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Restructuring Expense
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Restructuring Expense [Abstract]  
Restructuring Expense
2.
Restructuring Expense

In March 2017, our Alkali business announced a cost improvement initiative which focused on process improvements at our Wyoming facility (the “Wyoming Restructure”). During the three months ended March 31, 2017, we recorded $1 million of restructuring costs related to the Wyoming Restructure, which was recorded in “Restructuring expense” in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, we recorded a reversal of restructuring expense of $1 million pursuant to the settlement of claims previously filed relating to a prior restructure.

During 2015, we commenced a global restructuring of our TiO2 segment (the “Global TiO2 Restructure”) which we completed in 2016. This action resulted in a charge, consisting of employee severance and associated costs, of $14 million, which was recorded in “Restructuring expense” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 of which $2 million was paid during 2015. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we recorded an additional charge related to our Global TiO2 Restructure consisting of employee severance cost of $2 million which was recorded in “Restructuring expense” in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and made cash payments of $11 million. We paid the remaining $3 million during the second and third quarters of 2016.

As part of our cost improvement initiative, in November 2015 we ceased production at our sodium chlorate plant in Hamilton, Mississippi, the “Sodium Chlorate Plant Restructure” which was completed in 2016. This action resulted in a charge, consisting primarily of employee severance costs, of $4 million, which was recorded in “Restructuring expense” in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 of which $1 million was paid during 2015. During the three months ended March 31, 2016, we made cash payments of $2 million. The remaining $1 million liability was paid in 2016.

The cumulative amount incurred to date relating to the Global TiO2 Restructure, the Sodium Chlorate Plant Restructure and the Wyoming Restructure is $16 million, $4 million and $1 million, respectively.

A summary in the changes in the liability established for restructuring, which is included in “Accrued liabilities” in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, is as follows:

  
2017
  
2016
 
Balance, January 1,
 
$
  
$
15
 
Restructuring expense
  
   
2
 
Cash (payments) receipts
  
1
   
(13
)
         
Balance, March 31,
 
$
1
  
$
4
 

Restructuring expense by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 was as follows:

  
Three
 Months
 Ended
 March 31,
2017
  
Three
 Months
 Ended
 March 31,
 2016
 
TiO2
 
$
 
 
$
1
 
Alkali
  
1
   
 
Corporate
  
(1
  
1
 
Total
 
$
  
$
2