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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

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Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Segment reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	Jun. 29, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2019 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments \| segment			3
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,584,485	$ 2,577,014	$ 5,026,975	$ 4,989,216
Operating income (loss)	266,860	326,307	432,190	594,706
Assets	13,806,102		13,806,102		$ 13,099,123
Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	958,031	929,297	1,856,383	1,805,845
Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	983,439	1,057,570	1,905,419	2,007,928
Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	643,015	590,147	1,265,173	1,175,443
Operating segments \| Global Ceramic segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	958,031	929,297	1,856,383	1,805,845
Operating income (loss)	118,141	134,760	202,476	248,177
Assets	5,661,364		5,661,364		5,194,030
Operating segments \| Flooring NA segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	983,439	1,057,570	1,905,419	2,007,928
Operating income (loss)	59,502	100,662	60,151	175,410
Assets	4,024,428		4,024,428		3,938,639
Operating segments \| Flooring ROW segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	643,015	590,147	1,265,173	1,175,443
Operating income (loss)	101,533	100,166	191,964	189,226
Assets	3,858,264		3,858,264		3,666,617
Intersegment sales
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Corporate and intersegment eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	(12,316)	$ (9,281)	(22,401)	$ (18,107)
Assets	$ 262,046		$ 262,046		$ 299,837