Earnings per share (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Earnings per share [Line Items]
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted	7,610	7,351
Dilutive effect of equity incentive plans	0	0
Weighted average common shares outstanding assuming full dilution	7,610	7,351
Stock options not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share of common stock because the option exercise prices exceeded the average market prices of the common shares	229	415
Stock options with an exercise price below the average market price	263	263

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Antidilution
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505113

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Diluted Earnings Per Share
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510752

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Contingent Stock Agreement
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508534

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Additional shares included in the calculation of diluted EPS as a result of the potentially dilutive effect of share based payment arrangements using the treasury stock method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64863997&loc=d3e1500-109256

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToShareBasedPaymentArrangements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The sum of dilutive potential common shares or units used in the calculation of the diluted per-share or per-unit computation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberDilutedSharesOutstandingAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 16
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64863997&loc=d3e1505-109256

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfShareOutstandingBasicAndDiluted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration