Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

NOTE 10. PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS

The Company has 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 provides postretirement health and life insurance benefits for eligible U.S. employees attaining specific age and service levels.

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

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended						Three Months Ended
	December 31,						December 31,
(in thousands of dollars)	2011			2010			2011			2010
Service cost	$	891		$	1,261		$	188		$	203
Interest cost		3,413			3,601			578			624
Expected return on plan assets		(3,700	)		(3,728	)		(33	)		(35	)
Net amortization and deferral		2,384			1,006			(58	)		(77	)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,988		$	2,140		$	675		$	715

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	Nine Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	December 31,						December 31,
(in thousands of dollars)	2011			2010			2011			2010
Service cost	$	3,455		$	3,743		$	566		$	611
Interest cost		10,250			10,704			1,734			1,873
Expected return on plan assets		(11,055	)		(11,127	)		(101	)		(107	)
Net amortization and deferral		5,061			2,999			(175	)		(233	)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	7,711		$	6,319		$	2,024		$	2,144

During the nine months ended December 31, 2011, the Company made contributions of approximately $6 million to its qualified and non-qualified pension plans. Additional contributions of approximately $3 million are expected during the remaining three months of fiscal year 2012.