen months at the date of inception. These foreign currency forward exchange contracts have not been designated as hedging instruments, and their impact on the income statement for the first nine months of 2014 was a gain of $2.0 million.

The Company sells a range of Fuel Specialties, Performance Chemicals and Octane Additives products to major oil refineries, oil & gas exploration and production companies and chemical companies throughout the world. Credit limits, ongoing credit evaluation and account monitoring procedures are intended to minimize bad debt risk. Collateral is not generally required.