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DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 27, 2014
MMBTU
Dec. 28, 2013
MMBTU
Sep. 10, 2014
Sep. 22, 2014
Sep. 27, 2014
Dec. 31, 2011
Jun. 25, 2011
Derivative Instrument              
Annual consolidated natural gas purchase requirements (in MMBtu) 1,079,000vmi_AnnualConsolidatedNaturalGasPurchaseRequirements            
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax $ (134,433)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax $ (47,685)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax          
5.00% senior unsecured notes due 2044              
Derivative Instrument              
Aggregate principal amount 250,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
    250,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
     
Interest rate on notes (as a percent) 5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
  5.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
     
5.25% senior unsecured notes due 2054              
Derivative Instrument              
Aggregate principal amount 250,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
    250,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
     
Interest rate on notes (as a percent) 5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
  5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
     
6.625% senior unsecured notes due in April 2020              
Derivative Instrument              
Aggregate principal amount 250,200us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
           
Interest rate on notes (as a percent) 6.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
6.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
  6.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
     
Debt Repurchase Amount       199,800us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchaseAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
199,800us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchaseAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
   
Parent              
Derivative Instrument              
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax (134,433)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
(47,685)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
         
Natural Gas Price Swap              
Derivative Instrument              
Quantities of natural gas (in MMBtu) 80,000us-gaap_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmountEnergyMeasure
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
120,000us-gaap_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmountEnergyMeasure
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
         
Unrealized gain (loss) (53)us-gaap_GainLossOnPriceRiskDerivativesNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
73us-gaap_GainLossOnPriceRiskDerivativesNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
         
Interest rate contract | Cash flow hedging              
Derivative Instrument              
Payment to counterparty to settle the derivative contract     4,837vmi_InterestRateCashFlowHedgeDerivativesSettlementPaymentToCounterparty
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
       
Interest rate contract | Cash flow hedging | 5.00% senior unsecured notes due 2044              
Derivative Instrument              
Notional amount of derivative instrument         125,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.00PercentDue2044Member
   
Interest rate contract | Cash flow hedging | 5.25% senior unsecured notes due 2054              
Derivative Instrument              
Notional amount of derivative instrument         125,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes5.25PercentDue2054Member
   
Interest rate contract | Cash flow hedging | 6.625% senior unsecured notes due in April 2020              
Derivative Instrument              
Aggregate principal amount           150,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
 
Interest rate on notes (as a percent)           6.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
 
Notional amount of derivative instrument             130,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
Loss on interest rate cash flow hedge derivative, recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income         983vmi_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossChangesInGrossLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
   
Debt Repurchase Amount         199,800us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchaseAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= vmi_SeniorUnsecuredNotes6.625PercentDue2020Member
   
Forward contracts | Cash flow hedging              
Derivative Instrument              
Unrealized gain (loss) 424us-gaap_GainLossOnPriceRiskDerivativesNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
           
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax 242us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
           
Notional amount of derivative instrument 14,757invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
           
Forward contracts | Fair Value Hedging              
Derivative Instrument              
Unrealized gain (loss)   475us-gaap_GainLossOnPriceRiskDerivativesNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
         
Notional amount of derivative instrument   $ 28,032invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember