Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Changes in the Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Reporting Segment) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				$ 52,148,000	$ 52,148,000	$ 22,274,000	$ 22,274,000
Acquired goodwill						30,466,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment					(116,000)	(592,000)
Purchase price adjustment to acquired goodwill	[1]				206,000
Goodwill disposed from sale of business					(69,000)
Goodwill impairment loss					(11,497,000)	0	0
Goodwill, end balance		$ 40,672,000			40,672,000	52,148,000	22,274,000
Applied Technology [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				12,550,000	12,550,000	9,892,000	9,892,000
Acquired goodwill						3,250,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment					(116,000)	(592,000)
Purchase price adjustment to acquired goodwill	[1]				0
Goodwill disposed from sale of business					(69,000)
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Goodwill, end balance		12,365,000			12,365,000	12,550,000	9,892,000
Engineered Films [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				27,312,000	27,312,000	96,000	96,000
Acquired goodwill						27,216,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment					0	0
Purchase price adjustment to acquired goodwill	[1]				206,000
Goodwill disposed from sale of business					0
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Goodwill, end balance		27,518,000			27,518,000	27,312,000	96,000
Aerostar [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				789,000	789,000	789,000	789,000
Acquired goodwill						0
Foreign currency translation adjustment					0	0
Purchase price adjustment to acquired goodwill	[1]				0
Goodwill disposed from sale of business					0
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Goodwill, end balance		789,000			789,000	789,000	789,000
Vista [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				11,497,000	11,497,000	11,497,000	11,497,000
Acquired goodwill						0
Foreign currency translation adjustment					0	0
Purchase price adjustment to acquired goodwill	[1]				0
Goodwill disposed from sale of business					0
Goodwill impairment loss		0	$ (11,497,000)	$ (11,497,000)	(11,497,000)	0	0
Goodwill, end balance		$ 0			$ 0	$ 11,497,000	$ 11,497,000

[1] Working capital adjustment and final deferred tax adjustment for Integra acquisition (see Note 5 Acquisitions of and Investments in Businesses and Technologies).