Supplementary Information (Summary of Unaudited Results of Operations) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended			26 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,262,923,000		$ 1,207,708,000		$ 1,229,610,000		$ 1,257,256,000		$ 1,241,149,000		$ 1,153,751,000		$ 1,187,083,000		$ 1,164,300,000		$ 4,957,497,000	$ 4,746,283,000	$ 4,251,467,000
Operating income	152,261,000	[1]	147,279,000	[1]	145,186,000	[1]	151,690,000	[1]	145,758,000	[1]	131,019,000	[1]	142,175,000	[1]	137,269,000	[1]	596,417,000	556,221,000	469,191,000
Net earnings	86,140,000		82,915,000		81,020,000		90,798,000	[2]	87,967,000	[2]	72,559,000		77,854,000		74,994,000		340,874,000	313,374,000	250,264,000
Basic earnings per share	$ 1.15	[3]	$ 1.07	[3]	$ 1.05	[3]	$ 1.18	[3]	$ 1.15	[3]	$ 0.96	[3]	$ 1.03	[3]	$ 0.96	[3]	$ 4.45	$ 4.09	$ 3.00
Diluted earnings per share	$ 1.13	[3]	$ 1.05	[3]	$ 1.03	[3]	$ 1.15	[3]	$ 1.12	[3]	$ 0.93	[3]	$ 1.01	[3]	$ 0.94	[3]	$ 4.35	$ 4.00	$ 2.94
Restructuring and other special charges, net (Notes 22 and 23)	1,663,000		(1,729,000)		2,443,000		5,712,000		6,187,000		2,431,000		2,500,000		13,330,000		8,089,000	24,448,000	0
Costs (benefits) related to unsolicited takeover attempt (Note 25)									0		(1,170,000)		0		(6,700,000)		0	(7,870,000)	44,406,000	60,000,000
Multi-employer pension plan withdrawal charges (Note 18)									0		3,404,000		0		900,000		0	4,300,000	4,600,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal																	6,822,000	0	0
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss), on Disposal, Net of Tax																	5,500,000
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									$ (4,900,000)								$ 202,543,000	$ 178,792,000	$ 156,669,000

[1] Operating income includes the following items:

[2] Net earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 include a $6.8 million ($5.5 million after tax) gain on the sale of businesses related to the divestiture of the assets and operations of five branch locations in western Canada. Net earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 include a $4.9 million income tax benefit related to the LLC reorganization as well as a true-up of the Company’s foreign tax liabilities.

[3] Earnings per share calculations for each of the quarters are based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding in each quarter. Therefore, the sum of the quarterly earnings per share does not necessarily equal the full year earnings per share disclosed on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.