BUSINESS SEGMENTS - Segment Operations and Assets (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Segment Customer	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Segment Customer	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) Customer	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of segments | Segment										2	3
Segment Operations [Abstract]
Consolidated net sales	$ 41,850	$ 39,508	$ 44,741	$ 40,819	$ 51,995	$ 51,886	$ 51,911	$ 46,769		$ 166,918	$ 202,561	$ 202,060
Segment operating income (loss)										(23,679)	6,665	10,978
Stock-based compensation									$ (894)
Other income (expense)										(669)	(313)	(528)
Interest expense										(1,745)	(551)	(648)
Interest income										4	38	7
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes										(26,089)	5,839	9,809
Segment depreciation and amortization										10,277	13,154	12,268
Consolidated capital expenditures										5,433	21,403	16,223
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Assets	182,866				219,329					182,866	219,329
Cash and cash equivalents	6,291				9,400					6,291	9,400	$ 10,598	$ 8,218
Prepaid expenses and other assets	8,916				6,123					8,916	6,123
Deferred tax assets	4,121				9,691					4,121	9,691
Corporate property, plant and equipment	57,999				63,835					$ 57,999	$ 63,835
Consolidated sales [Member] | Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Number of customers accounted for more than 10% of total net sales | Customer										0	0	0
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Operations [Abstract]
Segment operating income (loss)										$ (13,426)	$ 16,634	$ 21,596
Consolidated capital expenditures										5,044	21,062	15,447
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Assets	165,533				197,297					165,533	197,297
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Operations [Abstract]
Unallocated corporate expenses										(6,891)	(6,381)	(7,217)
Stock-based compensation										(3,362)	(3,588)	(3,401)
Other income (expense)										(669)	(313)	(528)
Interest expense										(1,745)	(551)	(648)
Interest income										4	38	7
Consolidated capital expenditures										389	341	776
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	6,291				9,400					6,291	9,400
Prepaid expenses and other assets	9,722				6,438					9,722	6,438
Deferred tax assets	0				4,558					0	4,558
Corporate property, plant and equipment	1,320				1,636					1,320	$ 1,636
AMK Technical Services [Member] | Segment assets [Member]
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Concentration risk percentage											3.00%
AMK Technical Services [Member] | Consolidated sales [Member]
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Concentration risk percentage											4.00%
AMK Technical Services [Member] | Segment operating income [Member]
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Concentration risk percentage											2.00%
NobelClad [Member]
Segment Operations [Abstract]
Consolidated net sales										89,980	$ 97,108	118,409
Segment operating income (loss)										5,819	2,155	17,090
Segment depreciation and amortization										4,158	6,482	6,118
Consolidated capital expenditures										1,376	13,696	2,425
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Assets	85,649				93,383					85,649	93,383
DynaEnergetics [Member]
Segment Operations [Abstract]
Consolidated net sales										76,938	105,453	83,651
Segment operating income (loss)										(19,245)	14,479	4,506
Segment depreciation and amortization										6,119	6,672	6,150
Consolidated capital expenditures										3,668	7,366	$ 13,022
Segment Assets [Abstract]
Assets	$ 79,884				$ 103,914					$ 79,884	$ 103,914