Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Segment information
Total sales		$ 422,600,000	$ 399,200,000	$ 839,100,000	$ 799,300,000
Operating income (loss)		71,900,000	73,900,000	134,900,000	134,500,000
Depreciation and amortization		13,800,000	14,300,000	28,100,000	28,300,000
Stock-based compensation expense		3,300,000	3,000,000	12,000,000	10,500,000
Other operating (income) expense			(9,500,000)		(9,500,000)
Accrual basis additions to capital expenditures		40,700,000	69,800,000	82,100,000	114,500,000
Operating income resulting from the settlement of a prior period business interruption claim	9,600,000
Pre-tax gain recorded on the sale of land from a previously closed manufacturing facility	4,900,000
Increase in environmental remediation reserve	(5,000,000)
Composite Materials
Segment information
Total sales		342,700,000	331,600,000	684,200,000	663,700,000
Operating income (loss)		71,200,000	80,900,000	139,100,000	146,700,000
Depreciation and amortization		12,600,000	13,300,000	25,700,000	26,200,000
Stock-based compensation expense		1,300,000	900,000	3,300,000	3,000,000
Other operating (income) expense			(14,500,000)		(14,500,000)
Accrual basis additions to capital expenditures		38,000,000	67,000,000	76,400,000	110,600,000
Operating income resulting from the settlement of a prior period business interruption claim			9,600,000		9,600,000
Pre-tax gain recorded on the sale of land from a previously closed manufacturing facility			4,900,000		4,900,000
Engineered Products
Segment information
Total sales		98,400,000	82,700,000	190,700,000	166,700,000
Operating income (loss)		15,100,000	11,700,000	28,500,000	23,500,000
Depreciation and amortization		1,100,000	1,000,000	2,300,000	2,100,000
Stock-based compensation expense		200,000	100,000	700,000	500,000
Accrual basis additions to capital expenditures		2,700,000	2,600,000	5,700,000	3,700,000
Corporate and Other
Segment information
Total sales		(18,500,000)	(15,100,000)	(35,800,000)	(31,100,000)
Operating income (loss)		(14,400,000)	(18,700,000)	(32,700,000)	(35,700,000)
Depreciation and amortization		100,000		100,000
Stock-based compensation expense		1,800,000	2,000,000	8,000,000	7,000,000
Other operating (income) expense			5,000,000		5,000,000
Accrual basis additions to capital expenditures			200,000		200,000
Increase in environmental remediation reserve		(5,000,000)
Operating Segments
Segment information
Total sales		422,600,000	399,200,000	839,100,000	799,300,000
Operating Segments | Commercial aerospace
Segment information
Total sales		270,000,000	233,500,000	538,900,000	475,800,000
Operating Segments | Space and defense
Segment information
Total sales		96,700,000	88,100,000	192,700,000	173,000,000
Operating Segments | Industrial
Segment information
Total sales		55,900,000	77,600,000	107,500,000	150,500,000
Operating Segments | Composite Materials
Segment information
Total sales		324,700,000	316,700,000	649,500,000	632,900,000
Operating Segments | Composite Materials | Commercial aerospace
Segment information
Total sales		200,700,000	172,400,000	402,400,000	351,900,000
Operating Segments | Composite Materials | Space and defense
Segment information
Total sales		70,300,000	67,200,000	143,100,000	131,100,000
Operating Segments | Composite Materials | Industrial
Segment information
Total sales		53,700,000	77,100,000	104,000,000	149,900,000
Operating Segments | Engineered Products
Segment information
Total sales		97,900,000	82,500,000	189,600,000	166,400,000
Operating Segments | Engineered Products | Commercial aerospace
Segment information
Total sales		69,300,000	61,100,000	136,500,000	123,900,000
Operating Segments | Engineered Products | Space and defense
Segment information
Total sales		26,400,000	20,900,000	49,600,000	41,900,000
Operating Segments | Engineered Products | Industrial
Segment information
Total sales		2,200,000	500,000	3,500,000	600,000
Intersegment Elimination | Composite Materials
Segment information
Total sales		18,000,000	14,900,000	34,700,000	30,800,000
Intersegment Elimination | Engineered Products
Segment information
Total sales		500,000	200,000	1,100,000	300,000
Intersegment Elimination | Corporate and Other
Segment information
Total sales		$ (18,500,000)	$ (15,100,000)	$ (35,800,000)	$ (31,100,000)