Depreciation is recorded using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets or the related lease term, if any, as follows:
Years
Land improvements
10-20
Building and improvements
2-50
Equipment
2-10
Furniture and fixtures
2-10
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, property and equipment, net was comprised of the following:
 December 31,
(in thousands)20242023
Land and improvements
$49,553 $401,208 
Building and improvements370,086 673,071 
Equipment280,946 264,398 
Furniture and fixtures64,109 68,746 
Construction in process149,906 73,810 
Total property, plant and equipment914,600 1,481,233 
Less: Accumulated depreciation(1)
(283,898)(306,345)
Property and equipment, net$630,702 $1,174,888 
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(1)    Depreciation expense on property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 was $158.0 million, $118.7 million and $71.7 million, respectively.

About PP&E Disclosures

The PP&E disclosure details a company's physical asset base — land, buildings, machinery, and equipment — along with the depreciation methods and useful life assumptions that determine how these costs flow through the income statement. Capitalization policy thresholds reveal management's judgment on the boundary between expense and asset, directly affecting both reported earnings and asset values.

Key signals: changes in estimated useful lives or depreciation methods can materially shift reported earnings without any operational change. Compare capital expenditures against depreciation expense — when capex consistently trails depreciation, the asset base may be aging and underinvested. Watch for large asset impairments or write-downs that signal overvalued carrying amounts. Asset retirement obligations reveal future environmental or decommissioning costs that are often underappreciated. Compare PP&E intensity (PP&E-to-revenue) against industry peers to assess capital efficiency and competitive positioning.