Property, Plant And Equipment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Property, Plant And Equipment [Abstract]

5. Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment ("PP&E") consist of the following:


(In millions)	December 31, 2011		December 31, 2010
Land	$	25.6	$	26.0
Buildings and improvements		224.5		229.0
Machinery and equipment		479.4		481.9
Office equipment and other assets		31.3		31.0
Software		91.4		54.2
Mineral rights		0.7		1.6
Construction in progress		57.6		39.5

Gross Property, Plant and Equipment		910.5		863.2
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		404.5		394.9

Net Property, Plant and Equipment	$	506.0	$	468.3


	For the Year Ended December 31,
(In millions)	2011		2010		2009
Depreciation and amortization on PP&E	$	49.8	$	44.1	$	56.9

Interest charges capitalized (in construction in progress)	$	1.9	$	1.0	$	2.4

In 2011, the Company reclassified approximately $8.6 million of net property, plant and equipment at its Brazil facility to assets held for sale. The Company plans to sell its sodium bicarbonate business at this location, including related property, plant and equipment and working capital. See Note 8 for further information.

Software increased in 2011 due to expenditures for the Company's new information system.

Construction in progress at December 31, 2011 includes $17.4 million related to the Company's capital lease for its new Corporate headquarters facility as the Company is considered the owner, for financial statement reporting purposes, during the construction phase.

The Company recorded approximately $2.3 million of accelerated depreciation expense in cost of sales for the year ended 2011 in connection with the reorganization of its Green River, Wyoming facility. Additionally, the Company closed its North Brunswick, New Jersey facility in the fourth quarter of 2009 and recorded accelerated depreciation charges in the Consumer Domestic Segment on those facilities following the announcement of the closing in June 2008. The accelerated depreciation charges of $16.2 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2009 are included in cost of sale. See Note 9 for further information.

In 2011, capitalized interest charges were higher than in 2010 due to the Company's new information system project.

The Company recognized charges related to equipment obsolescence, which occur in the ordinary course of business, and plant impairment charges during the three year period ended December 31, 2011 as follows:


	For the Year Ended December 31,
(In millions)	2011		2010		2009
Segments:
Consumer Domestic	$	1.9	$	0.6	$	3.2
Consumer International		0.2		0.0		0.0
Specialty Products		1.0		3.1		6.9

Total	$	3.1	$	3.7	$	10.1

The 2011 Consumer Domestic charge is a result of the idling of equipment. The Specialty Products charge in 2011 is associated with the Company's decision to explore strategic options for the chemical business in Brazil. In 2010, the Company recorded a plant asset impairment charge of approximately $3.1 million, representing the carrying value of certain assets, associated with its Brazil subsidiary. The charge is a result of a reduction in forecasted sales volume which has negatively impacted projected profitability. The charge is included in cost of sales in the Specialty Products Division segment income statement. In 2009, the Company recorded a plant asset impairment charge of approximately $6.9 million, representing the carrying value of certain assets, associated with one of its international subsidiaries. The Company measured the impairment charge using the discounted cash flow method. This subsidiary manufactures some products that compete with imports priced in U.S. dollars. As the dollar has weakened, it has been necessary to lower prices in the local currency to stay competitive, leading to negative cash flows, which is the key input under the discounted cash flow method. The charge is included in cost of sales in the Specialty Products Division segment income statement. The $3.2 million charge recorded in the Consumer Domestic Segment in 2009 is primarily a result of a lack of acceptance for certain products by our key customers that resulted in a decline of forecasted future cash flows and reduced profitability. The Company's fair value measurement input is considered a Level 3 input.

In 2010, the Company sold $5.5 million of property, plant and equipment associated with the BRILLO product line.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and other types of furniture and equipment including, but not limited to, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment and software. This disclosure may include property plant and equipment accounting policies and methodology, a schedule of property, plant and equipment gross, additions, deletions, transfers and other changes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, net, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense and useful lives, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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