Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pension and other postretirement benefits expenses consisted of the following:



	Three months ended March 31,
Pensions	2014			2013
Service cost	$	1,255		$	1,984
Interest cost	5,438			4,987
Expected return on plan assets	(8,570		)	(8,276		)
Amortization of prior service cost	177			203
Amortization of actuarial losses	1,962			4,075
Curtailment loss	219			199
Special termination benefits	715			—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,196		$	3,172

	Three months ended March 31,
Other Postretirement Benefits	2014			2013
Service cost	$	52		$	77
Interest cost	559			543
Amortization of prior service credit	(217		)	(395		)
Amortization of actuarial losses	216			290
Curtailment loss	4			—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	614		$	515

Curtailment losses and special termination benefits during the first three months of 2014 and 2013 relate to certain defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans that were impacted by the closure of production operations at the Associated Spring facility located in Saline, Michigan and the completed sale of Barnes Distribution North America ("BDNA"), respectively. Amounts related to BDNA have been segregated from continuing operations and reported as discontinued operations within the Consolidated Financial Statements during the first three months of 2013.

The Company contributed to a multi-employer defined benefit pension plan under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. This multi-employer plan provides pension benefits to certain former union-represented employees of the Edison, New Jersey facility at BDNA. The Company determined that a withdrawal from this multi-employer plan, following its entry into a definitive agreement to sell BDNA in February 2013, was probable. The Company estimated its assessment of a withdrawal liability, on a pre-tax discounted basis, and recorded a liability of $2,788 during the first quarter of 2013. The expense was recorded within discontinued operations. The Company completed the sale of BDNA and ceased making contributions into the multi-employer plan during the second quarter of 2013. The Company settled the withdrawal liability in the fourth quarter of 2013, with the agreed-upon settlement payment being made during the first quarter of 2014.