Pension and other postretirement benefits

The Company has a number of defined benefit pension and postretirement plans covering eligible U.S. and non-U.S. employees. The defined benefit pension plans are noncontributory. The benefits under these plans are based primarily on years of service and employees’ pay near retirement. The Company’s funding policy for U.S. plans is to contribute annually, at a minimum, amounts required by applicable laws and regulations. Obligations under non-U.S. plans are systematically provided for by depositing funds with trustees or by book reserves. As of September 28, 2014, the Company’s U.S. defined benefit pension plans and the Company’s other postretirement benefit plans, except certain postretirement benefit plans covering employees subject to a collective bargaining agreement, are frozen.

The Company and certain of its subsidiaries provide medical, dental and life insurance benefits to pensioners and survivors. The associated plans are unfunded and approved claims are paid from Company funds.

Net benefit cost of pension and postretirement benefit plans consisted of the following:



	Pension Three Months Ended						Other Postretirement Benefits Three Months Ended					Pension Nine Months Ended						Other Postretirement Benefits Nine Months Ended
	September 28, 2014			September 29, 2013			September 28, 2014			September 29, 2013		September 28, 2014			September 29, 2013			September 28, 2014			September 29, 2013
	(Dollars in thousands)
Service cost	$	453		$	432		$	42		$	176	$	1,350		$	1,361		$	318		$	501
Interest cost	4,548			4,333			434			543		13,517			12,614			1,627			2,084
Expected return on plan assets	(6,240		)	(5,784		)	—			—		(18,764		)	(17,328		)	—			—
Net amortization and deferral	1,143			1,556			(58		)	137		3,284			4,380			(5		)	1,069
Net benefit expense (income)	$	(96	)	$	537		$	418		$	856	$	(613	)	$	1,027		$	1,940		$	3,654

The Company’s pension contributions are expected to be approximately $9.4 million during 2014, of which $2.7 million and $7.4 million were made during the three and nine months ended September 28, 2014, respectively.