Business Segments and Major Customer Information - Segment reporting information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2014		Jan. 31, 2013		Jan. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ 394,677		$ 406,175		$ 381,511
Operating income	(63,994)		(77,692)		(75,641)
Assets	301,819		273,210		245,703
Capital expenditures	30,701		29,675		29,015
Depreciation and amortization	14,195		13,098		9,268
Corporate & Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	18,865	[1]	17,293	[1]	13,730	[1]
Assets	74,116	[1]	62,843	[1]	34,928	[1]
Capital expenditures	7,189	[1]	5,275	[1]	2,002	[1]
Depreciation and amortization	1,439	[1]	1,138	[1]	700	[1]
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	394,677		406,175		381,511
Operating income	(82,859)		(94,985)		(89,371)
Assets	227,703		210,367		210,775
Capital expenditures	23,512		24,400		27,013
Depreciation and amortization	12,756		11,960		8,568
Operating Segments [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	170,461		171,778		145,261
Operating income	(57,000)		(59,590)		(49,750)
Assets	93,395		84,224		73,872
Capital expenditures	9,324		10,780		11,971
Depreciation and amortization	4,332		3,874		2,571
Operating Segments [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	147,620		141,976		133,481
Operating income	(18,154)		(25,115)		(21,501)
Assets	71,602		65,801		65,100
Capital expenditures	6,681		11,539		10,937
Depreciation and amortization	5,808		5,814		4,313
Operating Segments [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	90,605		102,051		107,811
Operating income	(7,816)		(10,341)		(18,308)
Assets	63,017		60,689		72,089
Capital expenditures	7,507		2,081		4,105
Depreciation and amortization	2,616		2,272		1,684
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	111		61		188
Assets	(311)		(347)		(286)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	(386)		(974)		(460)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	(505)		(124)		(193)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales	$ (13,118)		$ (8,532)		$ (4,389)

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