Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016	Feb. 28, 2015	Feb. 29, 2016	Feb. 28, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 263,289	$ 301,005	$ 568,300	$ 628,770
Cost of products sold	172,259	191,244	368,709	392,033
Gross profit	91,030	109,761	199,591	236,737
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	67,172	75,768	140,083	158,240
Amortization of intangible assets	5,880	6,087	11,779	12,373
Restructuring charges	3,582	0	7,962	0
Impairment charges	186,511	84,353	186,511	84,353
Operating loss	(172,115)	(56,447)	(146,744)	(18,229)
Financing costs, net	6,866	7,030	13,982	13,221
Intercompany (income) expense, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany dividend income		0		0
Other expense (income), net	235	(619)	855	(1,058)
Loss before income taxes	(179,216)	(62,858)	(161,581)	(30,392)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(20,026)	1,980	(17,839)	9,772
Net earnings (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(159,190)	(64,838)	(143,742)	(40,164)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net loss	(159,190)	(64,838)	(143,742)	(40,164)
Comprehensive loss	(173,341)	(121,586)	(178,827)	(159,875)
Parent
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	32,399	39,335	67,089	79,601
Cost of products sold	12,077	12,076	19,248	22,043
Gross profit	20,322	27,259	47,841	57,558
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	17,117	16,430	36,877	35,502
Amortization of intangible assets	318	318	636	636
Restructuring charges	79		957
Impairment charges	0	0	0	0
Operating loss	2,808	10,511	9,371	21,420
Financing costs, net	7,308	7,267	14,763	13,814
Intercompany (income) expense, net	(5,465)	(5,098)	(11,294)	(10,830)
Intercompany dividend income		(212)		(212)
Other expense (income), net	200	(246)	603	219
Loss before income taxes	765	8,800	5,299	18,429
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1,648)	1,514	(1,057)	3,824
Net earnings (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	2,413	7,286	6,356	14,605
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(161,603)	(72,124)	(150,098)	(54,769)
Net loss	(159,190)	(64,838)	(143,742)	(40,164)
Comprehensive loss	(173,341)	(121,586)	(178,827)	(159,875)
Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	55,783	70,675	125,799	148,266
Cost of products sold	39,688	52,182	89,330	105,440
Gross profit	16,095	18,493	36,469	42,826
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	13,121	16,367	27,507	33,834
Amortization of intangible assets	2,644	2,785	5,260	5,570
Restructuring charges	2,374		2,495
Impairment charges	49,012	20,249	49,012	20,249
Operating loss	(51,056)	(20,908)	(47,805)	(16,827)
Financing costs, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany (income) expense, net	1,025	849	(2,732)	2,083
Intercompany dividend income		(243)		(243)
Other expense (income), net	(31)	(64)	31	(160)
Loss before income taxes	(52,050)	(21,450)	(45,104)	(18,507)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(744)	(207)	305	499
Net earnings (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(51,306)	(21,243)	(45,409)	(19,006)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(95,088)	(28,577)	(89,755)	(14,430)
Net loss	(146,394)	(49,820)	(135,164)	(33,436)
Comprehensive loss	(163,017)	(65,247)	(164,011)	(71,847)
Non-Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	175,107	190,995	375,412	400,903
Cost of products sold	120,494	126,986	260,131	264,550
Gross profit	54,613	64,009	115,281	136,353
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	36,934	42,971	75,699	88,904
Amortization of intangible assets	2,918	2,984	5,883	6,167
Restructuring charges	1,129		4,510
Impairment charges	137,499	64,104	137,499	64,104
Operating loss	(123,867)	(46,050)	(108,310)	(22,822)
Financing costs, net	(442)	(237)	(781)	(593)
Intercompany (income) expense, net	4,440	4,249	14,026	8,747
Intercompany dividend income		(31)		(31)
Other expense (income), net	66	(309)	221	(1,117)
Loss before income taxes	(127,931)	(49,722)	(121,776)	(29,828)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(17,634)	757	(17,087)	5,533
Net earnings (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(110,297)	(50,479)	(104,689)	(35,361)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	111	323	(3)	517
Net loss	(110,186)	(50,156)	(104,692)	(34,844)
Comprehensive loss	(108,215)	(65,507)	(111,313)	(88,657)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, administrative and engineering expenses	0	0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges	0		0
Impairment charges	0	0	0	0
Operating loss	0	0	0	0
Financing costs, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany (income) expense, net	0	0	0	0
Intercompany dividend income		486		486
Other expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
Loss before income taxes	0	(486)	0	(486)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	(84)	0	(84)
Net earnings (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	0	(402)	0	(402)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	256,580	100,378	239,856	68,682
Net loss	256,580	99,976	239,856	68,280
Comprehensive loss	$ 271,232	$ 130,754	$ 275,324	$ 160,504