XML 47 R30.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.24.0.1

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | NOTE 23. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES The following table summarizes our contractual commitments under purchase contracts as of December 31, 2023:
| Purchase Commitments
Future Contractual Purchase Commitments | ($ in millions)
2024 | $ | 564.4 |
2025 | 564.8 |
2026 | 381.1 |
2027 | 370.8 |
2028 | 367.6 |
Thereafter | 2,842.5 |
Total purchase commitments | $ | 5,091.2 |
The above purchase commitments include raw material, capital expenditure, long-term energy supply contracts and utility purchasing commitments utilized in our normal course of business for our projected needs. Legal Matters Olin, K.A. Steel Chemicals (a wholly owned subsidiary of Olin) and other caustic soda producers were named as defendants in six purported class action civil lawsuits filed March 22, 25 and 26, 2019 and April 12, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. Those cases were consolidated on May 22, 2019; the claims in the consolidated “Direct Purchaser” lawsuit, as modified, are on behalf of the respective named plaintiffs and a putative class comprised of all persons and entities who purchased certain types of caustic soda in the U.S. directly from one or more of the defendants, their parents, predecessors, subsidiaries or affiliates at any time on or after October 1, 2015 through December 31, 2018. Olin, K.A. Steel Chemicals and other caustic soda producers were also named as defendants in two purported class action civil lawsuits filed July 25 and 29, 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York on behalf of the respective named plaintiffs and a putative class comprised of all persons and entities who purchased caustic soda in the U.S. indirectly from distributors at any time on or after October 1, 2015. Those cases were consolidated and a consolidated, amended complaint in the “Indirect Purchaser” lawsuit was filed on August 23, 2021. The other current defendants in the Direct Purchaser and Indirect Purchaser lawsuits are Occidental Chemical Corporation d/b/a OxyChem, Westlake Chemical Corporation, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., and Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. The Direct Purchaser and Indirect Purchaser lawsuits allege the defendants conspired to fix, raise, maintain and stabilize the price of caustic soda, restrict domestic (U.S.) supply of caustic soda and allocate caustic soda customers. Plaintiffs seek damages and injunctive relief. Westlake Chemical Corporation, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., and Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. all entered settlement agreements in the Direct Purchaser lawsuit, and Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd also entered a settlement agreement in the Indirect Purchaser lawsuit. All of the settlements are pending court approval. On December 28, 2023, the court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in the Direct Purchaser lawsuit, and the plaintiffs are seeking an interlocutory appeal of the court’s ruling. Olin, K.A. Steel Chemical, Olin Canada ULC, 3229897 Nova Scotia Co. (wholly owned subsidiaries of Olin) and other alleged caustic soda producers were named as defendants in a proposed class action civil lawsuit filed on October 7, 2020 in the Quebec Superior Court (Province of Quebec) on behalf of the respective named plaintiff and a putative class comprised of all Canadian persons and entities who, between October 1, 2015 and the date of the eventual class action certification, directly or indirectly purchased caustic soda or products containing caustic soda, produced by one or more of the defendants. Olin, K.A. Steel Chemical, Olin Canada ULC, 3229897 Nova Scotia Co. and other alleged caustic soda producers were also named as defendants in a proposed class action civil lawsuit filed November 13, 2020 in the Federal Court of Canada on behalf of the respective named plaintiff and a putative class comprised of all legal persons in Canada who, at any time on or after October 1, 2015 to the present, directly or indirectly purchased caustic soda. The other defendants named in the two Canadian lawsuits are Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Oxy Canada Sales, Inc., Westlake Chemical Corporation, Axiall Canada, Inc., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Shintech Incorporated, Formosa Plastics Corporation, and Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. The lawsuits allege the defendants conspired to fix, raise, maintain control, and stabilize the price of caustic soda, divide and allocate markets, sales, customers and territories, fix, maintain, control, prevent, restrict, lessen or eliminate production and supply of caustic soda, and agree to idle capacity of production and/or refrain from increasing their production capacity. Plaintiffs seek damages, including punitive damages. We believe we have meritorious legal positions and will continue to represent our interests vigorously in the above matters. Any losses related to these matters are not currently estimable because of unresolved questions of fact and law, but if resolved unfavorably to Olin, could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations. We, and our subsidiaries, are defendants in various other legal actions (including proceedings based on alleged exposures to asbestos) incidental to our past and current business activities. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, our consolidated balance sheets included accrued liabilities for these other legal actions of $14.2 million and $14.4 million, respectively. These liabilities do not include costs associated with legal representation. Based on our analysis, and considering the inherent uncertainties associated with litigation, we do not believe that it is reasonably possible that these other legal actions will materially adversely affect our financial position, cash flows or results of operations. During the ordinary course of our business, contingencies arise resulting from an existing condition, situation or set of circumstances involving an uncertainty as to the realization of a possible gain contingency. In certain instances, such as environmental projects, we are responsible for managing the cleanup and remediation of an environmental site. There exists the possibility of recovering a portion of these costs from other parties. We account for gain contingencies in accordance with the provisions of ASC 450 “Contingencies” and, therefore, do not record gain contingencies and recognize income until it is earned and realizable.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//450/tableOfContent Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 954 -SubTopic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480327/954-440-50-1 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4 Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 440 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//440/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration