Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2016		May 31, 2015	May 31, 2016		May 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 650,439		$ 560,858	$ 1,891,419		$ 1,718,206
Total gross profit	109,474		90,757	304,227		255,675
Operating income	31,588		23,266	73,740		49,663
Interest expense	(13,557)		(2,618)	(40,965)		(7,288)
Bridge financing fees	0		(18,750)	0		(18,750)	$ (18,800)
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	(392)		(857)	(2,071)		(3,097)
Other income (expense), net	229		335	246		900
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0		0	0		1,290
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes	$ 17,868		$ 1,376	$ 30,950		$ 22,718
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	(2,930)		(78)	(7,311)		(674)
Costs related to acquisitions and integrations in gross profit	(423)		(59)	(2,522)		(174)
Lucent costs in gross profit	(466)	[1]	0	(1,844)	[1]	0
Costs related to acquisitions and integrations in operating income	(1,443)		(3,590)	(7,570)		(7,972)
Restructuring and related costs	(9,520)		(5,937)	(19,959)		(15,303)
Accelerated depreciation	(1,286)		(29)	(4,796)		(327)
Lucent costs in operating income	(1,951)	[1]	0	(6,268)	[1]	0
CEO transition costs	0		0	0		(6,167)
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total segment gross profit	113,293		90,894	315,904		256,864
Operating income	53,277		41,324	135,994		104,765
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Corporate	(7,489)		(8,502)	(23,661)		(24,992)
Custom Performance Colors [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 48,573		$ 48,630	$ 138,935		$ 145,793
Net sales, percentage	8.00%		9.00%	7.00%		8.00%
EC [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 54,476		$ 0	$ 153,815		$ 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	$ 184,157		$ 184,409	$ 530,670		$ 558,231
Net sales, percentage	29.00%		33.00%	28.00%		33.00%
Engineered Plastics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 228,945		$ 181,918	$ 674,578		$ 550,105
Net sales, percentage	35.00%		32.00%	36.00%		32.00%
Specialty Powders [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 67,661		$ 71,133	$ 195,080		$ 222,722
Net sales, percentage	10.00%		13.00%	10.00%		13.00%
Distribution Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 66,627		$ 74,768	$ 198,341		$ 241,355
Net sales, percentage	10.00%		13.00%	11.00%		14.00%
EMEA Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	$ 322,368		$ 326,255	$ 940,794		$ 1,012,592
Total segment gross profit	49,852		51,695	136,489		145,908
Total segment operating income	23,382		24,716	59,147		61,032
USCAN Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	183,338		137,080	532,437		415,221
Total segment gross profit	32,560		22,104	90,095		66,478
Total segment operating income	15,576		7,982	38,166		25,299
LATAM Segment [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	43,377		44,821	126,738		132,135
Total segment gross profit	9,055		9,324	27,226		22,075
Total segment operating income	4,748		4,654	14,581		7,531
APAC [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	46,880		52,702	137,635		158,258
Total segment gross profit	8,080		7,771	24,153		22,403
Total segment operating income	4,540		3,972	13,517		10,903
EC [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales to unaffiliated customers	54,476		0	153,815		0
Total segment gross profit	13,746		0	37,941		0
Total segment operating income	$ 5,031		$ 0	$ 10,583		$ 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.