Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits:

The components of pension and postretirement benefits cost (credit) for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 were as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2018			2017			2018			2017
Pension Benefits Cost (Credit):
Service cost	$	1,259		$	1,020		$	2,527		$	2,023
Interest cost	8,016			8,320			16,043			16,608
Expected return on assets	(10,760		)	(9,931		)	(21,524		)	(19,839		)
Amortization of prior service benefit	24			46			46			73
Total net pension benefits credit	$	(1,461	)	$	(545	)	$	(2,908	)	$	(1,135	)
Postretirement Benefits Cost (Credit):
Service cost	$	30		$	30		$	59		$	61
Interest cost	542			585			1,084			1,170
Expected return on assets	(2		)	(27		)	(4		)	(55		)
Amortization of prior service benefit	(12		)	(24		)	(24		)	(48		)
Total net postretirement benefits cost	$	558		$	564		$	1,115		$	1,128
Total net pension and postretirement benefits (credit) cost	$	(903	)	$	19		$	(1,793	)	$	(7	)

As a result of the adoption of new accounting guidance effective January 1, 2018, on a retrospective basis, all components of net benefit cost (credit), other than service cost, are to be shown outside of operations on the consolidated statements of income. We recast these components of net benefit cost (credit), which resulted in a reduction of $0.1 million and $0.3 million in Cost of goods sold, respectively, and $0.9 million and $1.8 million in Selling, general and administrative expenses, respectively, with an offsetting increase of $1.0 million and $2.1 million in Other expenses, net, respectively, for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017. There was no impact to Net income attributable to Albemarle Corporation.

During the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2018, we made contributions of $2.8 million and $5.9 million, respectively, to our qualified and nonqualified pension plans. During the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017, we made contributions of $2.7 million and $5.1 million, respectively, to our qualified and nonqualified pension plans.

We paid $0.7 million and $1.2 million in premiums to the U.S. postretirement benefit plan during both the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Multiemployer Plan

Effective July 1, 2016, the Pensionskasse Dynamit Nobel Versicherungsverein auf Gegenseitigkeit, Troisdorf multiemployer plan 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 three-month and six-month periods ended June 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 six-month periods ended June 30, 2017, we made contributions relating to this financial improvement plan to indemnify previously divested businesses of approximately $2.9 million, recorded in Other expenses, net. There were no contributions made under the financial improvement plan during the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2018.