BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION (Schedule Of Net Sales And Earnings Before Income Tax) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 134,191	$ 130,495	$ 383,679	$ 379,707
Consolidated EBIT	15,827	15,430	44,802	43,730
Less: Interest expense	(247)	(147)	(655)	(1,493)
Earnings before income taxes	15,580	15,283	44,147	42,237
Filtration [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	60,401	57,733	166,340	171,608
Consolidated EBIT	12,285	10,294	31,412	29,878
Test [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	42,945	45,029	124,449	125,531
Consolidated EBIT	2,014	5,775	9,276	12,883
Utility Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	30,845	27,733	92,890	82,568
Consolidated EBIT	7,357	5,725	22,189	18,891
Corporate (loss) [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Consolidated EBIT	$ (5,829)	$ (6,364)	$ (18,075)	$ (17,922)

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations (before interest income and interest expense) attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before interest income, interest expense, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeInterestExpenseInterestIncomeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterestsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ese_FiltrationFluidFlowMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ese_RFShieldingAndTestMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ese_UtilitySolutionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: