Restructuring Activity

As part of the Company's efforts to adapt operations to market conditions, restructuring activities related to the Company's organizational structure and operations were announced during January of 2013. In October 2013, the Company announced the consolidation of additional facilities in locations where it had redundant operations, and in June 2014, the company announced organizational changes that included workforce reductions. The October 2013 and June 2014 consolidations and organizational changes were part of the Company's continuous improvement plans to lower structural operating costs. Restructuring activity is primarily included in the Company's Metals segment. Restructuring activity for the Company's Other segment, which includes the costs of the executive, legal, and finance departments shared by both the Metals and Plastics segments, are insignificant.

The Company recorded the following restructuring activity during the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013:



	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013
Employee termination and related benefits	$	937		$	2,702
Moving costs associated with plant consolidations	1,450			4,487
Lease termination costs	186			1,448
Gain on sale of fixed assets	(5,533		)	—
Other exit costs	—			366
Inventory write-offs	—			1,236
Total (benefit) expense	$	(2,960	)	$	10,239

Restructuring activity during the year ended December 31, 2014 consisted of a gain on the sale of fixed assets in Houston where the Company completed a plant consolidation, partially offset by employee termination and related benefits for the workforce reductions announced in June 2014, moving costs associated with plant consolidations announced in October 2013 and lease termination costs related to the restructuring activities announced in January 2013.

Restructuring activity during the year ended December 31, 2013 consisted of moving costs, employee termination and related benefits related to workforce reductions, lease termination costs, inventory write-offs and other exit costs associated with the plant consolidations announced in January and October 2013. The January 2013 announced restructuring activities are complete.

Restructuring activity associated with the write-off of inventory is included in "Cost of materials" in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. All other restructuring activity is recorded to the "Restructuring activity" line item within the Consolidated Statement of Operations as it is incurred. Through December 31, 2014, the Company recognized cumulative net charges of $7,279 related to restructuring activity which was consistent with expectations. The Company anticipates no additional charges for the previously announced restructuring activities.

Restructuring reserve activity for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 is summarized below:



			Period Activity
	Balance January 1		Costs (gains)			Cash (payments) receipts			Impairment			Balance December 31 ^(a)
2014 Activity:
Employee termination and related benefits	$	129	$	937		$	(1,066	)	$	—		$	—
Moving costs associated with plant consolidations	—		1,450			(1,450		)	—			—
Lease termination costs	921		186			(471		)	—			636
Gain on sale of fixed assets	—		(5,533		)	5,533			—			—
Total 2014 Activity	$	1,050	$	(2,960	)	$	2,546		$	—		$	636
2013 Activity:
Employee termination and related benefits	$	—	$	2,702		$	(2,573	)	$	—		$	129
Moving costs associated with plant consolidations	—		4,487			(4,318		)	(169		)	—
Lease termination costs	—		1,448			(527		)	—			921
Other exit costs	—		366			(366		)	—			—
Inventory write-offs	—		1,236			—			(1,236		)	—
Total 2013 Activity	$	—	$	10,239		$	(7,784	)	$	(1,405	)	$	1,050

^(a)Payments on certain of the lease obligations are scheduled to continue until 2017. Market conditions and the Company’s ability to sublease these properties could affect the ultimate charge related to the lease obligations. Any potential recoveries or additional charges could affect amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements of future periods. As of December 31, 2014, the short-term portion of the lease termination costs in the restructuring liability of $564 is included in "Accrued and other liabilities" and the long-term portion of $72 is included in "Other non-current liabilities" in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.