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Other (Charges) Gains, Net
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]  
Other (Charges) Gains, Net Other (Charges) Gains, Net
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
2019
 
2018
 
2017
 
(In $ millions)
Restructuring (Note 4)
(23
)
 
(4
)
 
(3
)
InfraServ ownership change

 

 
(4
)
Asset impairments (Note 4)
(83
)
 

 

Plant/office closures
(4
)
 
13

 
(52
)
Commercial disputes
(4
)
 

 

European Commission investigation
(89
)
 

 

Total
(203
)
 
9

 
(59
)

2019
During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded an $83 million long-lived asset impairment loss related to the closure of its acetate flake manufacturing operations in Ocotlán, Mexico (Note 4). The long-lived asset impairment loss was measured at the date of impairment to write-off the related property, plant and equipment and was included in the Company's Acetate Tow segment.
During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded a $4 million loss within commercial disputes, which included $19 million in losses related to settlements with former third-party customers that were included within the Other Activities segment, partially offset by a $15 million gain related to a settlement from a previous acquisition that was included within the Engineered Materials segment.
In May 2017, the Company learned that the European Commission opened a competition law investigation involving certain subsidiaries of the Company with respect to certain past ethylene purchases. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the
Company recorded a reserve of $89 million as a result of information learned from the European Commission's investigation, which was included within the Other Activities segment.
During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded $23 million of employee termination benefits primarily related to Company-wide business optimization projects.
2018
During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded a $13 million gain within plant/office closures related to a non-income tax receivable refund from Nanjing, China, in its Acetyl Chain segment.
During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded $4 million of employee termination benefits primarily related to the Company's ongoing efforts to align its businesses around its core value drivers.
2017
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recorded $3 million of employee termination benefits primarily related to the Company's ongoing efforts to align its businesses around its core value drivers.
A partner in the Company's InfraServ equity affiliate investments exercised an option right to purchase additional ownership interests in the InfraServ entities from the Company. The purchase of these interests reduced the Company's ownership interests in InfraServ GmbH & Co. Gendorf KG and YNCORIS GmbH & Co. KG (formerly known as InfraServ GmbH & Co. Knapsack KG) from 39% and 27%, to 30% and 22%, respectively. Accordingly, during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company reduced the carrying value of these investments by $4 million. These InfraServ investments are primarily owned by entities included in the Other Activities segment.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company provided notice of termination of a contract with a key raw materials supplier at its ethanol production unit in Nanjing, China. As a result, the Company recorded $52 million of plant/office closure costs primarily consisting of a $22 million contract termination charge and a $21 million reduction to its non-income tax receivable. The Nanjing, China ethanol production unit is included in the Company's Acetyl Chain segment.

The changes in the restructuring liabilities by business segment are as follows:
 
Engineered
Materials
 
Acetate Tow
 
Acetyl
Chain
 
Other
 
Total
 
(In $ millions)
Employee Termination Benefits
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2017
1

 

 
1

 
1

 
3

Additions

 
2

 
2

 

 
4

Cash payments
(1
)
 

 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(3
)
Other changes

 

 

 

 

Exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2018

 
2

 
2

 

 
4

Additions
10

 
4

 
1

 
9

 
24

Cash payments
(5
)
 
(3
)
 
(2
)
 
(4
)
 
(14
)
Other changes

 

 
(1
)
 

 
(1
)
Exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2019
5

 
3

 

 
5

 
13

Other Plant/Office Closures
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2017

 

 
2

 

 
2

Additions

 

 

 

 

Cash payments

 

 
(2
)
 

 
(2
)
Other changes

 

 

 

 

Exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2018

 

 

 

 

Additions

 
1

 

 

 
1

Cash payments

 
(1
)
 

 

 
(1
)
Other changes

 

 



 

Exchange rate changes

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

Total
5

 
3

 

 
5

 
13