Significant accounting policies Accumulated other comprehensive loss (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Accumulated other comprehensive loss [Abstract]
Equity adjustment foreign currency	$ (1,721)mfri_EquityAdjustmentForeignCurrency	$ (90)mfri_EquityAdjustmentForeignCurrency
Minimum pension liability, gross	(3,124)mfri_MinimumPensionLiabilityGross	(1,513)mfri_MinimumPensionLiabilityGross
Interest rate swap, gross	(119)mfri_InterestRateSwapGross	(68)mfri_InterestRateSwapGross
Accumulated other comprehensive income before tax	(4,964)	(1,671)
Tax effect of foreign exchange	(74)mfri_TaxEffectOfForeignExchange	12mfri_TaxEffectOfForeignExchange
Tax effect of minimum pension liability	481mfri_TaxEffectOfMinimumPensionLiability	482mfri_TaxEffectOfMinimumPensionLiability
Tax effect of interest rate swap	28mfri_TaxEffectOfInterestRateSwap	17mfri_TaxEffectOfInterestRateSwap
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	$ (4,529)	$ (1,160)

- Definition

Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

+ References+ Details