Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 232,178	$ 250,028	$ 238,589
Costs of products sold	147,949	159,254	155,134
Gross profit	84,229	90,774	83,455
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	71,282	77,034	74,059
Acquisition costs	185	0	794
Impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles	4,942	5,579	0
Restructuring costs	4,461	668	538
Operating income	3,359	7,493	8,064
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(771)	(882)	(967)
Other	(2,082)	(740)	(1,354)
Other (expense) income - net	(2,853)	(1,622)	(2,321)
Income before taxes	506	5,871	5,743
Income tax expense	13,500	2,613	1,251
Net (loss) earnings	(12,994)	3,258	4,492
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	14	178	56
Net (loss) earnings attributable to VPG stockholders	$ (13,008)	$ 3,080	$ 4,436
Basic earnings per share attributable to VPG stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.96)	$ 0.22	$ 0.33
Diluted earnings per share attributable to VPG stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.96)	$ 0.22	$ 0.32
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	13,485	13,755	13,563
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	13,485	13,977	13,944