Business Acquisitions, Investments and Noncontrolling Interests - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 17, 2014	Feb. 28, 2015	Mar. 01, 2014	May 01, 2014 employee	Dec. 16, 2013 employee	Dec. 03, 2013 employee	Mar. 31, 2007	Nov. 29, 2014	Mar. 07, 2007
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 516,885,000						$ 507,172,000
Net assets acquired		20,881,000	262,741,000
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets	10,580,000
Filter Resources, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding shares acquired	100.00%
Gross payments made to acquire business	22,099,000
Number of employees in acquired business	75
Net sales		4,047,000
Operating profit (loss)		276,000
Long-term debt assumed	1,250,000
Goodwill	12,345,000
Net assets acquired	22,099,000
Stanadyne [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Gross payments made to acquire business				327,719,000
Number of employees in acquired business				200
Net sales		24,073,000
Operating profit (loss)		4,773,000
Goodwill				194,989,000
Net assets acquired				327,719,000
Cash acquired from acquisition				0
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets				146,430,000
Air Filtrations Segment of General Electric [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Gross payments made to acquire business					263,758,000
Number of employees in acquired business					700
Net sales		49,551,000	45,378,000
Operating profit (loss)		3,836,000	(1,048,000)
Goodwill					74,324,000
Net assets acquired					260,312,000
Cash acquired from acquisition					3,446,000
Number of markets operated in		3
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets					133,020,000
Bekaert Advanced Filtration SA - Belgium [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding shares acquired						100.00%
Bekaert Advanced Filtration SA - Indonesia [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding shares acquired						100.00%
Bekaert [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of employees in acquired business						170
Net sales		2,529,000	2,777,000
Net assets acquired						7,297,000
Acquired finite-lived intangible assets						2,057,000
Fair value in excess of carrying amount						2,815,000
SINFA [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Effective date of acquisition							Mar. 07, 2007
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by parent									80.00%
Name of acquired entity							Sinfa SA
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners									20.00%
Accounting treatment							The Redeemable noncontrolling interests is reflected at its carrying value, which is greater than its estimated redemption price. If the redemption becomes probable, the Redeemable noncontrolling interests will be accreted to the redemption price, through equity
Term Loan [Member] | Air Filtrations Segment of General Electric [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount					100,000,000
Credit Facility - Swing Line [Member] | Stanadyne [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Line of credit, amount outstanding				10,000,000
Term Loan [Member] | Stanadyne [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount				315,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Air Filtrations Segment of General Electric [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Line of credit, amount outstanding					50,000,000
Equity Method Investee [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Ownership percentage		30.00%
Equity method investments		2,836,000						2,918,000
Cost-method Investments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cost method investment, ownership percentage		14.85%
Additional investment made, amount			473,000
Cost method investments		3,277,000						3,277
Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] | Filter Resources, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent liability	$ 1,154,000