BUSINESS SEGMENT DATA (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2013 Segment	Apr. 30, 2012	Jan. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments	5
Number of reportable segments	3
Net sales	$ 21,967,876	$ 25,207,061
Income (loss) from operations	881,930	1,746,856
Acquisition expenses	(1,392,819)	0
Identifiable assets	117,571,055		116,255,181
Product Recovery/Pollution Control Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	8,960,364	10,500,840
Income (loss) from operations	134,881	(443,062)
Identifiable assets	35,928,133		37,932,865
Fluid Handling Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	8,121,186	9,400,199
Income (loss) from operations	2,058,027	2,384,370
Identifiable assets	18,982,592		20,093,881
Mefiag Filtration Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,635,229	2,852,166
Income (loss) from operations	(34,731)	(72,088)
Identifiable assets	14,966,538		15,643,078
Filtration/Purification Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,251,097	2,453,856
Income (loss) from operations	116,572	(122,364)
Identifiable assets	7,900,359		8,011,212
Total Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets	77,777,622		81,681,036
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets	$ 39,793,433		$ 34,574,145