Printed from BusinessInsurance.com

ArvinMeritor to freeze DB pension plan

Posted On: May. 1, 2007 12:00 AM CST

TROY, Mich.--ArvinMeritor Inc., the big automotive components manufacturer, is freezing its defined benefit pension plan and is enhancing its 401(k) plan.

The pension plan freeze, which will affect about 3,800 salaried and other nonunion employees, will occur in two stages. The first stage of the freeze will begin Jan. 1, 2008, but will exclude older employees with at least 10 years of service, who will continue to accrue benefits under the pension plan.

But after June 30, 2011, those older employees--workers of at least age 50 with 10 years of service and employees with at least 20 years of service as of Dec. 31, 2007--will cease accruing benefits under the plan.

While phasing out the defined benefit plan, ArvinMeritor, which last year reported a net loss of $175 million on sales of about $9.2 billion, is sweetening its 401(k) plan. The company will make an automatic contribution that increases with age. The contribution will be equal to 2% of pay for employees younger than age 30, with the contribution gradually increasing with employee age until topping off at 4% for employees age 60 and older.

Those contributions will come on top of ArvinMeritor's 401(k) plan matching contributions. Currently, the Troy, Mich.-based company matches 100% of employees' salary deferrals, up to the first 3% of pay, and matches 50% of deferrals on the next 3% of pay.

The changes will enable the company to offer a retirement savings program that will meet employee needs while allowing the company to better manage ongoing funding requirements, a spokeswoman said.