Reportable Business Segments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Segment Jurisdiction Year statement Plan	Sep. 30, 2010
Reportable Business Segments
Number of reportable business segments			2
Segment reporting information
Net sales - external	$ 1,032,754	$ 948,463	$ 2,991,077	$ 2,604,215
Segment operating income	177,816	179,817	561,222	481,728
Total
Segment reporting information
Net sales - external	1,032,754	948,463	2,991,077	2,604,215
Net sales - intersegment	7,857	5,691	21,600	16,884
Segment operating income	215,485	205,184	629,936	554,829
Interconnect Products and Assemblies
Segment reporting information
Net sales - external	957,153	881,340	2,778,418	2,402,084
Net sales - intersegment	1,818	769	4,801	2,259
Segment operating income	205,611	196,107	603,103	526,589
Cable Products
Segment reporting information
Net sales - external	75,601	67,123	212,659	202,131
Net sales - intersegment	6,039	4,922	16,799	14,625
Segment operating income	$ 9,874	$ 9,077	$ 26,833	$ 28,240

The number of reportable segments of the entity.

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 4

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Subparagraph 1(i)

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

Amount of revenue from transactions with other operating segments of the same entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 131

-Paragraph 27

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 5

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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