BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2019

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Segment reporting information of sales and operating income

Summary by Business

	2019		2018		2017
SALES:
Engineered Support Structures segment:
Lighting, Traffic, and Highway Safety Products	$	708,853	$	706,582	$	633,178
Communication Products	188,912		149,817		171,718
Access Systems	114,525		130,481		133,206
Engineered Support Structures segment	1,012,290		986,880		938,102
Utility Support Structures segment:
Steel	630,892		637,979		658,604
Concrete	122,032		111,875		99,738
Engineered Solar Tracker Solutions	47,450		16,760		—
Offshore and Other Complex Steel Structures	90,206		92,559		100,773
Utility Support Structures segment	890,580		859,173		859,115
Coatings segment	367,835		353,351		318,891
Irrigation segment:
North America	378,613		386,683		369,832
International	206,583		246,983		282,598
Irrigation segment	585,196		633,666		652,430
Other	—		23,080		76,300
Total	2,855,901		2,856,150		2,844,838
INTERSEGMENT SALES:
Engineered Support Structures	10,214		19,522		25,862
Utility Support Structures	4,972		3,967		2,871
Coatings	67,195		66,612		62,080
Irrigation	6,544		8,905		8,058
Total	88,925		99,006		98,871
NET SALES:
Engineered Support Structures segment	1,002,076		967,358		912,240
Utility Support Structures segment	885,608		855,206		856,244
Coatings segment	300,640		286,739		256,811
Irrigation segment	578,652		624,761		644,372
Other	—		23,080		76,300
Total	$	2,766,976	$	2,757,144	$	2,745,967

(21) BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Continued)

	2019			2018			2017
OPERATING INCOME (LOSS):
Engineered Support Structures	$	65,627		$	34,776		$	62,960
Utility Support Structures	87,788			64,766			97,853
Coatings	51,008			55,325			50,179
Irrigation	71,687			97,722			101,498
Other	—			(913		)	2,134
Adjustment to LIFO inventory valuation method	9,815			(9,892		)	(5,680		)
Corporate	(48,205		)	(39,504		)	(41,864		)
Total	237,720			202,280			267,080
Interest expense, net	(36,211		)	(39,569		)	(39,908		)
Costs associated with refinancing of debt	—			(14,820		)	—
Loss from divestiture of grinding media business	—			(6,084		)	—
Other	8,164			1,634			1,292
Earnings before income taxes and equity in earnings of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	$	209,673		$	143,441		$	228,464
TOTAL ASSETS:
Engineered Support Structures	$	943,841		$	867,735		$	846,881
Utility Support Structures	742,194			700,915			597,231
Coatings	363,070			294,951			288,890
Irrigation	347,887			347,894			369,798
Other	—			—			68,934
Corporate	366,419			318,779			430,516
Total	$	2,763,411		$	2,530,274		$	2,602,250

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES:
Engineered Support Structures	$	25,344	$	26,783	$	16,433
Utility Support Structures	26,306		17,442		14,012
Coatings	23,610		10,320		11,080
Irrigation	15,644		7,249		7,055
Other	—		7		2,376
Corporate	6,521		10,184		4,310
Total	$	97,425	$	71,985	$	55,266

(21) BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Continued)

	2019		2018		2017
DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION:
Engineered Support Structures	$	26,280	$	27,274	$	27,637
Utility Support Structures	23,779		23,618		25,079
Coatings	15,907		15,956		15,115
Irrigation	10,943		11,335		11,173
Other	—		775		2,486
Corporate	5,355		3,869		3,467
Total	$	82,264	$	82,827	$	84,957

Summary by geographical area by location

Summary by Geographical Area by Location of Valmont Facilities:

	2019		2018		2017
NET SALES:
United States	$	1,872,840	$	1,771,390	$	1,702,826
Australia	255,271		325,553		356,959
Denmark	90,206		92,559		100,773
Other	548,659		567,642		585,409
Total	$	2,766,976	$	2,757,144	$	2,745,967
LONG-LIVED ASSETS:
United States	$	753,545	$	624,143	$	544,724
Australia	193,029		168,438		227,483
Denmark	58,435		64,497		90,372
Other	369,983		332,556		267,106
Total	$	1,374,992	$	1,189,634	$	1,129,685