Restructuring and Other Charges

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Restructuring and Other Charges

17.    Restructuring and Other Charges

Fiscal Year 2019 Activities

During fiscal year 2019, the Company incurred restructuring charges of $1.9 million primarily related to the elimination of redundancies and cost elimination within our Brooks Life Sciences segment.

During fiscal year 2019, the Brooks Life Sciences segment incurred restructuring charges of $0.7 million related to the continued action to eliminated redundancies.

During fiscal year 2019, the Brooks Semiconductor Solutions Group segment incurred restructuring charges of $0.6 million related to the continued action to eliminated redundancies.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Company initiated the first phase of an action to eliminate costs within our Brooks Life Science segment’s sample management business. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, the Brooks Life Science segment incurred costs of $0.6 million related to severance.

Fiscal Year 2018 Activities

During fiscal year 2018, the Company incurred restructuring charges of $0.7 million, primarily related to the planned closure of its Denmark facility and reduction in force at Tec-Sem discussed below.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company initiated an action to consolidate the operations at its Denmark facility into its operations at its Manchester, UK facility to eliminate cost redundancies. The $0.3 million charge resulted from the Denmark action was related to Brooks Life Sciences segment.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company also initiated a post-acquisition reduction in force plan at Tec-Sem to maximize synergies with the Company’s existing infrastructure. The $0.3 million charge resulted from the Tec-Sem action was related to the Brooks Semiconductor Solutions Group segment.

Fiscal Year 2017 Activities

During fiscal year 2017, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $3.1 million related to severance, including $2.5 million attributable to the Brooks Semiconductor Solutions Group segment, $0.4 million attributable to the Brooks Life Sciences segment and $0.3 million attributable to the company-wide restructuring action.

The restructuring charges in the Brooks Semiconductor Solutions Group segment consisted of $1.5 million of charges related to the actions initiated during fiscal year 2017 to streamline field service operations and optimize the cost structure and improve productivity, and $1.0 million of charges related to the actions initiated prior to fiscal year 2017 primarily related to consolidate the Jena, Germany repair facility into the Chelmsford, Massachusetts repair operation.

Restructuring charges of $0.3 million were related to the company-wide restructuring action initiated in fiscal year 2016 to streamline business operations, improve competitiveness and overall profitability.

The following is a summary of activity related to the Company’s restructuring and other charges, excluding amounts related to the discontinued operations, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2019, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):

	Activity - Year Ended September 30, 2019
	Balance						Balance
	September 30,						September 30,
	2018		Expenses		Payments		2019
Total restructuring liabilities related to workforce termination benefits	$	659	$	1,894	$	(1,513)	$	1,040

	Activity - Year Ended September 30, 2018
	Balance						Balance
	September 30,						September 30,
	2017		Expenses		Payments		2018
Total restructuring liabilities related to workforce termination benefits	$	1,708	$	714	$	(1,763)	$	659

	Activity - Year Ended September 30, 2017
	Balance						Balance
	September 30,						September 30,
	2016		Expenses		Payments		2017
Total restructuring liabilities related to workforce termination benefits	$	5,939	$	3,144	$	(7,375)	$	1,708

Accrued restructuring costs of $1.0 million as of September 30, 2019 are expected to be paid during fiscal year 2020.