Business Restructuring

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Restructuring And Related Activities [Abstract]

Business Restructuring

15. BUSINESS RESTRUCTURING

2014 Restructuring

In the fourth quarter of 2014, a restructuring plan was approved that affected certain Company functions, principally the research and development function and to a lesser extent product safety and compliance and plant site accounting functions (primarily affecting the Surfactants segment). The objective of the plan was to better align staffing resources with the needs of the Company’s diversification and growth initiatives. In implementing the plan, management offered a voluntary retirement incentive to employees of the affected functions. By December 31, 2014, 13 employees accepted the voluntary termination incentive. As a result, the Company recognized a $1,722,000 charge against income in the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2014. Most of the incentive pay was disbursed in the first quarter of 2015. The remainder of the liability is anticipated to be settled in the second quarter of 2015. Although the Company may realize some short-term cost savings from the action, the restructuring was not considered a cost savings initiative but rather an opportunity to create some staffing flexibility to reposition roles to meet changing business needs. Other costs for the restructuring were not material.

Below is a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the restructuring liability:

	Severance
(In thousands)	Expense
Restructuring liability at December 31, 2014	$	1,722
Amounts paid		(1,435	)
Foreign currency translation		(23	)
Restructuring liability at March 31, 2015	$	264

2013 Restructuring

In the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company recorded a $1,040,000 restructuring charge for estimated severance expense related to an approved plan to reduce future costs and increase operating efficiencies by consolidating a portion of its North American Surfactants manufacturing operations (part of the Surfactants reportable segment). In the third quarter of 2014, the Company shut down certain production areas at its Canadian manufacturing site. Production in those areas was moved to other U.S. plants. This consolidation resulted in the elimination of 16 North American positions. Other restructuring costs for this plan were not material. Following is a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the restructuring liability:

	Severance
(In thousands)	Expense
Restructuring liability at December 31, 2013	$	1,040
Amounts paid in 2014		(420	)
Foreign currency translation in 2014		(57	)
Restructuring liability at December 31, 2014	$	563
Amounts paid		(338	)
Foreign currency translation		(39	)
Restructuring liability at March 31, 2015	$	186

In connection with the planned business restructuring, the Company reduced the useful lives of the manufacturing assets in the affected areas of the Canadian plant. For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recognized $907,000 of accelerated depreciation resulting from the reduction of asset useful lives. The depreciation expense was included in the cost of sales line of the consolidated statement of income.