Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023
Operating Activities
Net Income Attributable to Kadant	$ 87,566	$ 88,673
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	891	571
Net Income	88,457	89,244
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	36,505	24,917
Stock-based compensation expense	7,926	7,243
Provision for losses on accounts receivable	893	543
Other items, net	2,834	1,803
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable	(10,409)	(10,676)
Contract assets	(4,180)	2,465
Inventories	10,196	(1,461)
Other assets	(512)	667
Accounts payable	8,695	(12,913)
Customer deposits	(21,556)	(1,463)
Other liabilities	(15,474)	5,942
Net cash provided by operating activities	103,375	106,311
Investing Activities
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (Note 2)	(302,024)	277
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment	(15,430)	(22,094)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	1,320	535
Other investing activities	263	1,222
Net cash used in investing activities	(315,871)	(20,060)
Financing Activities
Proceeds from issuance of long-term obligations (Note 6)	305,211	0
Repayment of short- and long-term obligations	(91,378)	(71,868)
Tax withholding payments related to stock-based compensation	(5,881)	(3,915)
Dividends paid	(10,914)	(9,825)
Proceeds from issuance of Company common stock	1,605	0
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest	(1,346)	0
Acquisition of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest (Note 2)	(523)	0
Other financing activities	0	(63)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	196,774	(85,671)
Exchange Rate Effect on Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	(997)	(1,252)
Decrease in Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash	(16,719)	(672)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period	106,453	79,725
Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at End of Period	$ 89,734	$ 79,053