Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016		Feb. 28, 2015	Feb. 29, 2016		Feb. 28, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 591,761		$ 542,295	$ 1,240,980		$ 1,157,348
Total gross profit	89,824		78,074	194,753		164,918
Operating income	16,006		5,319	42,152		26,397
Interest expense	(13,790)		(2,311)	(27,408)		(4,670)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(950)		(1,141)	(1,679)		(2,240)
Other income (expense), net	88		311	17		565
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0		1,290	0		1,290
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes	$ 1,354		$ 3,468	$ 13,082		$ 21,342
Net sales, percentage	100.00%		100.00%	100.00%		100.00%
Segment Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Inventory step-up	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0		$ (341)
Accelerated depreciation and restructuring related costs	(2,504)		(596)	(4,381)		(596)
Costs related to acquisitions and integrations in gross profit	(1,970)		(65)	(2,099)		(115)
Lucent costs in gross profit	452	[1]	0	(1,378)	[1]	0
Costs related to acquisitions and integrations in operating income	(4,261)		(3,337)	(6,127)		(4,389)
Restructuring and related costs	(5,769)		(3,779)	(10,439)		(9,359)
Accelerated depreciation	(2,057)		(298)	(3,510)		(298)
Lucent costs in operating income	(611)	[1]	0	(4,317)	[1]	0
CEO transition costs	0		(6,167)	0		(6,167)
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment gross profit	93,846		78,735	202,611		165,970
Operating income	36,388		27,906	82,717		63,441
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Corporate	(7,684)		(9,006)	(16,172)		(16,490)
Custom Performance Colors [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 43,843		$ 45,865	$ 90,363		$ 97,163
Net sales, percentage	7.00%		8.00%	7.00%		8.00%
EC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 47,393		$ 0	$ 99,339		$ 0
Net sales, percentage	8.00%		0.00%	8.00%		0.00%
Masterbatch Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 164,618		$ 175,470	$ 346,514		$ 373,828
Net sales, percentage	28.00%		33.00%	28.00%		33.00%
Engineered Plastics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 211,414		$ 173,212	$ 445,631		$ 368,180
Net sales, percentage	36.00%		32.00%	36.00%		32.00%
Specialty Powders [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 59,998		$ 69,233	$ 127,419		$ 151,590
Net sales, percentage	10.00%		13.00%	10.00%		13.00%
Distribution Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 64,495		$ 78,515	$ 131,714		$ 166,587
Net sales, percentage	11.00%		14.00%	11.00%		14.00%
EMEA Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 290,330		$ 315,146	$ 618,426		$ 686,337
Total segment gross profit	38,953		44,507	86,637		94,213
Total segment operating income	15,612		16,277	35,765		36,316
USCAN Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	170,817		133,434	349,099		278,141
Total segment gross profit	27,241		19,745	57,535		44,374
Total segment operating income	10,427		5,925	22,590		17,317
LATAM Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	38,158		41,133	83,361		87,314
Total segment gross profit	8,466		7,101	18,171		12,751
Total segment operating income	4,229		2,281	9,833		2,877
APAC [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	45,063		52,582	90,755		105,556
Total segment gross profit	8,199		7,382	16,073		14,632
Total segment operating income	4,670		3,423	8,977		6,931
EC [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	47,393		0	99,339		0
Total segment gross profit	10,987		0	24,195		0
Total segment operating income	$ 1,450		$ 0	$ 5,552		$ 0

[1] (1) Refer to Note 15 for additional discussion on this matter. Lucent costs in costs of sales include additional product and manufacturing operational costs for reworking inventory. Additional Lucent costs in selling, general and administrative expenses include legal and investigative costs and dedicated internal personnel costs that would have otherwise been focused on normal operations.