| Operations and assets by segment |
Information regarding operations and assets by segment was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2014 | Net sales: | | (In thousands) | Energy | | $ | 500,830 |
| | $ | 458,339 |
| | $ | 416,106 |
| Galvanizing | | 402,362 |
| | 358,348 |
| | 335,617 |
| | | $ | 903,192 |
| | $ | 816,687 |
| | $ | 751,723 |
| | | | | | | | Operating income: | | | | | | | Energy | | $ | 58,471 |
| | $ | 38,703 |
| | $ | 44,513 |
| Galvanizing | | 94,766 |
| | 88,562 |
| | 87,808 |
| Corporate | | (30,949 | ) | | (20,440 | ) | | (32,207 | ) | Total Operating Income | | 122,288 |
| | 106,825 |
| | 100,114 |
| Interest expense | | 15,155 |
| | 16,561 |
| | 18,407 |
| Net gain on sale of property, plant and equipment and insurance proceeds | | (327 | ) | | (2,525 | ) | | (8,039 | ) | Other (income) expense, net | | 3,092 |
| | 2,659 |
| | (4,165 | ) | Income before income taxes | | $ | 104,368 |
| | $ | 90,130 |
| | $ | 93,911 |
| | | | | | | | Depreciation and amortization: | | | | | | | Energy | | $ | 19,131 |
| | $ | 20,725 |
| | $ | 19,959 |
| Galvanizing | | 26,863 |
| | 23,964 |
| | 22,008 |
| Corporate | | 1,423 |
| | 1,400 |
| | 1,338 |
| | | $ | 47,417 |
| | $ | 46,089 |
| | $ | 43,305 |
| | | | | | | | Expenditures for acquisitions, net of cash, and property, plant and equipment: | | | | | | | Energy | | $ | 12,863 |
| | $ | 10,647 |
| | $ | 284,514 |
| Galvanizing | | 86,724 |
| | 26,928 |
| | 33,282 |
| Corporate | | 858 |
| | 3,320 |
| | 1,378 |
| | | $ | 100,445 |
| | $ | 40,895 |
| | $ | 319,174 |
| | | | | | | | Total assets: | | | | | | | Energy | | $ | 500,078 |
| | $ | 523,247 |
| | $ | 542,809 |
| Galvanizing | | 436,471 |
| | 378,823 |
| | 378,358 |
| Corporate | | 46,822 |
| | 34,844 |
| | 32,086 |
| | | $ | 983,371 |
| | $ | 936,914 |
| | $ | 953,253 |
| | | | | | | | Geographic net sales: | | | | | | | United States | | $ | 724,559 |
| | $ | 631,544 |
| | $ | 601,674 |
| Other countries | | 179,832 |
| | 189,855 |
| | 150,049 |
| Eliminations | | (1,199 | ) | | (4,712 | ) | | — |
| | | $ | 903,192 |
| | $ | 816,687 |
| | $ | 751,723 |
| | | | | | | | Property, plant and equipment, net: | | | | | | | United States | | $ | 204,587 |
| | $ | 173,712 |
| | $ | 171,727 |
| Canada | | 17,868 |
| | 20,289 |
| | 23,779 |
| Other Countries | | 3,878 |
| | 2,582 |
| | 2,133 |
| | | $ | 226,333 |
| | $ | 196,583 |
| | $ | 197,639 |
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