Guarantor Finanical Information Income Statement (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Net Sales	$ 274,021	$ 304,039	$ 329,392		$ 362,916		$ 282,150		$ 294,860	$ 282,568	$ 272,788	$ 1,270,368	$ 1,132,366	$ 943,706
Cost of materials (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)												927,287	845,609	700,854
Warehouse, processing and delivery expense												148,256	134,898	123,318
Sales, general and administrative expense												127,813	126,193	108,223
Depreciation and amortization												25,867	20,472	20,649
Operating Income (Loss)												41,145	5,194	(9,338)
Interest expense, net												(41,090)	(9,663)	(4,988)
Interest expense - unrealized loss on debt conversion option			(4,257)		(11,340)		(3,991)					(15,597)	(3,991)	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt												0	(6,153)	0
Loss before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture												(15,542)	(14,613)	(14,326)
Income taxes												(1,430)	1,126	3,101
Equity in (Losses) Earnings of Subsidiary												0	0	0
Equity in earnings of joint venture												7,224	11,727	5,585
Net (loss) income	(5,643)	3,173	(2,978)	[1]	(4,300)	[1]	(11,963)	[2]	3,803	3,697	2,703	(9,748)	(1,760)	(5,640)
Foreign currency translation												2,369	(941)	(536)
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit costs, net of tax benefit of $2,312, $1,965 and $1,116												(3,616)	(3,071)	(1,748)
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income												(1,247)	(4,012)	(2,284)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent												(10,995)	(5,772)	(7,924)
Parent
Net Sales												755,642	621,036	498,848
Cost of materials (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)												548,659	466,133	369,865
Warehouse, processing and delivery expense												91,628	80,543	72,234
Sales, general and administrative expense												75,497	74,154	61,751
Depreciation and amortization												12,955	8,874	8,665
Operating Income (Loss)												26,903	(8,668)	(13,667)
Interest expense, net												(25,820)	(4,982)	(1,008)
Interest expense - unrealized loss on debt conversion option												(15,597)	(3,991)
Loss on extinguishment of debt													(6,153)
Loss before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture												(14,514)	(23,794)	(14,675)
Income taxes												(1,805)	3,267	3,106
Equity in (Losses) Earnings of Subsidiary												(653)	7,040	344
Equity in earnings of joint venture												7,224	11,727	5,585
Net (loss) income												(9,748)	(1,760)	(5,640)
Foreign currency translation												2,369	(941)	(536)
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit costs, net of tax benefit of $2,312, $1,965 and $1,116												(3,616)	(3,071)	(1,748)
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income												(1,247)	(4,012)	(2,284)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent												(10,995)	(5,772)	(7,924)
Guarantors
Net Sales												270,644	283,290	266,491
Cost of materials (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)												199,004	207,269	195,184
Warehouse, processing and delivery expense												32,459	33,828	33,250
Sales, general and administrative expense												30,351	31,807	29,684
Depreciation and amortization												8,888	8,910	9,114
Operating Income (Loss)												(58)	1,476	(741)
Interest expense, net												0	0	0
Interest expense - unrealized loss on debt conversion option												0
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0
Loss before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture												(58)	1,476	(741)
Income taxes												475	(433)	420
Equity in (Losses) Earnings of Subsidiary												(1,203)	(209)	110
Equity in earnings of joint venture												0	0	0
Net (loss) income												(786)	834	(211)
Foreign currency translation												578	1,180	(2,337)
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit costs, net of tax benefit of $2,312, $1,965 and $1,116												0	0	0
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income												578	1,180	(2,337)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent												(208)	2,014	(2,548)
Non-Guarantors
Net Sales												282,274	237,201	186,654
Cost of materials (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)												217,749	181,104	144,092
Warehouse, processing and delivery expense												24,169	20,527	17,834
Sales, general and administrative expense												21,965	20,232	16,788
Depreciation and amortization												4,024	2,688	2,870
Operating Income (Loss)												14,367	12,650	5,070
Interest expense, net												(15,270)	(4,681)	(3,980)
Interest expense - unrealized loss on debt conversion option												0
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0
Loss before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture												(903)	7,969	1,090
Income taxes												102	(1,708)	(425)
Equity in (Losses) Earnings of Subsidiary												0	0	0
Equity in earnings of joint venture												0	0	0
Net (loss) income												(801)	6,261	665
Foreign currency translation												2,369	(941)	(536)
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit costs, net of tax benefit of $2,312, $1,965 and $1,116												0	0	0
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income												2,369	(941)	(536)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent												1,568	5,320	129
Eliminations
Net Sales												(38,192)	(9,161)	(8,287)
Cost of materials (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)												(38,125)	(8,897)	(8,287)
Warehouse, processing and delivery expense												0	0	0
Sales, general and administrative expense												0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization												0	0	0
Operating Income (Loss)												(67)	(264)	0
Interest expense, net												0	0	0
Interest expense - unrealized loss on debt conversion option												0
Loss on extinguishment of debt													0
Loss before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture												(67)	(264)	0
Income taxes												(202)	0	0
Equity in (Losses) Earnings of Subsidiary												1,856	(6,831)	(454)
Equity in earnings of joint venture												0	0	0
Net (loss) income												1,587	(7,095)	(454)
Foreign currency translation												(2,947)	(239)	2,873
Unrecognized pension and postretirement benefit costs, net of tax benefit of $2,312, $1,965 and $1,116												0	0	0
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income												(2,947)	(239)	2,873
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent												$ (1,360)	$ (7,334)	$ 2,419

[1] First and second quarter results include a mark-to-market adjustment related to the conversion option associated with the convertible debt in the amount of $11,340 and $4,257, respectively. Amounts were included in interest expense during the respective quarters.

[2] Fourth quarter results include fees incurred as a result of the acquisition of Tube Supply and the related debt refinancing in December 2011. The results of Tube Supply are included in the fourth quarter results for the two-week period ended December 31, 2011 and for the entire fiscal year ended December 31, 2012. In addition, a mark-to-market adjustment related to the conversion option associated with the convertible debt in the amount of $3,991 was included in interest expense during the fourth quarter.