PENSION AND POST RETIREMENT PLANS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

PENSION AND POST RETIREMENT PLANS

PENSION AND POST RETIREMENT PLANS

NOTE 7.  PENSION AND POST RETIREMENT PLANS

A summary of the components of net periodic pension costs and post retirement costs for the consolidated company for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011 is presented below.

	Pension Benefits						Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended March 31,						Three Months Ended March 31,
	2012			2011				2012			2011
	(in thousands)							(in thousands)
Service cost	$	317		$	377			$	4		$	5
Interest cost	2,048			2,114				28			34
Expected return on plan assets	(2,385		)	(2,479		)		-			-
Amortization of prior service cost	(14		)	(17		)		(88		)	(88		)
Amortization of transition (asset)	(68		)	(67		)		-			-
Amortization of loss	611			429				(2		)	-
Net periodic cost (benefit)	$	509		$	357			$	(58	)	$	(49	)

The expected contributions to be paid during the year ending December 31, 2012 to the domestic defined benefit plans are $6.0 million.  Contributions to the domestic plans for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011 were $4.2 million and $0.7 million, respectively. The Company also provides defined benefit pension plans for some of its foreign subsidiaries. The expected contributions to be paid during the year ending December 31, 2012 to the foreign defined benefit plans are $2.2 million. For each of the Company’s foreign plans, contributions are made on a monthly or quarterly basis and are determined by applicable governmental regulations.  During the three months ended March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011, contributions of $0.6 million and $0.6 million were made to the foreign plans, respectively. Each of the foreign plans requires employee and employer contributions, except for Taiwan, to which only employer contributions are made.