Goodwill and Identified Intangible Assets - Goodwill (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross	$ 344,116
Accumulated impairment losses	(94,996)
Goodwill, beginning balance	249,120
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	50,553
Foreign currency translation	1,006
Goodwill, gross	395,675
Accumulated impairment losses	(94,996)
Goodwill, ending balance	300,679
Underground Solutions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	44,000
Goodwill, ending balance	44,001
Fyfe Europe
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	2,400
Goodwill, ending balance	2,437
LMJ
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	800
Goodwill, ending balance	742
Concrete Solutions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	3,400
Goodwill, ending balance	3,373
Infrastructure Solutions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross	190,525
Accumulated impairment losses	(16,069)
Goodwill, beginning balance	174,456
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	50,553
Foreign currency translation	324
Goodwill, gross	241,402
Accumulated impairment losses	(16,069)
Goodwill, ending balance	225,333
Corrosion Protection
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross	73,345
Accumulated impairment losses	(45,400)
Goodwill, beginning balance	27,945
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	682
Goodwill, gross	74,027
Accumulated impairment losses	(45,400)
Goodwill, ending balance	28,627
Energy Services
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross	80,246
Accumulated impairment losses	(33,527)
Goodwill, beginning balance	46,719
Additions to goodwill through acquisitions	0
Foreign currency translation	0
Goodwill, gross	80,246
Accumulated impairment losses	(33,527)
Goodwill, ending balance	$ 46,719

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64834752&loc=SL49117168-202975

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