Business Segment Information (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jul. 02, 2011

Business Segment Information [Abstract]

Schedule of Entity-Wide Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services

Net sales for the Company's products and services are as follows for the three and six months endedJuly 2, 2011 and July 3, 2010 (in thousands):

			Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
			July 2, 2011		July 3, 2010		July 2, 2011		July 3, 2010
Product net sales:
	Waters instrument systems		$	206,421	$	182,534	$	403,932	$	341,101
	Chemistry			74,299		62,871		148,021		129,549
	TA instrument systems			35,430		30,020		67,533		57,817
		Total product sales		316,150		275,425		619,486		528,467
Service net sales:
	Waters service			119,871		104,886		233,278		209,894
	TA service			11,606		10,744		22,466		20,394
		Total service sales		131,477		115,630		255,744		230,288
Total net sales			$	447,627	$	391,055	$	875,230	$	758,755