Income Taxes (Additional Information) (Details 5) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 31, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income tax benefit on income from subsidiaries	$ 74,700	$ 14,600	$ 51,500
Per basic share income tax benefit on income from subsidiaries	$ 0.39	$ 0.07	$ 0.25
Material tax incentive expiration year	2020
Immaterial Error Correction		For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, the Company recorded out-of-period adjustments that increased net income from continuing operations by approximately $17.1 million, which related to fiscal year 2013 income tax benefit adjustments that were recorded in fiscal year 2014. The Company assessed and concluded that these adjustments are not material to either the consolidated quarterly or annual financial statements for all impacted periods.
Net change in the total valuation allowance	$ 43,500	$ (19,500)
Deferred tax liability	85,765	81,514
Foreign earnings repatriated	100,000
Foreign earnings repatriated income statement impact	0
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries	$ 2,800,000
Unrecognized deferred tax liability on these undistributed earnings description	Determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liability on these undistributed earnings is not practicable.
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits included in income tax provision	$ 20,100	18,000
Recognized (derecognized) tax benefit, accrued interest and penalties	2,100	1,000	$ 8,900
Potential additional income tax payment due	34,600
Income Tax Benefit Adjustments [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Increase in net income from continuing operations		$ 17,100
Nypro Inc.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Anticipated repatriation	178,400
Deferred tax liability	80,100
U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	326,900
Tax credit carry forwards	59,700
State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	40,400
Tax credit carry forwards	$ 6,500
Tax credit carry forwards, expiration year	2027
Non U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	$ 565,400
Tax credit carry forwards, expiration year	2017
Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards, expiration year	2035
Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards, expiration year	2016
Two Thousand Twenty Four Expiration Year [Member] | U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards	$ 53,800
Tax credit carryforward with an indefinite carryforward period [Member] | U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards	2,300
Tax credit carryforward, expiration cannot be determined [Member] | U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards	3,600
Investment tax credit [Member] | Non U.S.
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Tax credit carry forwards	9,600
Cash payments
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Possible adjustments for transfer pricing and certain inclusions in taxable income	1,300
Audits Settlement or Expiration of Applicable Statutes of Limitations
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Possible adjustments for transfer pricing and certain inclusions in taxable income	$ 11,600