Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2014	May 31, 2013
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 73,186	$ 116,270
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(33,839)	(18,895)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	44,036	1,317
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	252,773	4,854
Intercompany investment	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(30,500)	(83)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	232,470	(12,807)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	(125,000)	0
Principal repayments on term loan	0	(5,000)
Intercompany loan activity	0	0
Intercompany capital contribution	0
Purchase of treasury shares	(183,152)	(13,670)
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	(1,585)	(3,552)
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	29,849	18,705
Cash dividend	(2,919)	(2,911)
Net cash used in financing activities	(282,807)	(6,428)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	2,790	(3,801)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	25,639	93,234
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	103,986	68,184
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	129,625	161,418
Parent
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	33,121	61,900
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(3,823)	(1,387)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	52	554
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	(4,586)	0
Intercompany investment	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(30,500)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(38,857)	(833)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	(125,000)
Principal repayments on term loan		(5,000)
Intercompany loan activity	313,748	(42,904)
Intercompany capital contribution	0
Purchase of treasury shares	(183,152)	(13,670)
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	(1,350)
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	29,849	18,705
Cash dividend	(2,919)	(2,911)
Net cash used in financing activities	32,526	(47,130)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	26,790	13,937
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	16,122	12,401
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	42,912	26,338
Guarantors
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	10,376	28,192
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(3,558)	(3,461)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	484	75
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	214,268	0
Intercompany investment	(99,963)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	111,231	(3,386)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity	(118,216)	(24,897)
Intercompany capital contribution	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	0
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Cash dividend	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(118,216)	(24,897)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	3,391	(91)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	0	91
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	3,391	0
Non-Guarantors
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	44,405	26,178
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(26,458)	(14,047)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	43,500	688
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	43,091	4,854
Intercompany investment	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(83)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	60,133	(8,588)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity	(195,532)	67,801
Intercompany capital contribution	99,963
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	(1,585)	(2,202)
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Cash dividend	(14,716)	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(111,870)	65,599
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	2,790	(3,801)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(4,542)	79,388
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	87,864	55,692
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	83,322	135,080
Eliminations
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(14,716)	0
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	0	0
Intercompany investment	99,963
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	99,963	0
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity	0	0
Intercompany capital contribution	(99,963)
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	0
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Cash dividend	14,716	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(85,247)	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	$ 0	$ 0