Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 187,213,000		$ 187,453,000		$ 351,349,000		$ 340,782,000
Operating income	21,465,000		16,874,000		32,942,000		25,163,000
Interest expense	(4,350,000)		(3,297,000)		(8,199,000)		(7,626,000)
Realized and unrealized gain on derivatives	1,612,000		5,019,000		2,510,000		855,000
Other (expenses) income	(152,000)		(26,000)		(196,000)		5,000
Income from continuing operations before tax	18,575,000		18,570,000		27,057,000		18,397,000
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Non-cash stock based compensation					1,941,000		1,729,000
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	27,612,000		22,428,000		44,988,000		36,594,000
Precious Metal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	49,576,000		54,051,000		97,414,000		98,697,000
Operating income	7,803,000		5,612,000		13,417,000		10,114,000
Tubing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	25,905,000		24,474,000		51,697,000		48,873,000
Operating income	4,574,000		3,292,000		8,119,000		7,573,000
Engineered Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	77,014,000		74,168,000		134,127,000		123,562,000
Operating income	10,413,000		10,050,000		14,945,000		12,188,000
Arlon [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	21,703,000		21,813,000		41,708,000		43,842,000
Operating income	3,970,000	[1]	2,513,000	[1]	6,498,000	[1]	4,649,000	[1]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Asset impairment charge							700,000
Kasco [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	13,015,000		12,947,000		26,403,000		25,808,000
Operating income	852,000		961,000		2,009,000		2,070,000
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	(5,521,000)	[2]	(4,473,000)	[2]	(10,831,000)	[2]	(9,225,000)	[2]
Segment Reporting Information, Additional Information [Abstract]
Non-cash stock based compensation							400,000
Unallocated Pension Expense to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	(652,000)		(1,125,000)		(1,264,000)		(2,250,000)
Gain on Disposition of Assets [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	$ 26,000		$ 44,000		$ 49,000		$ 44,000

[1] The segment operating income of the Arlon segment for the six months ended June 30, 2011 includes an asset impairment charge of $0.7 million to write down unused land located in Rancho Cucamonga, California to fair value.

[2] The segment operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2011 has been adjusted by $0.4 million of non-cash restricted stock expense to be comparable with the 2012 presentation. Such restricted stock expense is presented in both years as an unallocated corporate expense.