Introduction
“Conflict Minerals” refers to Gold, Casserite (Tin), Columbite-tantalite (Tantalum), and Wolframite (Tungsten) or their derivatives mined in “Covered Countries”, which include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in the adjoining countries (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). They are referred to as “Conflict Minerals” because revenues arising from their extraction and processing may be directly or indirectly financing armed groups engaged in civil war resulting in serious social and environmental abuse in the Covered Countries. In 2010, the U.S. Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, pursuant to which the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued rules requiring publicly listed companies in the United States to make disclosures under specific circumstances concerning the use of “Conflict Minerals”.
Overview
Accuride Corporation (“Accuride” or the “Company”) fully supports the humanitarian goals of the Dodd-Frank Act. As a manufacturer of steel wheels, aluminum wheels, and wheel-end components for the commercial vehicle industry, Accuride does not directly purchase raw Conflict Minerals from any source and is many levels removed from the mines, smelters and refiners that produce the metals used in the products we manufacture. Accuride is nonetheless committed to working with its suppliers to educate them on these matters and on steps they can take to obtain increased transparency regarding the origin of Conflict Minerals contained in the products or materials they sell to Accuride.
This Policy Statement reflects Accuride’s commitment and its expectations for its product and raw material suppliers regarding the use of Conflict Minerals.