Business Segments (Schedule of Information on Company's Business Segments) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 553,552	$ 502,572
Operating income	115,671	103,345
Interest expense	11,552	10,489
Other (income) expense - net	(308)	44
Income before income taxes	104,427	92,812
Total assets	3,163,785		$ 3,154,944
Benefit from reversal of contingent consideration		3,700
Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(344)	(232)
Corporate office expense and other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	(17,006)	(14,694)
Total assets	93,444		117,503
Fluid & Metering Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	216,655	211,709
Operating income	57,813	51,703
Fluid & Metering Technologies | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	115	134
Fluid & Metering Technologies | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	216,770	211,843
Total assets	1,079,230		1,065,670
Health & Science Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	199,575	186,251
Operating income	42,238	40,682
Health & Science Technologies | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	104	92
Health & Science Technologies | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	199,679	186,343
Total assets	1,281,976		1,266,036
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	137,322	104,612
Operating income	32,626	25,654
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	125	6
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	137,447	$ 104,618
Total assets	$ 709,135		$ 705,735