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Defined Benefit Pension Plans (Text Block)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
General Discussion of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Defined Benefit Pension Plans [Text Block]
Defined Benefit Pension Plans

We sponsor both funded and unfunded defined benefit pension plans for our international employees, primarily in Germany, France, Italy, Indonesia, and Spain, offering death and disability, retirement, and special termination benefits. The defined benefit obligation is calculated annually by using the projected unit credit method. The measurement date for the pension plans was December 31, 2012.
Our defined benefit pension plans are denominated in the functional currencies of the respective countries in which the plans are sponsored; therefore, the balances increase or decrease, with a corresponding change in OCI, due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Amounts recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of:
 
 
June 30, 2013
 
December 31, 2012
 
(in thousands)
Assets
 
 
 
Plan assets in other long-term assets
$
226

 
$
227

 
 
 
 
Liabilities
 
 
 
Current portion of pension plan liability in wages and benefits payable
3,157

 
2,899

Long-term portion of pension plan liability
89,948

 
90,533

 
 
 
 
Net pension plan benefit liability
$
92,879

 
$
93,205



Our asset investment strategy focuses on maintaining a portfolio using primarily insurance funds, which are accounted for as investments and measured at fair value, in order to achieve our long-term investment objectives on a risk adjusted basis. Our general funding policy for these qualified pension plans is to contribute amounts sufficient to satisfy regulatory funding standards of the respective countries for each plan. We contributed $110,000 and $355,000 to the defined benefit pension plans for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The timing of when contributions are made can vary by plan and from year to year. For 2013, assuming that actual plan asset returns are consistent with our expected rate of return, and that interest rates remain constant, we expect to contribute approximately $568,000 to our defined benefit pension plans. We contributed $440,000 to the defined benefit pension plans for the year ended December 31, 2012.
Net periodic pension benefit costs for our plans include the following components:

 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands)
Service cost
$
1,011

 
$
676

 
$
1,992

 
$
1,414

Interest cost
786

 
909

 
1,586

 
1,835

Expected return on plan assets
(79
)
 
(82
)
 
(158
)
 
(167
)
Settlements and other

 

 
(814
)
 

Amortization of actuarial net loss
246

 
2

 
497

 
4

Amortization of unrecognized prior service costs
17

 
17

 
34

 
34

Net periodic benefit cost
$
1,981

 
$
1,522

 
$
3,137

 
$
3,120