BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Summary of Certain Financial Information from Continuing Operations by Reportable Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2014		May 31, 2014		Feb. 28, 2014		Nov. 30, 2013		Aug. 31, 2013		May 31, 2013		Feb. 28, 2013		Nov. 30, 2012		Aug. 31, 2014		Aug. 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,903,196	[1]	$ 1,804,774	[1]	$ 1,649,098	[1]	$ 1,682,891	[1]	$ 1,698,861	[1]	$ 1,752,534	[1]	$ 1,688,665	[1]	$ 1,749,515	[1]	$ 7,039,959		$ 6,889,575		$ 7,656,375
Interest expense																	77,741		69,608		69,487
Capital expenditures																	101,749		89,035		113,853
Total assets	3,688,520								3,494,801								3,688,520		3,494,801
Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	7,039,959		6,889,575		7,656,375
Americas Recycling
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,176,907		1,225,604		1,418,717
Americas Mills
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,198,249		1,060,337		1,206,651
Americas Fabrication
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,523,573		1,427,785		1,366,944
International Mill
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	822,224		819,889		955,730
International Marketing and Distribution
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	2,304,723		2,344,128		2,700,300
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	14,283		11,832		8,033
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	0		0		0
Segments | Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	7,039,959		6,889,575		7,656,375
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	226,417		206,438		240,712
Interest expense																	77,741	[2]	69,608	[2]	69,487	[2]
Capital expenditures																	101,749	[3]	87,804	[3]	108,385	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	139,177	[4]	151,002	[4]	134,442	[4]
Total assets	3,681,510	[5]							3,444,261	[5]							3,681,510	[5]	3,444,261	[5]	3,397,870	[5]
Segments | Americas Recycling
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,367,070		1,391,749		1,606,161
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	(3,222)		3,170		39,446
Interest expense																	2,700	[2]	9	[2]	1,933	[2]
Capital expenditures																	16,771	[3]	21,261	[3]	40,329	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	16,424	[4]	13,453	[4]	13,260	[4]
Total assets	296,564	[5]							309,599	[5]							296,564	[5]	309,599	[5]	285,136	[5]
Segments | Americas Mills
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,991,334		1,819,520		1,983,721
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	247,703		204,333		235,918
Interest expense																	7,059	[2]	(101)	[2]	12,995	[2]
Capital expenditures																	31,781	[3]	37,216	[3]	38,140	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	45,392	[4]	42,925	[4]	40,704	[4]
Total assets	647,437	[5]							598,478	[5]							647,437	[5]	598,478	[5]	615,070	[5]
Segments | Americas Fabrication
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	1,537,485		1,442,691		1,381,638
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	6,196		28,033		(15,697)
Interest expense																	10,222	[2]	83	[2]	10,809	[2]
Capital expenditures																	13,798	[3]	5,605	[3]	4,389	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	19,192	[4]	22,302	[4]	22,056	[4]
Total assets	691,765	[5]							631,510	[5]							691,765	[5]	631,510	[5]	629,970	[5]
Segments | International Mill
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	823,193		826,044		1,033,357
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	30,632		890		23,044
Interest expense																	4,608	[2]	992	[2]	10,090	[2]
Capital expenditures																	30,770	[3]	15,155	[3]	14,016	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	32,776	[4]	33,238	[4]	32,306	[4]
Total assets	466,449	[5]							487,613	[5]							466,449	[5]	487,613	[5]	529,160	[5]
Segments | International Marketing and Distribution
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	2,326,512		2,355,572		2,727,319
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	17,757		35,617		47,287
Interest expense																	8,900	[2]	4,369	[2]	6,548	[2]
Capital expenditures																	1,722	[3]	1,015	[3]	3,314	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	4,150	[4]	17,988	[4]	5,821	[4]
Total assets	949,016	[5]							838,413	[5]							949,016	[5]	838,413	[5]	870,933	[5]
Segments | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	14,283		11,832		8,033
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	(72,347)		(66,453)		(83,035)
Interest expense																	44,252	[2]	64,256	[2]	27,112	[2]
Capital expenditures																	6,907	[3]	7,552	[3]	8,197	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	21,243	[4]	21,096	[4]	20,295	[4]
Total assets	1,100,995	[5]							1,075,594	[5]							1,100,995	[5]	1,075,594	[5]	961,654	[5]
Segments | Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	(1,019,918)		(957,833)		(1,083,854)
Adjusted operating profit (loss)																	(302)		848		(6,251)
Interest expense																	0	[2]	0	[2]	0	[2]
Capital expenditures																	0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Total assets	(470,716)	[5]							(496,946)	[5]							(470,716)	[5]	(496,946)	[5]	(494,053)	[5]
Intersegment | Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	0		0		0
Intersegment | Americas Recycling
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	190,163		166,145		187,444
Intersegment | Americas Mills
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	793,085		759,183		777,070
Intersegment | Americas Fabrication
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	13,912		14,906		14,694
Intersegment | International Mill
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	969		6,155		77,627
Intersegment | International Marketing and Distribution
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	21,789		11,444		27,019
Intersegment | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	0		0		0
Intersegment | Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales																	$ (1,019,918)		$ (957,833)		$ (1,083,854)

[1] Excludes divisions classified as discontinued operations. See Note 10, Businesses Held for Sale, Discontinued Operations and Dispositions.

[2] Includes intercompany interest expense (income) in the segments and is all eliminated within Corporate.

[3] Excludes capital expenditures from discontinued operations of $1.2 million and $5.5 million for the years ended August 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

[4] Includes asset impairment charges.

[5] Excludes total assets from discontinued operations of $7.0 million at August 31, 2014, $50.5 million at August 31, 2013 and $43.4 million at August 31, 2012.