Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pension and other postretirement benefits expenses consisted of the following:



	Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
Pensions	2014			2013			2014			2013
Service cost	$	1,132		$	1,393		$	3,439		$	4,839
Interest cost	5,455			5,018			16,432			15,043
Expected return on plan assets	(8,476		)	(8,273		)	(25,529		)	(24,867		)
Amortization of prior service cost	152			185			486			567
Amortization of actuarial losses	2,141			4,038			6,374			12,331
Curtailment loss	—			—			219			199
Settlement loss	281			—			863			637
Special termination benefits	—			—			715			1,016
Net periodic benefit cost	$	685		$	2,361		$	2,999		$	9,765

	Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
Other Postretirement Benefits	2014			2013			2014			2013
Service cost	$	29		$	58		$	110		$	176
Interest cost	540			513			1,638			1,548
Amortization of prior service credit	(218		)	(223		)	(653		)	(783		)
Amortization of actuarial losses	268			241			751			762
Curtailment loss (gain)	—			—			4			(3,081		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	619		$	589		$	1,850		$	(1,378	)

Curtailment losses and special termination benefits during the first nine months of 2014 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. The settlement loss during the first nine months of 2014 reflects payments that were made to participants within certain of the Company's defined benefit pension plans. The curtailment loss (gain), settlement loss and special termination benefits during the first nine months of 2013 relate to certain defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans that were impacted by the completed sale of the Barnes Distribution North America business("BDNA"). Amounts related to BDNA have been segregated from continuing operations and reported as discontinued operations within the Consolidated Financial Statements during the first nine 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.