CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2017
Net sales	$ 682,405	$ 712,737	$ 1,381,089	$ 1,350,210
Total cost of sales	507,406	529,457	1,036,850	1,002,325
Gross profit	174,999	183,280	344,239	347,885
Selling, general and administrative expenses	111,329	104,830	216,609	204,779
Operating income	63,670	78,450	127,630	143,106
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(11,791)	(10,818)	(22,865)	(22,122)
Interest income	1,446	967	2,713	1,894
Loss from divestiture of grinding media business	(6,084)	0	(6,084)	0
Other	1,844	(192)	703	853
Total other income (expenses)	(14,585)	(10,043)	(25,533)	(19,375)
Earnings before income taxes	49,085	68,407	102,097	123,731
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	16,724	27,803	24,437	29,101
Deferred	(2,319)	(6,718)	2,500	7,347
Total income tax expense (benefit)	14,405	21,085	26,937	36,448
Earnings before equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	34,680	47,322	75,160	87,283
Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net earnings	34,680	47,322	75,160	87,283
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,720)	(1,658)	(2,919)	(2,640)
Net earnings attributable to Valmont Industries, Inc.	$ 32,960	$ 45,664	$ 72,241	$ 84,643
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.47	$ 2.03	$ 3.21	$ 3.76
Diluted (in dollars per share)	1.46	2.01	3.18	3.73
Cash dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.75	$ 0.75
Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding - Basic (in shares)	22,438	22,517	22,523	22,494
Weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding - Diluted (in shares)	22,573	22,740	22,684	22,700
Product sales
Net sales	$ 598,642	$ 632,507	$ 1,219,128	$ 1,205,459
Total cost of sales	453,021	477,174	929,285	904,021
Services sales
Net sales	83,763	80,230	161,961	144,751
Total cost of sales	$ 54,385	$ 52,283	$ 107,565	$ 98,304