RESTRUCTURING CHARGES

We periodically take action to improve operating efficiencies, typically in connection with business acquisitions or changes in the economic environment. Our footprint and headcount reductions and organizational integration actions relate to discrete, unique restructuring events, primarily reflected in the following plans:

During 2014 and 2015, we announced the following restructuring plans: (a) the closure of a microwave oven manufacturing facility and other organizational efficiency actions in EMEA and Latin America, (b) organizational integration activities in China and Europe to support the integration of Whirlpool China and Indesit, and (c) the closure of a research and development facility in Germany in 2016. All of these actions were substantially completed in 2016.

In the second quarter of 2015, we committed to a restructuring plan to integrate our Italian legacy operations with those of Indesit. The industrial restructuring plan, which was approved by the relevant labor unions in July 2015 and signed by the Italian government in August 2015, provides for the closure or repurposing of certain manufacturing facilities and headcount reductions at other facilities. In addition, the restructuring plan provides for headcount reductions in the salaried employee workforce. We estimate that we will incur up to €179 million (approximately $215 million as of December 31, 2017) in employee-related costs, €25 million (approximately $30 million as of December 31, 2017) in asset impairment costs and €37 million (approximately $44 million as of December 31, 2017) in other associated costs in connection with these actions. We expect these actions will be complete in 2019. We estimate €209 million (approximately $251 million as of December 31, 2017) of the estimated €241 million (approximately $289 million as of December 31, 2017) total cost will result or has resulted in cash expenditures. As of December 31, 2017, €53 million (approximately $64 million) remains to be expensed.

On January 24, 2017 the Company and certain of its subsidiary companies began consultations with certain works councils and other regulatory agencies in connection with the Company's proposal to restructure its EMEA dryer manufacturing operations. Company management authorized the initiation of such consultations on December 30, 2016. These actions are expected to result in changing the operations at the Company's Yate, U.K. facility to focus on manufacturing for U.K. consumer needs only; ending production in 2018 in Amiens, France; and concentrating the production of dryers for non-U.K. consumer needs in Lodz, Poland. The Company anticipates that approximately 500 positions would be impacted by these actions. The Company expects these actions to be substantially complete in 2018. The Company estimates that it will incur up to approximately €59 million (approximately $71 million as of December 31, 2017) in employee-related costs, approximately €11 million (approximately $13 million as of December 31, 2017) in asset impairment costs and approximately €10 million (approximately $12 million as of December 31, 2017) in other associated costs in connection with these actions. The Company estimates that approximately €69 million (approximately $83 million as of December 31, 2017) of the estimated €79 million (approximately $95 million as of December 31, 2017) total cost will result or has resulted in cash expenditures. As of December 31, 2017, €27 million (approximately $33 million) remains to be expensed.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company announced an initiative to reduce fixed overhead costs by $150 million, which will be implemented in 2018. This initiative primarily impacts our overhead costs, including salary headcount and third-party services. The Company is in the process of implementing certain restructuring actions pursuant to this initiative.

On January 10, 2018, we announced certain restructuring actions related to streamlining operations in our Embraco compressor business. These actions are expected to result in ceasing operations and ending production at Embraco's Riva Presso Chieri, Turin, Italy facility in 2018, and concentrating the assembly and manufacturing of compressors in Embraco's other manufacturing centers. The Company currently anticipates that approximately 500 positions are impacted by these actions. The Company expects these actions to be substantially complete in 2018. The Company estimates that it will incur up to approximately €43 million (approximately $50 million as of December 31, 2017) in employee-related costs, approximately €20 million (approximately $25 million as of December 31, 2017) in asset impairment costs and approximately €3 million (approximately $5 million as of December 31, 2017) in other associated costs in connection with these actions. The Company estimates that approximately €46 million (approximately $55 million of December 31, 2017) of the estimated €66 million (approximately $80 million as of December 31, 2017) total cost will result in future cash expenditures.

The following tables summarize the changes to our restructuring liability for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:



Millions of dollars	12/31/2016		Charges to Earnings		Cash Paid			Non-Cash and Other			Revision of Estimate		12/31/2017
Employee termination costs	$	71	$	185	$	(125	)	$	—		$	—	$	131
Asset impairment costs	—		40		—			(40		)	—		—
Facility exit costs	2		28		(28		)	—			—		$	2
Other exit costs	14		22		(19		)	12			—		29
Total	$	87	$	275	$	(172	)	$	(28	)	$	—	$	162



Millions of dollars	12/31/2015		Charge to Earnings		Cash Paid			Non-cash and Other			Revision of Estimate		12/31/2016
Employee termination costs	$	30	$	133	$	(90	)	$	(2	)	$	—	$	71
Asset impairment costs	—		17		(1		)	(16		)	—		—
Facility exit costs	3		15		(16		)	—			—		2
Other exit costs	18		8		(12		)	—			—		14
Total	$	51	$	173	$	(119	)	$	(18	)	$	—	$	87

The following table summarizes 2017 restructuring charges by operating segment:



Millions of dollars	2017 Charges
North America	$	28
EMEA	190
Latin America	20
Asia	16
Corporate / Other	21
Total	$	275