Business Segments and Major Customer Information (Segment Reporting Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					$ 258,229	$ 378,153	$ 394,677
Operating income					4,391	43,801	63,994
Assets		$ 298,688			298,688	362,873	301,819
Capital expenditures					13,046	17,041	30,701
Depreciation and amortization					17,136	17,369	14,195
Pre-contract deferred costs written off						0	0
Goodwill impairment loss					11,497	0	0
Long-lived asset impairment loss					3,826	0	0
Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Corporate & Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income					(17,110)	(21,704)	(18,865)
Assets	[1],[2]	65,624			65,624	74,960	74,116
Capital expenditures					661	2,523	7,189
Depreciation and amortization					1,676	2,230	1,439
Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment loss					0
Vista Reporting Unit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment loss		0	$ 11,497	$ 11,497	11,497	0	0
Long-lived asset impairment loss		13	$ 3,813	$ 3,813	3,826	0	0
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					258,229	378,153	394,677
Operating income					21,501	65,505	82,859
Assets		233,064			233,064	287,913	227,703
Capital expenditures					12,385	14,518	23,512
Depreciation and amortization					15,460	15,139	12,756
Operating Segments [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					92,599	142,154	170,461
Operating income	[3]				18,319	34,557	57,000
Assets	[2]	65,490			65,490	88,764	93,395
Capital expenditures					664	3,478	9,324
Depreciation and amortization					4,428	5,569	4,332
Gain on disposal of assets					611
Operating Segments [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					129,465	166,634	147,620
Operating income					17,892	21,802	18,154
Assets	[2]	134,942			134,942	140,023	71,602
Capital expenditures					10,780	8,241	6,681
Depreciation and amortization					7,735	6,096	5,808
Operating Segments [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					36,368	80,772	90,605
Operating income	[4]				(14,801)	8,983	7,816
Assets	[2]	32,689			32,689	59,274	63,017
Capital expenditures					941	2,799	7,507
Depreciation and amortization					3,297	3,474	2,616
Operating Segments [Member] | Vista Reporting Unit [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Pre-contract deferred costs written off					2,933
Goodwill impairment loss					11,497
Long-lived asset impairment loss					3,826
Reduction in fair value of contingent consideration liability					2,273
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income					91	163	(111)
Assets		$ (57)			(57)	(148)	(311)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Applied Technology [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					(8)	(231)	(386)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Engineered Films [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					(195)	(652)	(505)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Aerostar [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Sales					$ 0	$ (10,524)	$ (13,118)

[1] Assets are principally cash, investments, deferred taxes, and other receivables.

[2] Certain facilities owned by the Company are shared by more than one reporting segment. Beginning with fiscal year 2016 all facilities are reported as an asset based on the segment that acquired the asset as we believe this better reflects total assets of the business segment. In prior fiscal years (which have not been recast in this table), the book value of certain shared facilities was allocated across reporting segments based on usage. Expenses and costs related to these facilities including depreciation expense, are allocated and reported in each reporting segment's operating income for each fiscal year presented.

[3] The fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 includes gains of $611 on disposal of assets related to the exit of contract manufacturing operations.

[4] The fiscal year ended January 31, 2016 includes pre-contract cost write-offs of $2,933, a goodwill impairment loss of $11,497, a long-lived asset impairment loss of $3,826, and a $2,273 reduction of an acquisition-related contingent liability for Vista as a result of changes in expected sales and cash flows.