GUARANTOR/NON-GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details 5) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended			19 Months Ended
	Dec. 26, 2015	Dec. 27, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 26, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	$ 45,333	$ 189,318	$ 280,460
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	91,144	89,328	77,436
Non-cash after-tax loss on deconsolidation	0	0	12,011
vmi_ImpairmentOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment			12,161
Noncash loss on trading securities	4,555	3,795	0
Non-cash debt refinancing costs	0	(2,478)	0
Impairment of assets - restructuring activities	19,836		12,161
Impairment of goodwill & intangibles assets	41,970	0	0
Stock-based compensation	7,244	6,730	6,513
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	(4,300)	0
Defined benefit pension plan expense	(610)	2,638	6,569
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	(16,500)	(18,173)	(17,619)
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	2,327	392	(4,318)
Equity in earnings in nonconsolidated subsidiaries	247	(29)	(835)
Deferred income taxes	4,858	5,251	(10,141)
Changes in assets and liabilities (net of acquisitions):
Receivables	50,267	907	(12,708)
Inventories	3,296	21,458	13,431
Prepaid expenses	10,844	(13,594)	4,115
Accounts payable	(6,805)	(34,321)	12,448
Accrued expenses	8,918	(34,778)	21,698
Other noncurrent liabilities	(1,764)	1,755	(1,474)
Income taxes payable (refundable)	7,107	(39,803)	(3,305)
Net cash flows from operating activities	272,267	174,096	396,442
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(45,468)	(73,023)	(106,753)
Proceeds from sale of assets	3,249	2,489	37,582
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(12,778)	(185,710)	(63,152)
Other, net	6,826	(619)	602
Net cash flows from investing activities	(48,171)	(256,863)	(131,721)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	(12,853)	(4,472)	5,510
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	68,000	652,211	274
Principal payments on long-term borrowings	(69,098)	(357,858)	(591)
vmi_PaymentsOnDeconsolidationOfSubsidiary	0	0	(11,615)
Settlement of financial derivative	0	4,981	0
Dividends paid	(35,357)	(32,443)	(25,414)
Intercompany dividends	0	0	0
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyCapitalContribution		0
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyInterestOnLongTermNote		0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivable, Related Parties			0
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	(2,634)	(2,919)	(1,767)
Debt issuance costs	0	(7,644)	0
Intercompany capital contribution	0	0	(9,324)
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	13,075	14,572	16,348
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	1,699	4,264	5,306
Purchase of treasury shares	(168,983)	(395,045)	0	$ (564,000)
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	(13,854)	(15,403)	(16,107)
Net cash flows from financing activities	(220,005)	(139,756)	(37,380)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(26,596)	(19,604)	(27,764)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(22,505)	(242,127)	199,577
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of year	371,579	613,706	414,129
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	349,074	371,579	613,706	349,074
Parent
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	40,117	183,976	278,489
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	29,433	24,509	21,270
Non-cash after-tax loss on deconsolidation			0
vmi_ImpairmentOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment			0
Noncash loss on trading securities	0	0
Non-cash debt refinancing costs		(2,478)
Impairment of assets - restructuring activities	7,486
Impairment of goodwill & intangibles assets	0
Stock-based compensation	7,244	6,730	6,513
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		0
Defined benefit pension plan expense	0	0	0
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	983	145	885
Equity in earnings in nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(11,842)	(129,031)	(150,512)
Deferred income taxes	10,042	(1,474)	(8,948)
Changes in assets and liabilities (net of acquisitions):
Receivables	27,576	(19,136)	6,181
Inventories	(4,364)	5,094	12,966
Prepaid expenses	2,337	(2,352)	2,417
Accounts payable	6,831	(2,260)	(10,458)
Accrued expenses	(16,485)	(21,448)	19,191
Other noncurrent liabilities	177	622	3,201
Income taxes payable (refundable)	7,895	(24,945)	(5,908)
Net cash flows from operating activities	107,430	17,952	175,287
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(14,362)	(41,260)	(76,582)
Proceeds from sale of assets	3,996	43	794
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Other, net	72,866	34,735	86,258
Net cash flows from investing activities	62,500	(6,482)	10,470
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	68,000	652,540	0
Principal payments on long-term borrowings	(68,213)	(356,994)	(187)
vmi_PaymentsOnDeconsolidationOfSubsidiary			0
Settlement of financial derivative		4,981
Dividends paid	(35,357)	(32,443)	(25,414)
Intercompany dividends	26,115	116,995	8,947
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyCapitalContribution		(143,000)
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyInterestOnLongTermNote		0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivable, Related Parties			0
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		(7,644)
Intercompany capital contribution			0
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	13,075	14,572	16,348
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	1,699	4,264	5,306
Purchase of treasury shares	(168,983)	(395,045)
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	(13,854)	(15,403)	(16,107)
Net cash flows from financing activities	(177,518)	(157,177)	(11,107)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(7,588)	(145,707)	174,650
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of year	69,869	215,576	40,926
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	62,281	69,869	215,576	62,281
Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	(10,760)	67,725	97,955
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	12,611	12,926	12,862
Non-cash after-tax loss on deconsolidation			0
vmi_ImpairmentOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment			0
Noncash loss on trading securities	0	0
Non-cash debt refinancing costs		0
Impairment of assets - restructuring activities	542
Impairment of goodwill & intangibles assets	0
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		0
Defined benefit pension plan expense	0	0	0
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	319	143	42
Equity in earnings in nonconsolidated subsidiaries	39,418	(19,509)	(16,417)
Deferred income taxes	(6,224)	1,866	(19)
Changes in assets and liabilities (net of acquisitions):
Receivables	3,547	40,186	(22,259)
Inventories	18,130	15,317	1,757
Prepaid expenses	(172)	429	98
