Business Segments and Major Customer Information Segment reporting information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013		Jan. 31, 2012		Jan. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ 406,175		$ 381,511		$ 314,708
Operating income	(77,692)		(75,641)		(60,203)
Assets	273,210		245,703		187,760
Capital expenditures	29,675		29,015		13,972
Depreciation and amortization	13,098
Pre-tax gain on disposition of assets					451
Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	171,778
Operating income	(59,590)
Assets	84,224
Capital expenditures	10,780
Depreciation and amortization	3,874
Sales, intersegment eliminations	(974)
Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	141,976
Operating income	(25,115)
Assets	65,801
Capital expenditures	11,539
Depreciation and amortization	5,814
Sales, intersegment eliminations	(124)
Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	102,051
Operating income	(10,341)
Assets	60,689
Capital expenditures	2,081
Depreciation and amortization	2,272
Sales, intersegment eliminations	(8,532)
Electronic Systems [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	0
Operating income	0
Assets	0
Capital expenditures	0
Depreciation and amortization	0
Sales, intersegment eliminations	0
Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	61
Assets	(347)
Reportable Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	406,175
Operating income	(94,985)
Assets	210,367
Capital expenditures	24,400
Depreciation and amortization	11,960
Corporate & Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	17,293	[1]
Assets	62,843	[1]
Capital expenditures	5,275	[1]
Depreciation and amortization	1,138	[1]
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			381,511		314,708
Operating income			(75,641)		(60,203)	[2]
Assets			245,703		187,760
Capital expenditures			29,015		13,972
Depreciation and amortization			9,268		7,631
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			132,632		100,090
Operating income			(45,358)		(31,135)
Assets			69,977		52,669
Capital expenditures			11,408		1,769
Depreciation and amortization			2,351		2,238
Sales, intersegment eliminations			0		0
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			133,481		105,838
Operating income			(21,501)		(19,622)	[2]
Assets			65,100		46,519
Capital expenditures			10,937		8,450
Depreciation and amortization			4,313		3,452
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(193)		(307)
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			52,351		48,787
Operating income			(11,468)		(9,407)
Assets			51,822		18,140
Capital expenditures			3,875		2,190
Depreciation and amortization			1,079		757
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(1)		(32)
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Electronic Systems [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			71,744		65,852
Operating income			(11,264)		(9,917)
Assets			24,281		23,385
Capital expenditures			793		609
Depreciation and amortization			825		823
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(8,503)		(5,520)
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income			220		94
Assets			(405)		(186)
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Reportable Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			381,511		314,708
Operating income			(89,371)		(69,987)	[2]
Assets			210,775		140,527
Capital expenditures			27,013		13,018
Depreciation and amortization			8,568		7,270
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Corporate & Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income			13,730	[1]	9,784	[1]
Assets			34,928	[1]	47,233	[1]
Capital expenditures			2,002	[1]	954	[1]
Depreciation and amortization			700	[1]	361	[1]
Revised Segment Reporting [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			381,511		314,708
Operating income			(75,641)		(60,203)	[2]
Assets			245,703		187,760
Capital expenditures			29,015		13,972
Depreciation and amortization			9,268		7,631
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			145,261		107,910
Operating income			(49,750)		(33,197)
Assets			73,872		55,740
Capital expenditures			11,971		1,947
Depreciation and amortization			2,571		2,483
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(460)		(226)
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			133,481		105,838
Operating income			(21,501)		(19,622)	[2]
Assets			65,100		46,519
Capital expenditures			10,937		8,450
Depreciation and amortization			4,313		3,452
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(193)		(307)
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			107,811		104,384
Operating income			(18,308)		(17,209)
Assets			72,089		38,366
Capital expenditures			4,105		2,621
Depreciation and amortization			1,684		1,335
Sales, intersegment eliminations			(4,389)		(2,891)
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Electronic Systems [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			0		0
Operating income			0		0
Assets			0		0
Capital expenditures			0		0
Depreciation and amortization			0		0
Sales, intersegment eliminations			0		0
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Business Intersegment, Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income			188		41
Assets			(286)		(98)
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Reportable Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales			381,511		314,708
Operating income			(89,371)		(69,987)	[2]
Assets			210,775		140,527
Capital expenditures			27,013		13,018
Depreciation and amortization			8,568		7,270
Revised Segment Reporting [Member] | Corporate & Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income			13,730	[1]	9,784	[1]
Assets			34,928	[1]	47,233	[1]
Capital expenditures			2,002	[1]	954	[1]
Depreciation and amortization			$ 700	[1]	$ 361	[1]

[1] Assets are principally cash, investments, deferred taxes and other receivables.

[2] The year ended January 31, 2011 includes a $451 pre-tax gain on disposition of assets.