Plant and Equipment, Net

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

Plant and Equipment, Net

8.PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET

The major classes of plant and equipment are as follows:

	September 30,
	Useful Life in years	2017		2016
(In millions, except useful life)
Land		$	21.8	$	21.9
Buildings	30	149.3		147.1
Machinery and Equipment
Production facilities	10 to 15	479.9		433.6
Distribution and other(A)	5 to 25	252.1		255.9
Total machinery and equipment		732.0		689.5
Construction in progress		52.1		26.2
Plant and equipment, at cost		955.2		884.7
Less: accumulated depreciation		624.9		588.2
Plant and equipment, net		$	330.3	$	296.5

^(A)  The depreciable lives for various types of distribution equipment are 10 to 25 years for cylinders, depending on the nature and properties of the product, and generally 20 years for other distribution equipment such as tanks and trailers.

Depreciation expense was $38.4 million, $39.4 million, and $48.1 million in 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

In January 2016, we sold two onsite ammonia plants for $17.1 million, which resulted in a before-tax gain of $1.4 million during the second quarter of 2016. This gain is reflected in business separation, restructuring and cost reduction actions on our income statement. The income tax provision includes an expense of $1.5 million as a result of the sale.