Business segment (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2017

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Business segment reporting [Table Text Block]

	Three Months Ended October 31,						Nine Months Ended October 31,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Net sales
Piping Systems		$27,498			$25,302			$77,851			$71,230
Gross profit
Piping Systems		$3,320			$3,697			$8,163			$8,669
Income (loss) from operations
Piping Systems		($428	)		$640			($1,825	)		($1,775	)
Corporate		($1,863	)		($1,815	)	(6,388		)	(6,190		)
Total loss from operations		($2,291	)		($1,175	)		($8,213	)		($7,965	)