Segment, Geographic, and Market Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Segment	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment, Geographic, and Market Information [Abstract]
Number of operating segments									5
Segment disclosure
Net sales	$ 239.2	$ 253.5	$ 257.5	$ 235.4	$ 234.1	$ 247.9	$ 243.2	$ 218.6	$ 985.6	$ 943.8	$ 826.3
Operating profit (loss)	17.5	28.1	31.1	21.4	20.4	25.8	20.9	19.0	98.1	86.1	69.0
Assets	910.6				849.1				910.6	849.1	807.3
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									45.3	42.1	36.3
Capital expenditures									74.5	61.0	47.3
Research and development expenses									10.4	9.1	9.2
Performance materials [Member]
Segment disclosure
Net sales	114.6	121.0	131.1	125.2	120.4	122.2	118.3	115.8	491.9	476.7	416.5
Operating profit (loss)	14.3	18.0	22.5	21.5	18.1	19.5	13.4	16.1	76.3	67.1	53.5
Assets	454.0				430.8				454.0	430.8	410.4
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									19.6	20.6	17.2
Capital expenditures									29.4	27.3	29.7
Research and development expenses									7.2	6.5	5.9
Construction technologies [Member]
Segment disclosure
Net sales	50.2	60.6	61.4	50.9	54.4	71.0	74.8	51.7	223.1	251.9	225.5
Operating profit (loss)	1.4	7.0	6.3	0.9	0.5	7.0	8.0	1.8	15.6	17.3	20.4
Assets	157.6				159.4				157.6	159.4	161.0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									5.5	5.4	5.4
Capital expenditures									8.3	8.3	2.6
Research and development expenses									2.3	2.3	2.3
Energy services [Member]
Segment disclosure
Net sales	71.8	69.1	61.1	55.3	53.9	50.1	45.1	45.6	257.3	194.7	153.6
Operating profit (loss)	8.3	7.9	7.7	4.8	6.1	5.8	3.7	5.7	28.7	21.3	13.7
Assets	225.8				194.7				225.8	194.7	172.5
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									17.1	13.3	11.9
Capital expenditures									31.5	23.1	13.2
Research and development expenses									0.9	0.2	0.7
Transportation [Member]
Segment disclosure
Net sales									44.0	54.1	52.2
Operating profit (loss)									0.8	2.2	2.4
Assets	4.0				3.9				4.0	3.9	4.0
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									0.1	0.1	0
Capital expenditures									0.1	0.2	0.1
Intersegment Sales [Member]
Segment disclosure
Net sales	(7.9)	(7.9)	(7.8)	(7.1)	(6.3)	(10.3)	(9.8)	(7.2)	(30.7)	(33.6)	(21.5)
Corporate [Member]
Segment disclosure
Operating profit (loss)	(6.6)	(5.0)	(5.7)	(6.0)	(4.6)	(7.2)	(4.9)	(5.1)	(23.3)	(21.8)	(21.0)
Assets	69.2				60.3				69.2	60.3	59.4
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization									3.0	2.7	1.8
Capital expenditures									5.2	2.1	1.7
Research and development expenses									$ 0	$ 0.1	$ 0.3