Note 5: Asset Impairment, Restructuring, and Other Special Charges

The components of the charges included in asset impairment, restructuring, and other special charges in our consolidated statements of operations are described below. Substantially all of these expenses relate to our human pharmaceutical business segment.



	2014		2013		2012
Severance	$	225.5	$	90.6	$	74.5
Asset impairment and other special charges	243.2		30.0		206.6
Asset impairment, restructuring, and other special charges	$	468.7	$	120.6	$	281.1

Severance costs listed above for all years relate to ongoing cost containment efforts as we continue our initiatives to reduce our cost structure and global workforce. Substantially all of the severance costs incurred during the year ended December 31, 2014 are expected to be paid by the end of 2015, and substantially all of the severance costs incurred during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 have been paid.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, we incurred $243.2 million of asset impairment and other special charges consisting primarily of a $180.8 million asset impairment charge related to our decision to close and sell a manufacturing plant located in Puerto Rico. The manufacturing plant was written down to its estimated fair value, which was based primarily on recent sales of similar assets.

For the year ended December 31, 2013, we incurred $30.0 million of asset impairment and other special charges related primarily to costs associated with the closure of a packaging and distribution facility in Germany.

For the year ended December 31, 2012, we incurred $206.6 million of asset impairment and other special charges consisting of $122.6 million related to an intangible asset impairment for liprotamase (see Note 8) net of the reduction of the related contingent consideration liability, $64.0 million related to the recognition of an asset impairment associated with the decision to stop development of a delivery device platform, and $20.0 million resulting from a change in our estimates of returned product related to the withdrawal of Xigris^™ from the market during the fourth quarter of 2011.