EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
In the three and six months ended May 29, 2011 and May 30, 2010, net pension and postretirement costs included the following:
Employee Benefit Plans (Three Months Ended May 29, 2011 and May 30, 2010) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pension Benefits | | U.S. Postretirement Benefits | | | U.S. Plan | | Non-U.S. Plans | | | (In thousands) | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | Service cost | | $ | 942 |
| | $ | 908 |
| | $ | 92 |
| | $ | 94 |
| | $ | 18 |
| | $ | 21 |
| Interest cost | | 2,841 |
| | 2,908 |
| | 568 |
| | 564 |
| | 56 |
| | 52 |
| Expected return on plan assets | | (3,098 | ) | | (2,844 | ) | | (483 | ) | | (398 | ) | | (6 | ) | | (7 | ) | Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost | | 11 |
| | 13 |
| | 50 |
| | 69 |
| | 14 |
| | 5 |
| Curtailment | | — |
| | 1 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| Amortization of unrecognized net transition obligation | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 12 |
| | 12 |
| Amortization of accumulated loss | | 2,495 |
| | 2,685 |
| | 4 |
| | (35 | ) | | 27 |
| | 6 |
| Net periodic cost | | $ | 3,191 |
| | $ | 3,671 |
| | $ | 231 |
| | $ | 294 |
| | $ | 121 |
| | $ | 89 |
|
Employee Benefit Plans (Six Months Ended May 29, 2011 and May 30, 2010) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pension Benefits | | U.S. Postretirement Benefits | | | U.S. Plan | | Non-U.S. Plans | | | (In thousands) | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | | 2011 | | 2010 | Service cost | | $ | 1,884 |
| | $ | 1,816 |
| | $ | 184 |
| | $ | 188 |
| | $ | 36 |
| | $ | 42 |
| Interest cost | | 5,682 |
| | 5,816 |
| | 1,136 |
| | 1,128 |
| | 112 |
| | 104 |
| Expected return on plan assets | | (6,196 | ) | | (5,688 | ) | | (966 | ) | | (796 | ) | | (12 | ) | | (14 | ) | Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost | | 22 |
| | 26 |
| | 100 |
| | 138 |
| | 28 |
| | 10 |
| Curtailment | | — |
| | 2 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| Amortization of unrecognized net transition obligation | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 24 |
| | 24 |
| Amortization of accumulated loss | | 4,990 |
| | 5,370 |
| | 8 |
| | (70 | ) | | 54 |
| | 12 |
| Net periodic cost | | $ | 6,382 |
| | $ | 7,342 |
| | $ | 462 |
| | $ | 588 |
| | $ | 242 |
| | $ | 178 |
|
The Company contributed $3,200,000 to its U.S. pension plan and $262,000 to its non-U.S. pension plans in the first six months of 2011. The Company expects to contribute an additional $8,200,000 to its U.S. pension plan and $1,100,000 to its non-U.S. pension plans during the remainder of 2011. |