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)	2018			2017			2018			2017

Service cost	$	1,452		$	1,318		$	58		$	65
Interest cost	2,485			2,439			330			386
Expected return on plan assets	(3,694		)	(3,717		)	(25		)	(22		)
Net amortization and deferral	902			815			(194		)	(71		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,145		$	855		$	169		$	358



	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	Six Months Ended September 30,						Six Months Ended September 30,
(in thousands of dollars)	2018			2017			2018			2017

Service cost	$	2,907		$	2,629		$	117		$	129
Interest cost	4,966			4,873			670			769
Expected return on plan assets	(7,388		)	(7,434		)	(50		)	(44		)
Net amortization and deferral	1,804			1,630			(388		)	(142		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,289		$	1,698		$	349		$	712

As discussed in Note 2, the Company adopted FASB Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-07, "Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715)" effective April 1, 2018. Under the provisions of ASU 2017-07, the service cost component of net periodic benefit cost is reported in the same line of the consolidated income statement as other compensation costs attributable to the covered employees (primarily selling, general and administrative expense). The other components of net periodic benefit cost (interest cost, expected return on plan assets, and net amortization and deferral) are now reported separately below the total for operating income in other non-operating income (expense). Amounts have been reclassified accordingly for the comparative prior reporting periods.

During the six months ended September 30, 2018, the Company made contributions of approximately $7.0 million to its pension plans. Additional contributions of approximately $17.7 million are expected during the remaining six months of fiscal year 2019.