Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2017
Operating Activities
Net Income Attributable to Kadant	$ 23,207	$ 17,047
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	292	218
Net income	23,499	17,265
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	11,943	6,531
Stock-based compensation expense	3,610	2,736
Provision for losses on accounts receivable	438	84
Loss on the sale of property, plant, and equipment	54	30
Other items, net	(869)	2,161
Contributions to U.S. pension plan	0	(540)
Changes in current assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable	(974)	(476)
Unbilled revenues	2,228	(2,968)
Inventories	(14,238)	(6,147)
Other current assets	(2,781)	(2,652)
Accounts payable	4,039	3,363
Other current liabilities	8,622	5,989
Net cash provided by operating activities	35,571	25,376
Investing Activities
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(10,211)	(3,435)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	213	50
Acquisition	0	(165)
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,998)	(3,550)
Financing Activities
Repayment of debt	(46,838)	(11,235)
Proceeds from issuance of debt	16,000	8,000
Dividends paid	(4,756)	(4,388)
Tax withholding payments related to stock-based compensation	(3,641)	(2,206)
Proceeds from issuance of Company common stock	742	0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	(1,147)
Other financing activities	(258)	(215)
Net cash used in financing activities	(38,751)	(11,191)
Exchange Rate Effect on Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	(2,516)	3,777
(Decrease) Increase in Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	(15,694)	14,412
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period	76,846	73,569
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at End of Period	$ 61,152	$ 87,981