SEGMENT INFORMATION (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 546,199		$ 542,959
Operating income (expense)	72,835		61,034
Identifiable assets	3,125,399				3,399,511
Commercial Industrial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	299,898		302,017
Operating income (expense)	43,289		38,496
Identifiable assets	1,534,106				1,534,882
Defense [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	114,352		113,153
Operating income (expense)	18,027		15,784
Identifiable assets	781,085				837,891
Power [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	135,135		130,275
Operating income (expense)	19,512		14,275
Identifiable assets	584,062				588,366
Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale or Disposed of by Sale [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets	92,169				147,347
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(3,186)		(2,486)
Corporate and Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (expense)	(7,993)	[1]	(7,521)	[1]
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets	$ 133,977				$ 291,025

[1] Corporate and eliminations includes pension and other postretirement benefit expense, certain environmental costs related to remediation at legacy sites, foreign currency transactional gains and losses, and certain other expenses.