Property, Plant, and Equipment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Property, plant and equipment, at December 31, consist of the following:



	2014			2013
Land and improvements	$	51,748		$	16,021
Buildings and improvements	403,784			340,609
Machinery and equipment	1,395,221			1,464,532
Construction in progress	182,393			221,101
	2,033,146			2,042,263
Less accumulated depreciation	(741,928		)	(794,602		)
Property, plant and equipment - net	$	1,291,218		$	1,247,661

For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, we recorded depreciation expense of $70,731, $66,570 and $62,570, respectively.

At December 31, 2013, the cost of property, plant and equipment includes $179,702 and accumulated depreciation includes $119,275, representing our undivided interest in the property, plant and equipment comprising Mt. Holly. See Note 2 Business acquisitions for additional information about the Mt. Holly acquisition.

In February 2009, we curtailed the operations of the Ravenswood facility. The net carrying value of the asset group at the Ravenswood facility was approximately $45,683 at December 31, 2014. The aggregate capital expenditures through December 31, 2014 related to the Helguvik project were approximately $147,587.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Includes, but is not limited to, accounting policies and methodology, roll forwards, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, including composite depreciation, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, useful lives and method used, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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