Schedule of Information on Company's Business Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, 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		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External customers											$ 1,954,258		$ 1,838,451		$ 1,513,073
Total net sales	490,838	[1]	479,859	494,144	489,417	480,683		476,881	453,798	427,089	1,954,258		1,838,451		1,513,073
Total operating income	(125,589)	[1]	80,588	88,650	84,569	76,001		71,305	79,629	77,721	128,218	[2]	304,656	[2]	249,116	[2]
Interest expense											42,250		29,332		16,150
Total assets	2,785,390					2,836,107					2,785,390		2,836,107		2,381,695
Other income (expense)-net											236		(1,443)		(1,092)
Total depreciation and amortization											78,312		72,386		58,108
Income before taxes											86,204		273,881		231,874
Total capital expenditures											35,520		34,548		32,769
Fluid & Metering Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External customers											829,320		830,821		717,579
Intersegment sales											3,968		466		712
Total net sales											833,288		831,287		718,291
Total operating income											146,650	[2],[3]	164,818	[2],[3]	131,018	[2],[3]
Total assets	1,023,143					1,072,023					1,023,143		1,072,023		1,065,953
Total depreciation and amortization											29,637	[4]	32,368	[4]	31,893	[4]
Total capital expenditures											13,535		12,543		17,314
Health & Science Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External customers											689,574		606,247		405,135
Intersegment sales											5,661		1,653		3,717
Total net sales											695,235		607,900		408,852
Total operating income											(62,835)	[2],[3]	106,037	[2],[3]	83,258	[2],[3]
Total assets	1,102,868					1,178,653					1,102,868		1,178,653		693,532
Total depreciation and amortization											39,981	[4]	30,055	[4]	17,253	[4]
Total capital expenditures											13,140		12,938		7,510
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
External customers											435,364		401,383		390,359
Intersegment sales											1,689		1,042		462
Total net sales											437,053		402,425		390,821
Total operating income											96,120	[2]	85,901	[2]	82,334	[2]
Total assets	488,886					442,400					488,886		442,400		484,107
Total depreciation and amortization											7,107	[4]	8,516	[4]	8,638	[4]
Total capital expenditures											6,654		5,644		4,642
Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total net sales											(11,318)		(3,161)		(4,891)
Corporate Office/Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating income											(51,717)	[2],[5]	(52,100)	[2],[5]	(47,494)	[2],[5]
Total assets	170,493	[5]				143,031	[5]				170,493	[5]	143,031	[5]	138,103	[5]
Total depreciation and amortization											1,587	[4]	1,447	[4]	324	[4]
Total capital expenditures											$ 2,191		$ 3,423		$ 3,303

[1] Fourth quarter 2012 includes a $198.5 million asset impairment charge.

[2] Segment operating income excludes net unallocated corporate operating expenses.

[3] Segment operating income includes asset impairment charge in 2012 for $27.7 million within the Fluid & Metering Technologies segment and $170.8 within the Health & Science Technologies segment.

[4] Excludes amortization of debt issuance expenses.

[5] Includes intersegment eliminations.