Business and Geographic Segments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Holding Percentage of Subsidiaries

Business segment	Entity	% controlled at December 31, 2015
Chemicals	Kronos		80	%
Component products	CompX		87	%
Waste management	WCS		100	%
Real estate management and development	BMI and LandWell		63% - 77	%

Segment Operating Performance

	Years ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	(In millions)
Net sales:
Chemicals	$	1,732.4		$	1,651.9		$	1,348.8
Component products		92.0			103.9			109.0
Waste management		39.2			66.5			45.0
Real estate management and development		—			40.3			30.1
Total net sales	$	1,863.6		$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9
Cost of sales:
Chemicals	$	1,622.6		$	1,304.6		$	1,158.5
Component products		64.5			71.6			75.6
Waste management		42.3			49.7			50.5
Real estate management and development		—			33.9			25.4
Total cost of sales	$	1,729.4		$	1,459.8		$	1,310.0
Gross margin:
Chemicals	$	109.8		$	347.3		$	190.3
Component products		27.5			32.3			33.4
Waste management		(3.1	)		16.8			(5.5	)
Real estate management and development		—			6.4			4.7
Total gross margin	$	134.2		$	402.8		$	222.9
Operating income (loss):
Chemicals	$	(125.4	)	$	156.8		$	7.1
Component products		9.3			13.6			14.0
Waste management		(22.6	)		(2.2	)		(26.5	)
Real estate management and development		—			2.0			—
Total operating income (loss)		(138.7	)		170.2			(5.4	)
Equity in earnings of investee		.5			—			—
General corporate items:
Securities earnings		26.6			26.9			26.5
Insurance recoveries		9.4			10.4			3.7
Gain on bargain purchase and remeasurement of our existing investment in acquiree		54.6			—			—
General expenses, net		(105.3	)		(38.8	)		(39.6	)
Loss on prepayment of debt, net		(8.9	)		—			—
Interest expense		(56.1	)		(56.7	)		(59.0	)
Income (loss) before income taxes	$	(217.9	)	$	112.0		$	(73.8	)

	Years ended December 31,
	2013		2014		2015
	(In millions)
Depreciation and amortization:
Chemicals	$	52.8	$	51.9	$	44.3
Component products		3.3		3.5		3.5
Waste management		18.4		20.3		19.3
Real estate management and development		—		2.7		2.8
Total	$	74.5	$	78.4	$	69.9
Capital expenditures:
Chemicals	$	67.6	$	61.3	$	47.5
Component products		3.5		2.8		4.2
Waste management		3.5		4.5		1.7
Real estate management and development		—		4.0		1.2
Corporate		—		.1		—
Total	$	74.6	$	72.7	$	54.6

Total Assets Held by Business Segments

	December 31,
	2013		2014		2015
	(In millions)
Total assets:
Operating segments:
Chemicals	$	1,975.8	$	2,001.2	$	1,617.6
Component products		80.6		83.1		88.7
Waste management		270.1		257.7		231.9
Real estate management and development		253.6		246.1		232.9
Corporate and eliminations		371.6		357.1		366.3
Total	$	2,951.7	$	2,945.2	$	2,537.4

Net Sales by Point of Origin and Point of Destination

	Years ended December 31,
	2013			2014			2015
	(In millions)
Net sales—point of origin:
United States	$	961.5		$	993.7		$	841.9
Germany		915.8			844.1			690.0
Canada		246.5			252.3			216.9
Belgium		254.6			249.3			198.8
Norway		261.3			256.8			183.5
Eliminations		(776.1	)		(733.6	)		(598.2	)
Total	$	1,863.6		$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9
Net sales—point of destination:
North America	$	690.5		$	753.2		$	604.0
Europe		905.0			883.6			700.9
Asia and other		268.1			225.8			228.0
Total	$	1,863.6		$	1,862.6		$	1,532.9

Net Property and Equipment by Segment

	December 31,
	2013		2014		2015
	(In millions)
Net property and equipment:
United States	$	232.8	$	234.4	$	227.1
Germany		292.9		259.5		229.9
Canada		67.1		63.4		55.0
Norway		100.9		85.5		71.9
Belgium		102.7		90.8		81.8
Total	$	796.4	$	733.6	$	665.7