Plant and Equipment Plant and Equipment

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]

PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

The major classes of plant and equipment, at cost, are as follows:



		March 31,
	Depreciable Lives (Yrs)	2014		2013
(In thousands)
Land and land improvements	—	$	209,195	$	203,362
Buildings and improvements	25	538,712		511,818
Cylinders	30	1,405,857		1,360,059
Bulk tank stations	10 to 30 (Average 17)	720,717		663,140
Rental equipment	2 to 10	403,351		334,844
Machinery and equipment	7 to 10	948,638		897,040
Computers, furniture and fixtures	3 to 10	303,400		277,254
Transportation equipment	3 to 15	341,709		312,402
Construction in progress	—	59,485		26,014
		$	4,931,064	$	4,585,933

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Includes, but is not limited to, accounting policies and methodology, roll forwards, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, including composite depreciation, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, useful lives and method used, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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