PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT [Abstract]

		December 31,
	Useful Lives	2011			2010
		($ in millions)
Land and improvements to land	10-20 Years	$	149.4		$	141.5
Buildings and building equipment	10-25 Years		183.9			163.5
Machinery and equipment	3-15 Years		1,540.3			1,379.0
Leasehold improvements			2.5			2.1
Construction in progress			153.3			57.0
Property, plant and equipment			2,029.4			1,743.1
Accumulated depreciation			(1,144.0	)		(1,068.1	)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	885.4		$	675.0

Depreciation expense was $97.4 million, $85.4 million and $70.2 million for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Leased assets capitalized and included above are not significant. Interest capitalized was $1.2 million, $0.9 million and $9.7 million for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Maintenance and repairs charged to operations amounted to $135.7 million, $128.8 million and $135.0 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

The consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, included a $(23.7) million, $2.3 million and $2.6 million, respectively, (decrease) increase to capital expenditures, with the corresponding change to accounts payable and accrued liabilities, related to purchases of property, plant and equipment included in accounts payable at December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009.

During the fourth quarter of 2011, we entered into a sale/leaseback transaction for chlorine railcars that we acquired in 2011 for $3.2 million.

- 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.

+ References+ Details