NOTE 19—Special Items:

Special items reported in the consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 consist of the following (in thousands):


	Year Ended December 31,
	2010		2009
Restructuring and other charges^(a)	$	6,958	$	11,643
Port de Bouc facility disposition charges^(b)		—		12,393

Total special items	$	6,958	$	24,036

(a)

The year ended December 31, 2010 included charges amounting to $7.0 million ($4.6 million after income taxes) that related principally to reductions in force at our Bergheim, Germany site. The year ended December 31, 2009 results included $11.6 million in pre-tax charges ($7.6 million after income taxes) for restructuring and other costs, related principally to reductions in force and the write-off of assets at our Arkansas facility.

(b)

The year ended December 31, 2009 included charges amounting to $12.4 million ($8.2 million after income taxes) that related to the costs of the final contract settlement arising from the divestiture of our Port de Bouc, France facility to International Chemical Investors Group S.A. effective December 31, 2008.

We had the following activity in our recorded workforce reduction liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 (in thousands):


	Year Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2009
Balance, beginning of year	$	7,074		$	4,880		$	20,276
Workforce reduction charges		1,859			6,605			4,912
Payments		(4,292	)		(3,568	)		(19,932	)
Amount reversed to income		19			(370	)		(365	)
Foreign currency translation		120			(473	)		(11	)

Balance, end of year		4,780			7,074			4,880
Less amounts reported in Accrued expenses		2,843			3,845			4,880

Amounts reported in Other noncurrent liabilities	$	1,937		$	3,229		$	—

The year ended December 31, 2011 included charges of $1.9 million related to restructuring programs at various manufacturing locations which are reflected in Cost of goods sold. Payments under these programs are expected to occur within the next 12 months.

The year ended December 31, 2010 included a charge of $6.6 million related to reductions in force at our Bergheim, Germany site. Payments under this restructuring plan are expected to occur through 2014.

The year ended December 31, 2009 included a charge of $4.9 million related to planned reductions in force at various company locations. The majority of the payments under this restructuring plan were paid in 2010.