PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

The Company sponsors several defined benefit pension plans covering U.S. salaried employees and certain foreign and other employee groups. These plans provide retirement benefits based primarily on employee compensation and years of service. The Company also sponsors defined benefit plans that provide postretirement health and life insurance benefits for eligible U.S. employees attaining specific age and service levels, although postretirement life insurance is no longer provided for active employees.

The components of the Company’s net periodic benefit cost were as follows:



	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Three Months Ended September 30,
(in thousands of dollars)	2017			2016			2017			2016

Service cost	$	1,318		$	1,359		$	65		$	74
Interest cost	2,439			2,467			386			383
Expected return on plan assets	(3,717		)	(3,589		)	(22		)	(11		)
Net amortization and deferral	815			838			(71		)	(100		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	855		$	1,075		$	358		$	346



	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	Six Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
(in thousands of dollars)	2017			2016			2017			2016

Service cost	$	2,629		$	2,720		$	129		$	147
Interest cost	4,873			4,936			769			758
Expected return on plan assets	(7,434		)	(7,178		)	(44		)	(22		)
Net amortization and deferral	1,630			1,676			(142		)	(200		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,698		$	2,154		$	712		$	683

During the six months ended September 30, 2017, the Company made contributions of approximately $7.2 million to its pension plans. Additional contributions of approximately $0.7 million are expected during the remaining six months of fiscal year 2018.