Supplemental Balance Sheet Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Supplemental Balance Sheet Data [Abstract]

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts is summarized as follows (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2018			2017			2016
Balance, beginning of year	$	5,775		$	6,098		$	14,524
Bad debt expense (1)	8,188			3,155			1,083
Write-offs and adjustments (2)	(4,268		)	(3,478		)	(9,509		)
Balance, end of year	$	9,695		$	5,775		$	6,098

__________________________

⁽¹⁾  The Company recorded bad debt expense (reversals) of $5.3 million, $0.4 million and $(0.6) million in 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, as part of the restructuring efforts (see Note 4) and was primarily due to the exiting of certain low-return businesses mainly in foreign locations.

⁽²⁾  2016 includes the write-off of a $7.5 million reserve related to long-dated receivables, which were in litigation or dispute, within Infrastructure Solutions.

Schedule of Inventory

Inventories are summarized as follows (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2018 (1)		2017
Raw materials and supplies	$	29,343	$	30,265
Work-in-process	2,510		3,246
Finished products	15,205		13,596
Construction materials	9,379		16,862
Total	$	56,437	$	63,969

__________________________

⁽¹⁾  During 2018, the Company incurred non-cash charges of $2.8 million related to estimates for inventory obsolescence within its cathodic protection operations. The charges were recorded to cost of revenues in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Estimated Useful Lives (Years)			December 31,
				2018			2017
Land and land improvements				$	10,521		$	10,258
Buildings and improvements	5	—	40	47,430			47,725
Machinery and equipment	4	—	10	147,918			159,626
Furniture and fixtures	3	—	10	37,471			35,149
Autos and trucks	3	—	10	51,129			54,039
Construction in progress				14,626			8,424
				309,095			315,221
Less – Accumulated depreciation				(202,036		)	(206,181		)
Property, plant & equipment, less accumulated depreciation				$	107,059		$	109,040

Schedule of Accrued Liabilities

Accrued expenses consisted of the following (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2018		2017
Vendor and other accrued expenses	$	35,450	$	35,193
Estimated casualty and healthcare liabilities	17,419		14,772
Job costs	9,878		9,585
Accrued compensation	23,882		27,901
Income taxes payable	1,391		4,560
Total	$	88,020	$	92,011