Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Apr. 04, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Held-to-maturity Securities, Transferred Security, at Carrying Value	$ 0
Held-to-maturity Securities, Unrecognized Holding Gain	0
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Held-to-maturity Securities	0
Assets held in rabbi trusts	40,411vsh_RabbiTrustAssetsFairValueDisclosure	40,270vsh_RabbiTrustAssetsFairValueDisclosure
Available for sale securities	5,680us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	15,432us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Fair Value Assets	46,091us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure	55,702us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(1,052)	(1,105)
Fair Value Liabilities	(1,052)us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure	(1,105)us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	860,400us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue	853,500us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Carrying value of long-term debt, excluding derivative liabilities	469,853	453,817
Derivative, Notional Amount	14,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Derivative, Description of Terms	In the third fiscal quarter of 2014, the Company entered into a forward contract with a highly-rated financial institution to mitigate the foreign currency risk associated with an intercompany loan denominated in a currency other than the legal entity's functional currency. The notional amount of the forward contract was $14,000 as of April 4, 2015. The intercompany loan was used to finance a portion of the purchase price for Capella. The forward contract settles monthly and is expected to be renewed at the Company's discretion on a monthly basis until the intercompany loan is repaid. The forward contract was renewed on the last day of the first fiscal quarter. We have not designated the forward contract as a hedge for accounting purposes, and as such the change in the fair value of the contract is recognized in the consolidated condensed statements of operations as a component of other income (expense).
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Assets:
Assets held in rabbi trusts	26,737	26,853
Available for sale securities	4,003	4,439
Fair Value Assets	30,740	31,292
Liabilities:
Fair Value Liabilities	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Assets:
Assets held in rabbi trusts	13,674	13,417
Available for sale securities	1,677	10,993
Fair Value Assets	15,351	24,410
Liabilities:
Fair Value Liabilities	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Assets:
Assets held in rabbi trusts	0	0
Available for sale securities	0	0
Fair Value Assets	0	0
Liabilities:
Fair Value Liabilities	(1,052)	(1,105)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(467)	(526)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2040 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(467)	(526)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(354)	(341)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2041 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(354)	(341)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	(231)	(238)
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	0	0
Convertible Senior Debentures, Due 2042 [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Liabilities:
Embedded derivative	$ (231)	$ (238)

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

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Description of the relevant terms of the derivative. Includes the type of instrument, risk being hedged, notional amount, counterparty, inception date, maturity date, relevant interest rates, strike price, cap price, and floor price.

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Fair value as of the balance sheet date of the embedded derivative or group of embedded derivatives classified as a liability.

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For any transfer of securities categorized as held-to-maturity, this item represents the net carrying amount of the transferred security to another category of investments in debt and equity securities (trading or available-for-sale).

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Amount of unrecognized gain before loss on investments in held-to-maturity securities.

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Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

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The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

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The amount by which the fair value of an investment in debt securities categorized as Held-to-maturity is less than the amortized cost basis or carrying amount of that investment at the balance sheet date and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary, before considering whether or not such amount is recognized in earnings or other comprehensive income.

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The carrying value of long-term debt, excluding the derivative liability.

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Fair value as of the balance sheet date of assets held in rabbi trusts to fund payments under deferred compensation and non-qualified pension plans.

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