Property, Plant and Equipment (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]

Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

The following table summarizes the components of property, plant and equipment:



		December 31,
Classification	Estimated Useful Life	2016			2015
Land and buildings	20-35 years	$	162,999		$	164,181
Machinery and equipment	3-12 years	169,408			163,200
Computer equipment, furniture and fixtures	3-7 years	35,398			33,993
Construction in process		50,855			52,815
Total property, plant and equipment, gross		418,660			414,189
Less: accumulated depreciation		(167,611		)	(147,912		)
Total property, plant and equipment, net		$	251,049		$	266,277

Depreciation expense was $25,636, $28,115 and $25,231 for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively. Included in construction in progress at December 31, 2016 and 2015 was approximately $46,000 in each period, related to the plant expansion in Changzhou, China.

Included in property, plant & equipment and accounts payable in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015 is $6,791 related to property purchases which were unpaid at December 31, 2015. These amounts were paid in 2016.

See Note 3, Asset Impairments, for information regarding property, plant and equipment impaired in 2016 and 2015.