GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 26, 2015

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of components of amortized intangible assets

The components of amortized intangible assets at December 26, 2015 and December 27, 2014 were as follows:

	December 26, 2015
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Weighted Average Life
Customer Relationships	$	201,801	$	101,614	13 years
Proprietary Software & Database	3,571		2,966		8 years
Patents & Proprietary Technology	6,815		3,421		11 years
Other	3,752		3,671		3 years
	$	215,939	$	111,672

(7) GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

	December 27, 2014
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Weighted Average Life
Customer Relationships	$	207,509	$	88,538	13 years
Proprietary Software & Database	3,769		2,977		8 years
Patents & Proprietary Technology	12,394		8,537		8 years
Other	4,355		2,998		3 years
	$	228,027	$	103,050

Schedule of future estimated amortization expense

Estimated annual amortization expense related to finite‑lived intangible assets is as follows:

	Estimated Amortization Expense
2016	$	15,945
2017	15,905
2018	14,259
2019	13,452
2020	12,430

Schedule of non-amortized intangible assets

The carrying values of trade names at December 26, 2015 and December 27, 2014 were as follows:

	December 26, 2015		December 27, 2014		Year Acquired
Webforge	$	10,430	$	16,801	2010
Valmont SM	8,919		10,818		2014
Newmark	11,111		11,111		2004
Ingal EPS/Ingal Civil Products	8,504		8,867		2010
Donhad	6,415		6,689		2010
Shakespeare	4,000		4,000		2014
Industrial Galvanizers	2,662		3,889		2010
Other	13,889		14,852
	$	65,930	$	77,027

Schedule of carrying amount of goodwill

The carrying amount of goodwill by segment as of December 26, 2015 and December 27, 2014 was as follows:

	Engineered Support Structures Segment			Energy and Mining Segment			Utility Support Structures Segment		Coatings Segment			Irrigation Segment			Total
Balance at December 27, 2014	$	107,868		$	106,770		$	75,404	$	75,533		$	19,536		$	385,111
Impairment	—			(18,670		)	—		(16,222		)	—			(34,892		)
Acquisition	—			—			—		3,019			—			3,019
Foreign currency translation	(4,856		)	(6,941		)	—		(2,611		)	(177		)	(14,585		)
Divestiture of business	(1,737		)	—			—		—			—			(1,737		)
Balance at December 26, 2015	$	101,275		$	81,159		$	75,404	$	59,719		$	19,359		$	336,916

	Engineered Support Structures Segment			Energy and Mining Segment			Utility Support Structures Segment		Coatings Segment			Irrigation Segment			Total
Balance at December 28, 2013	$	97,253		$	96,759		$	75,404	$	77,796		$	2,420		$	349,632
Acquisition	15,416			16,803			—		—			17,193			49,412
Foreign currency translation	(4,801		)	(6,792		)	—		(2,263		)	(77		)	(13,933		)
Balance at December 27, 2014	$	107,868		$	106,770		$	75,404	$	75,533		$	19,536		$	385,111