CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Agsense Llc	Valmont SM	Common stock	Additional paid-in capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	Treasury stock	Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries	Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries Agsense Llc	Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries Valmont SM
Beginning balance at Dec. 28, 2013	$ 1,544,846			$ 27,900	$ 0	$ 1,562,670	$ (47,685)	$ (20,860)	$ 22,821
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Net earnings	147,700					143,515			4,185
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(26,956)						(24,386)		(2,570)
Cash dividends declared	(25,950)					(25,950)			0
Dividends to noncontrolling interests	(1,340)								(1,340)
Acquisition		$ 16,333	$ 9,232							$ 16,333	$ 9,232
Addition of noncontrolling interest	404								404
Purchase of treasury shares	(316,296)							(316,296)
Stock plan exercises	(12,739)							(12,739)
Stock options exercised	12,824				(9,360)	7,301		14,883
Tax benefit from stock option exercises	3,916				3,916
Stock option expense	3,767				3,767
Stock awards	2,945				1,677			1,268
Ending balance at Sep. 27, 2014	1,358,686			27,900	0	1,687,536	(72,071)	(333,744)	49,065
Beginning balance at Dec. 27, 2014	1,250,405			27,900	0	1,718,662	(134,433)	(410,296)	48,572
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Net earnings	74,495					70,678			3,817
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(92,597)						(88,574)		(4,023)
Cash dividends declared	(26,249)					(26,249)			0
Dividends to noncontrolling interests	(2,323)								(2,323)
Purchase of treasury shares	(148,220)							(148,220)
Stock plan exercises	(12,135)							(12,135)
Stock options exercised	10,902				(11,078)	4,530		17,450
Tax benefit from stock option exercises	1,458				1,458
Stock option expense	3,936				3,936
Stock awards	6,105				5,684			421
Ending balance at Sep. 26, 2015	$ 1,065,777			$ 27,900	$ 0	$ 1,767,621	$ (223,007)	$ (552,780)	$ 46,043