Business Segment Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	$ 34,592	$ 32,537	$ 67,618	$ 68,493
Less intra-segment sales	(948)	(1,064)	(2,030)	(3,685)
EET & P	(119)	(809)	(533)	(1,302)
C/S	(261)	(1,550)	(1,119)	(2,946)
CP
Corp.(a)	92	(108)	50	(23)
Net sales to outside customers	34,592	32,537	67,618	68,493
Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member] | Subtotal [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	23,135	24,353	45,560	51,249
Less intra-segment sales	(865)	(968)	(1,835)	(3,352)
EET & P
C/S	(45)	(1,284)	(610)	(2,475)
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers	22,225	22,101	43,115	45,422
Contracting / Services Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	6,866	6,863	14,411	15,270
Less intra-segment sales	(14)	(14)	(48)	(68)
EET & P	(106)	(741)	(535)	(1,225)
C/S	0
CP
Corp.(a)		(26)		(45)
Net sales to outside customers	6,746	6,082	13,828	13,932
Component Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	5,832	4,554	11,280	9,303
Less intra-segment sales	(69)	(82)	(147)	(265)
EET & P	(13)	(68)	(18)	(77)
C/S	(216)	(232)	(499)	(432)
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers	5,534	4,172	10,616	8,529
Corporate and other [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	(5)	298	19	627
Less intra-segment sales
EET & P
C/S		(34)	(10)	(39)
CP
Corp.(a)	92	(82)	50	22
Net sales to outside customers	87	182	59	610
United States [Member] | Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	19,506	19,862	38,427	42,106
Less intra-segment sales	(106)	(391)	(353)	(2,738)
EET & P
C/S	(45)	(1,284)	(610)	(2,475)
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers	19,355	18,187	37,464	36,893
Canada [Member] | Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	2,015	1,588	3,955	4,362
Less intra-segment sales	73	(66)	73	(88)
EET & P
C/S
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers	2,088	1,522	4,028	4,274
China [Member] | Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales	1,614	2,002	3,057	3,669
Less intra-segment sales	(832)	(511)	(1,555)	(526)
EET & P
C/S
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers	782	1,491	1,502	3,143
Brazil [Member] | Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales		867	121	987
Less intra-segment sales
EET & P
C/S
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers		867	121	987
India [Member] | Engineered Equipment Technology and Parts Group [Member]
Property and Equipment Additions
Total sales		34		125
Less intra-segment sales
EET & P
C/S
CP
Corp.(a)
Net sales to outside customers		$ 34		$ 125