CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS (Details Textuals) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013 site operable_unit	Jul. 31, 2013 Continuing Operations [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Continuing Operations [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Continuing Operations [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Ann Arbor Michigan Site [Member] Gelman Sciences Inc [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Ann Arbor Michigan Site [Member] Gelman Sciences Inc [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Wager Road Facility [Member] Gelman Sciences Inc [Member] Minimum [Member] acre	Jul. 31, 2011 Wager Road Facility [Member] Gelman Sciences Inc [Member] Maximum [Member] acre	Jul. 31, 2012 Glen Cove, New York [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Surety Bond [Member]	Oct. 11, 2007 Federal Securities Class Actions [Member] lawsuit	Jul. 31, 2012 Federal Securities Class Actions [Member]	Oct. 05, 2007 Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits [Member] plaintiff	Jul. 31, 2013 Shareholder Derivative Lawsuits [Member]
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed against the Company											4
Settlement amount												$ 22,500		$ 1,250
Number of plaintiffs													2
Number of sites with environmental matters	3
Environmental liabilities	18,326					10,860
Site contingency settlements					500
Number of acres diminished							144	154
Number of operable units	2
Environmental remediation expense									2,000
Surety outstanding bonds relating primarily to long-term contracts with governmental agencies										181,840
Rent expenses for all operating leases		34,694	35,319	31,943
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due in 2014	26,460
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due in 2015	17,827
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due in 2016	11,796
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due in 2017	7,714
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due in 2018	4,558
Minimum rental commitments for all non-cancelable operating leases due thereafter	11,433
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due in 2014	47,934
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due in 2015	5,131
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due in 2016	3,898
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due in 2017	2,592
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due in 2018	2,636
Non-cancelable future purchase commitments for goods or services with various vendors due thereafter	$ 6,381