CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 320,100	$ 378,187	$ 948,870	$ 1,045,513
Cost of products sold	201,540	229,637	593,573	640,737
Gross profit	118,560	148,550	355,297	404,776
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	69,569	83,498	227,809	244,655
Amortization of intangible assets	5,989	6,272	18,362	18,713
Impairment charge	0	0	84,353	0
Operating profit	43,002	58,780	24,773	141,408
Financing costs, net	7,462	5,932	20,683	18,944
Other (income) expense, net	569	620	(489)	3,087
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes	34,971	52,228	4,579	119,377
Income tax expense (benefit)	(2,987)	1,671	6,785	13,511
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	37,958	50,557	(2,206)	105,866
Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	0	0	22,120
Net earnings (loss)	$ 37,958	$ 50,557	$ (2,206)	$ 127,986
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations per share:
Basic	$ 0.64	$ 0.72	$ (0.04)	$ 1.47
Diluted	0.63	0.70	(0.04)	1.44
Earnings (loss) per share:
Basic	0.64	0.72	(0.04)	1.78
Diluted	$ 0.63	$ 0.70	$ (0.04)	$ 1.74
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic	59,617	70,432	61,911	71,915
Diluted	60,243	71,770	61,911	73,518