Segment Information (Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 03, 2012	Aug. 04, 2012	May 05, 2012	Feb. 04, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011	Jul. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2011	Jan. 29, 2011	Nov. 03, 2012		Oct. 29, 2011		Oct. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 286,803	$ 282,447	$ 298,323	$ 281,781	$ 293,239	$ 291,716	$ 282,551	$ 234,783	$ 1,149,355	[1],[2]	$ 1,102,290	[1],[2]	$ 1,022,896	[1],[2]
Operating earnings (loss)	2,450	5,140	8,549	(526)	(34,890)	8,325	7,097	(1,818)	15,613	[1]	(21,286)	[1]	(61,136)	[1]
Assets	544,633				549,702				544,633		549,702		577,141
Depreciation and amortization									31,641	[1]	32,824	[1]	36,632	[1]
Capital expenditures									19,967	[1]	29,072	[1]	21,432	[1]
Custom Sheet and Rollstock
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									604,250	[1],[2]	577,443	[1],[2]	579,260	[1],[2]
Operating earnings (loss)									29,342	[1]	(16,145)	[1]	25,149	[1]
Assets	271,723				268,635				271,723		268,635		304,781
Depreciation and amortization									14,321	[1]	14,942	[1]	15,869	[1]
Capital expenditures									4,575	[1]	12,911	[1]	11,013	[1]
Packaging Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									243,102	[1],[2]	243,997	[1],[2]	221,218	[1],[2]
Operating earnings (loss)									18,006	[1]	23,580	[1]	(30,916)	[1]
Assets	151,327				145,096				151,327		145,096		140,177
Depreciation and amortization									7,173	[1]	6,671	[1]	8,427	[1]
Capital expenditures									9,832	[1]	6,993	[1]	3,440	[1]
Color and Specialty Compounds
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									302,003	[1],[2]	280,850	[1],[2]	222,418	[1],[2]
Operating earnings (loss)									7,544	[1]	2,000	[1]	(17,983)	[1]
Assets	82,601				94,267				82,601		94,267		81,346
Depreciation and amortization									6,360	[1]	7,299	[1]	8,208	[1]
Capital expenditures									4,518	[1]	3,965	[1]	3,269	[1]
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating earnings (loss)									(39,279)	[1]	(30,721)	[1]	(37,386)	[1]
Depreciation and amortization									3,787	[1]	3,912	[1]	4,128	[1]
Corporate and other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	38,982				41,704				38,982		41,704		50,837
Capital expenditures									$ 1,042	[1]	$ 5,203	[1]	$ 3,710	[1]

[1] Excludes discontinued operations.

[2] In addition to external sales to customers, inter-segment sales were $63,416, $54,396, and $50,344, in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.