Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits:

The components of pension and postretirement benefits cost (credit) from continuing operations for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Pension Benefits Cost (Credit):
Service cost	$	1,067		$	842		$	3,090		$	3,123
Interest cost	8,375			9,115			24,983			27,978
Expected return on assets	(9,960		)	(9,920		)	(29,799		)	(30,429		)
Actuarial gain	—			—			—			(50		)
Amortization of prior service benefit	29			230			102			698
Total net pension benefits (credit) cost	$	(489	)	$	267		$	(1,624	)	$	1,320
Postretirement Benefits Cost (Credit):
Service cost	$	30		$	29		$	91		$	86
Interest cost	585			620			1,755			1,862
Expected return on assets	(28		)	(46		)	(83		)	(140		)
Amortization of prior service benefit	(24		)	(24		)	(72		)	(72		)
Total net postretirement benefits cost	$	563		$	579		$	1,691		$	1,736
Total net pension and postretirement benefits cost^(a)	$	74		$	846		$	67		$	3,056


(a)	For the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, $3.7 million and $4.9 million, respectively, of net pension and postretirement benefits cost are included in Income (loss) from discontinued operations (net of tax) in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.

During the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, we made contributions of $2.6 million and $7.7 million, respectively, to our qualified and nonqualified pension plans for continuing operations. During the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, we made contributions of $2.4 million and $8.5 million, respectively, to our qualified and nonqualified pension plans for continuing operations. Contributions to discontinued operations qualified and nonqualified pension plans were $1.0 million and $2.9 million, respectively, for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016.

We paid $0.7 million and $1.9 million in premiums to the U.S. postretirement benefit plan during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, respectively. During the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, we paid $0.7 million and $2.3 million, respectively, in premiums to the U.S. postretirement benefit plan.

Multiemployer Plan

Our normal contributions to the Pensionskasse Dynamit Nobel Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit, Troisdorf (“DN Pensionskasse”) multiemployer plan for continuing operations were approximately $0.3 million and $0.8 million during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, respectively. During the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, we made contributions of approximately $0.3 million and $0.8 million, respectively, to the DN Pensionskasse multiemployer plan for continuing operations. Contributions for discontinued operations were approximately $0.2 million and $0.6 million during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016, respectively.

Effective July 1, 2016, the DN Pensionskasse is subject to a financial improvement plan which expires on December 31, 2022, with the final contribution in the second quarter of 2023. This financial improvement plan calls for increased capital reserves to avoid future underfunding risk. During the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017, we made contributions for our employees covered under this plan of approximately $2.0 million, recorded in Selling, general and administrative expenses, as a result of this financial improvement plan. In addition, during the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, we made contributions relating to this financial improvement plan to indemnify previously divested businesses of approximately $1.6 million and $4.6 million, respectively, recorded in Other (expenses) income, net.