GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of components of amortized intangible assets

The components of amortized intangible assets at December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015 were as follows:

	December 31, 2016
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Weighted Average Life
Customer Relationships	$	191,316	$	111,342	13 years
Proprietary Software & Database	3,616		3,056		8 years
Patents & Proprietary Technology	6,434		3,420		11 years
Other	3,713		3,668		3 years
	$	205,079	$	121,486

	December 26, 2015
	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization		Weighted Average Life
Customer Relationships	$	201,801	$	101,614	13 years
Proprietary Software & Database	3,571		2,966		8 years
Patents & Proprietary Technology	6,815		3,421		11 years
Other	3,752		3,671		3 years
	$	215,939	$	111,672

Schedule of future estimated amortization expense

Estimated annual amortization expense related to finite‑lived intangible assets is as follows:

	Estimated Amortization Expense
2017	$	15,063
2018	13,434
2019	12,694
2020	11,634
2021	9,586

Schedule of non-amortized intangible assets

The carrying values of trade names at December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015 were as follows:

(7) GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

	December 31, 2016		December 26, 2015		Year Acquired
Webforge	$	8,624	$	10,430	2010
Valmont SM	8,765		8,919		2014
Newmark	11,111		11,111		2004
Ingal EPS/Ingal Civil Products	7,032		8,504		2010
Donhad	5,305		6,415		2010
Shakespeare	4,000		4,000		2014
Industrial Galvanizers	2,201		2,662		2010
Other	13,747		13,889
	$	60,785	$	65,930

Schedule of carrying amount of goodwill

The carrying amount of goodwill by segment as of December 31, 2016 and December 26, 2015 was as follows:

	Engineered Support Structures Segment			Energy and Mining Segment			Utility Support Structures Segment		Coatings Segment			Irrigation Segment		Total
Gross Balance at December 26, 2015	$	101,275		$	99,829		$	75,404	$	75,941		$	19,359	$	371,808
Accumulated impairment losses	—			(18,670		)	—		(16,222		)	—		(34,892		)
Balance at December 26, 2015	101,275			81,159			75,404		59,719			19,359		336,916
Foreign currency translation	(6,961		)	(8,947		)	—		(150		)	252		(15,806		)
Balance at December 31, 2016	$	94,314		$	72,212		$	75,404	$	59,569		$	19,611	$	321,110

(7) GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Continued)

	Engineered Support Structures Segment			Energy and Mining Segment			Utility Support Structures Segment		Coatings Segment			Irrigation Segment			Total
Balance at December 27, 2014	$	107,868		$	106,770		$	75,404	$	75,533		$	19,536		$	385,111
Impairment	—			(18,670		)	—		(16,222		)	—			(34,892		)
Acquisition	—			—			—		3,019			—			3,019
Foreign currency translation	(4,856		)	(6,941		)	—		(2,611		)	(177		)	(14,585		)
Divestiture of business	(1,737		)	—			—		—			—			(1,737		)
Balance at December 26, 2015	$	101,275		$	81,159		$	75,404	$	59,719		$	19,359		$	336,916