CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Nov. 30, 2020	Nov. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 1,391,803	$ 1,384,708
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,174,819	1,146,514
Selling, general and administrative expenses		113,627	110,999
Interest expense		14,259	16,578
Asset impairments		3,594	530
Total costs and expenses		1,306,299	1,274,621
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		85,504	110,087
Income taxes		21,593	27,332
Earnings from continuing operations		63,911	82,755
Earnings from discontinued operations before income taxes		250	895
Income taxes		68	302
Earnings from discontinued operations		182	593
Net earnings		$ 64,093	$ 83,348
Basic earnings per share*
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	$ 0.53	$ 0.70
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)		0	0.01
Net earnings (in USD per share)		0.54	0.70
Diluted earnings per share*
Earnings from continuing operations (in USD per share)	[1]	0.53	0.69
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (in USD per share)		0	0
Net earnings (in USD per share)		$ 0.53	$ 0.70
Average basic shares outstanding		119,762,706	118,370,191
Average diluted shares outstanding		121,128,044	119,773,538

[1] *Earnings Per Share ("EPS") is calculated independently for each component and may not sum to Net EPS due to rounding