Note 4 - Management's Plans	9 Months Ended
Oct. 02, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]	( 4 ) Management’s Plans In light of the recent strength of the U.S. dollar, tightening margins and unfavorable growth trends and softness in certain sectors of commercial vehicle manufacturing, the Company has surrendered a portion of its traditional market share in the commercial vehicle manufacturing, due to its nonrenewal of certain supply agreements with Dana Holding Corporation (“Dana”) in early 2015, and with Meritor, Inc. (“Meritor”) for certain of its domestic, forged axle shafts, effective January 1, 2017. In response to these changes, management is developing various profit recovery and protection plans and evaluating strategic alternatives to optimize asset values in each of the Company’s segments. The Company has completed a number of its profit recovery and protection actions during 2015 and the first nine months of 2016, including: (i) the CSS sale (defined below), (ii) the Toluca Sale-Leaseback (defined below), (iii) the sale of the Company’s manufacturing facility in Morganton, North Carolina (see Note 7), (iv) reductions in workforce at all locations, and (v) other reductions in employment costs through reduced work schedules, senior management pay reductions, deferral of merit increases and certain benefit payments. Using a portion of the proceeds generated from asset sales noted above, the Company paid off all senior debt and has received the benefit of cash infusions from Gill Family Capital Management, Inc. (“GFCM’) in the form of subordinated promissory note obligations totaling $6,500,000 in principal through the first nine months of 2016. On August 16, 2016, the Company completed the sale of certain assets, intellectual property, contracts and other related assets of Sypris Electronics (the “CSS Sale”) comprised principally of its SioMetrics, Cyber Range, Information Security Solutions and Data Systems product lines (see Note 5 “CSS Sale”). The sale generated gross proceeds of $42,000,000. The retained portion of the Sypris Electronics segment will continue to provide electronic manufacturing and design support services to customers in the aerospace, defense, medical and severe environment markets, among others. One of the additional actions implemented by management during 2016 was to consummate the sale and partial lease back of its facility located in Toluca Mexico, which generated gross proceeds of approximately $12,182,000. Management will continue to operate in Toluca, but given the reduction in Sypris Technologies’ revenues in 2015 and the overall downturn in the commercial vehicle markets beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015, management determined that the underutilized Toluca real estate value could be better optimized with a sale and lease back arrangement where some but not all of the facility would continue to be occupied and managed by Sypris Technologies. Demand in the U.S. commercial vehicle industry has softened beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015 along with other durable and non-durable goods sectors in the North America economy. In response to the reduced demand, management implemented reductions in selling, general and administrative expense and labor expense during the first nine months of 2016. The expected benefits of the cost reductions were partially offset by the impact of minor investments and severance required to enable the cost reductions. Additionally, the Company is in the process of developing a comprehensive restructuring plan, which is expected to be implemented starting in the fourth quarter of 2016. The restructuring plan may involve the streamlining of operations within Sypris Technologies in an effort to return to profitability in a timely basis. The oil and gas industry has experienced significant price volatility, and as a result the Company’s customers are delaying capital expenditures that support their growth and maintenance projects. The Company has identified some capacity reallocation opportunities between plants in the United States and Mexico. The Company has initiated the process of qualifying production for certain components in Mexico that are currently produced in the United States and completed the qualification for the first group of these components. The Company expects this capacity reallocation may accelerate during the remainder of 2016 as the capital necessary to fund the reallocation becomes available and the qualification process for the production is complete. Management implemented certain cost reductions at the corporate headquarters that are expected to improve profitability and cash flow throughout 2016 and 2017. Salary reductions and other selling, general and administrative cost reductions were implemented during the first nine months of 2016 that management believes will continue to benefit the Company throughout future periods.

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Management’s Plans

In light of the recent strength of the U.S. dollar, tightening margins and unfavorable growth trends and softness in certain sectors of commercial vehicle manufacturing, the Company has surrendered a portion of its traditional market share in the commercial vehicle manufacturing, due to its nonrenewal of certain supply agreements with Dana Holding Corporation (“Dana”) in early 2015, and with Meritor, Inc. (“Meritor”) for certain of its domestic, forged axle shafts, effective January 1, 2017. In response to these changes, management is developing various profit recovery and protection plans and evaluating strategic alternatives to optimize asset values in each of the Company’s segments.

The Company has completed a number of its profit recovery and protection actions during 2015 and the first nine months of 2016, including: (i) the CSS sale (defined below), (ii) the Toluca Sale-Leaseback (defined below), (iii) the sale of the Company’s manufacturing facility in Morganton, North Carolina (see Note 7), (iv) reductions in workforce at all locations, and (v) other reductions in employment costs through reduced work schedules, senior management pay reductions, deferral of merit increases and certain benefit payments. Using a portion of the proceeds generated from asset sales noted above, the Company paid off all senior debt and has received the benefit of cash infusions from Gill Family Capital Management, Inc. (“GFCM’) in the form of subordinated promissory note obligations totaling $6,500,000 in principal through the first nine months of 2016.

On August 16, 2016, the Company completed the sale of certain assets, intellectual property, contracts and other related assets of Sypris Electronics (the “CSS Sale”) comprised principally of its SioMetrics, Cyber Range, Information Security Solutions and Data Systems product lines (see Note 5 “CSS Sale”). The sale generated gross proceeds of $42,000,000. The retained portion of the Sypris Electronics segment will continue to provide electronic manufacturing and design support services to customers in the aerospace, defense, medical and severe environment markets, among others.

One of the additional actions implemented by management during 2016 was to consummate the sale and partial lease back of its facility located in Toluca Mexico, which generated gross proceeds of approximately $12,182,000. Management will continue to operate in Toluca, but given the reduction in Sypris Technologies’ revenues in 2015 and the overall downturn in the commercial vehicle markets beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015, management determined that the underutilized Toluca real estate value could be better optimized with a sale and lease back arrangement where some but not all of the facility would continue to be occupied and managed by Sypris Technologies.

Demand in the U.S. commercial vehicle industry has softened beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015 along with other durable and non-durable goods sectors in the North America economy. In response to the reduced demand, management implemented reductions in selling, general and administrative expense and labor expense during the first nine months of 2016. The expected benefits of the cost reductions were partially offset by the impact of minor investments and severance required to enable the cost reductions. Additionally, the Company is in the process of developing a comprehensive restructuring plan, which is expected to be implemented starting in the fourth quarter of 2016. The restructuring plan may involve the streamlining of operations within Sypris Technologies in an effort to return to profitability in a timely basis.

The oil and gas industry has experienced significant price volatility, and as a result the Company’s customers are delaying capital expenditures that support their growth and maintenance projects. The Company has identified some capacity reallocation opportunities between plants in the United States and Mexico. The Company has initiated the process of qualifying production for certain components in Mexico that are currently produced in the United States and completed the qualification for the first group of these components. The Company expects this capacity reallocation may accelerate during the remainder of 2016 as the capital necessary to fund the reallocation becomes available and the qualification process for the production is complete.

Management implemented certain cost reductions at the corporate headquarters that are expected to improve profitability and cash flow throughout 2016 and 2017. Salary reductions and other selling, general and administrative cost reductions were implemented during the first nine months of 2016 that management believes will continue to benefit the Company throughout future periods.