Accounts payable	(1,970)	(5,212)	(1,643)
Accrued expenses	17,713	(9,590)	5,824
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes payable (refundable)	(306)	(19,417)	(3,251)
Net cash flows from operating activities	72,848	84,864	74,949
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(7,718)	(2,823)	(4,439)
Proceeds from sale of assets	302	126	35
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(12,778)	0	0
Other, net	(50,447)	(73,799)	(83,327)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(70,641)	(76,496)	(87,731)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	0	0	0
Principal payments on long-term borrowings	0	0	0
vmi_PaymentsOnDeconsolidationOfSubsidiary			0
Settlement of financial derivative		0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends	0	(36,600)	20,133
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyCapitalContribution		0
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyInterestOnLongTermNote		648	1,229
Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivable, Related Parties			22,430
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Intercompany capital contribution			0
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	0	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	0	0	0
Net cash flows from financing activities	0	(35,952)	43,792
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(356)	(56)	(7,927)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	1,851	(27,640)	23,083
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of year	2,157	29,797	6,714
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	4,008	2,157	29,797	4,008
Non- Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	(11,241)	85,840	68,597
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	49,100	51,893	43,304
Non-cash after-tax loss on deconsolidation			12,011
vmi_ImpairmentOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment			12,161
Noncash loss on trading securities	4,555	3,795
Non-cash debt refinancing costs		0
Impairment of assets - restructuring activities	11,808
Impairment of goodwill & intangibles assets	41,970
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		(4,300)
Defined benefit pension plan expense	(610)	2,638	6,569
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	(16,500)	(18,173)	(17,619)
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	1,025	104	(5,245)
Equity in earnings in nonconsolidated subsidiaries	247	(63)	(494)
Deferred income taxes	1,040	4,859	(1,174)
Changes in assets and liabilities (net of acquisitions):
Receivables	19,144	(20,143)	3,370
Inventories	(12,698)	1,047	(1,292)
Prepaid expenses	8,679	(11,671)	1,600
Accounts payable	(11,666)	(26,849)	24,549
Accrued expenses	7,366	(3,740)	(3,317)
Other noncurrent liabilities	(1,941)	1,133	(4,675)
Income taxes payable (refundable)	(482)	4,559	5,029
Net cash flows from operating activities	89,796	70,929	143,374
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(23,388)	(28,940)	(25,732)
Proceeds from sale of assets	(1,049)	2,320	36,753
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(185,710)	(63,152)
Other, net	(13,400)	38,796	503
Net cash flows from investing activities	(37,837)	(173,534)	(51,628)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	(12,853)	(4,472)	5,510
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	0	(329)	274
Principal payments on long-term borrowings	(885)	(864)	(404)
vmi_PaymentsOnDeconsolidationOfSubsidiary			(11,615)
Settlement of financial derivative		0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends	(26,115)	(80,395)	(29,080)
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyCapitalContribution		143,000
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyInterestOnLongTermNote		(648)	(1,229)
Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivable, Related Parties			(22,430)
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	(2,634)	(2,919)	(1,767)
Debt issuance costs		0
Intercompany capital contribution			(9,324)
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	0	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	0	0	0
Net cash flows from financing activities	(42,487)	53,373	(70,065)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(26,240)	(19,548)	(19,837)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(16,768)	(68,780)	1,844
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of year	299,553	368,333	366,489
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	282,785	299,553	368,333	282,785
Eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings	27,217	(148,223)	(164,581)
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows from operations:
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Non-cash after-tax loss on deconsolidation			0
vmi_ImpairmentOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment			0
Noncash loss on trading securities	0	0
Non-cash debt refinancing costs		0
Impairment of assets - restructuring activities	0
Impairment of goodwill & intangibles assets	0
Stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Change in fair value of contingent consideration		0
Defined benefit pension plan expense	0	0	0
Contribution to defined benefit pension plan	0	0	0
(Gain) loss on sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(27,576)	148,574	166,588
Deferred income taxes	0	0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities (net of acquisitions):
Receivables	0	0	0
Inventories	2,228	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0	0
Accrued expenses	324	0	0
Other noncurrent liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes payable (refundable)	0	0	825
Net cash flows from operating activities	2,193	351	2,832
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0	0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Other, net	(2,193)	(351)	(2,832)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(2,193)	(351)	(2,832)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net borrowings under short-term agreements	0	0	0
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	0	0	0
Principal payments on long-term borrowings	0	0	0
vmi_PaymentsOnDeconsolidationOfSubsidiary			0
Settlement of financial derivative		0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Intercompany dividends	0	0	0
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyCapitalContribution		0
vmi_ProceedsFromRepaymentOfIntercompanyInterestOnLongTermNote		0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Notes Receivable, Related Parties			0
Dividends to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0
Intercompany capital contribution			0
Proceeds from exercises under stock plans	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits from stock option exercises	0	0	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Purchase of common treasury shares - stock plan exercises	0	0	0
Net cash flows from financing activities	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents—end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0