Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	$ 215,293	$ 208,449	$ 428,174	$ 410,506
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	169,538	177,532	349,462	361,045
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25,510	22,315	50,289	48,395
Research and development	6,338	5,611	12,927	11,677
Restructuring charges	1,687	1,364	3,517	5,974
Net (gain) loss on sales and disposals of assets	(550)	42	(185)	42
Total operating costs and expenses	202,523	206,864	416,010	427,133
Operating income (loss)	12,770	1,585	12,164	(16,627)
Interest income	(3)	(11)	(6)	(175)
Interest expense	10,287	9,908	20,743	19,942
Other (income) expense, net	(7,595)	946	(11,128)	1,301
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	10,081	(9,258)	2,555	(37,695)
Income tax expense	2,583	1,444	3,865	3,260
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	7,498	(10,702)	(1,310)	(40,955)
Equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	232	(1,243)	(1,443)	(4,620)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	7,730	(11,945)	(2,753)	(45,575)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,017, $(124), $1,935 and $(360), respectively	(1,400)	(1,151)	5,543	(2,661)
Net income (loss)	6,330	(13,096)	2,790	(48,236)
Reportable legal entities | Parent
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	57	67	110	86
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	561	299	1,025	691
Selling, general and administrative expenses	13,056	9,944	24,145	20,555
Research and development	140	54	206	144
Restructuring charges	0	0	0	0
Net (gain) loss on sales and disposals of assets	(9)	0	(9)	0
Total operating costs and expenses	13,748	10,297	25,367	21,390
Operating income (loss)	(13,691)	(10,230)	(25,257)	(21,304)
Interest income	0	(3)	0	(11)
Interest expense	9,726	10,065	19,524	20,194
Other (income) expense, net	(12,975)	(9,915)	(23,801)	(19,975)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(16,772)	2,703	(23,770)	26,698
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	6,330	(13,080)	2,790	(48,210)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	6,330	(13,080)	2,790	(48,210)
Equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	6,330	(13,080)	2,790	(48,210)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,017, $(124), $1,935 and $(360), respectively	0	(16)	0	(26)
Net income (loss)	6,330	(13,096)	2,790	(48,236)
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	250,019	245,786	505,596	483,109
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	211,328	222,882	434,000	449,930
Selling, general and administrative expenses	15,071	16,075	32,223	28,132
Research and development	4,247	3,791	8,597	8,066
Restructuring charges	192	446	562	2,380
Net (gain) loss on sales and disposals of assets	43	18	230	18
Total operating costs and expenses	230,881	243,212	475,612	488,526
Operating income (loss)	19,138	2,574	29,984	(5,417)
Interest income	0	0	0	(3)
Interest expense	263	226	663	478
Other (income) expense, net	9,355	9,639	16,799	20,446
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	9,520	(7,291)	12,522	(26,338)
Income tax expense	210	33	233	89
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	9,310	(7,324)	12,289	(26,427)
Equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	232	(1,243)	(1,443)	(4,620)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	9,542	(8,567)	10,846	(31,047)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,017, $(124), $1,935 and $(360), respectively	593	(250)	104	(567)
Net income (loss)	10,135	(8,817)	10,950	(31,614)
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	198,983	208,798	400,202	415,743
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	175,839	184,945	360,747	373,114
Selling, general and administrative expenses	12,959	11,904	25,345	25,450
Research and development	1,951	1,766	4,124	3,467
Restructuring charges	1,495	918	2,955	3,594
Net (gain) loss on sales and disposals of assets	(584)	24	(406)	24
Total operating costs and expenses	191,660	199,557	392,765	405,649
Operating income (loss)	7,323	9,241	7,437	10,094
Interest income	(3)	(8)	(6)	(161)
Interest expense	298	(383)	556	(730)
Other (income) expense, net	(3,975)	1,222	(4,126)	830
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	11,003	8,410	11,013	10,155
Income tax expense	2,373	1,411	3,632	3,171
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	8,630	6,999	7,381	6,984
Equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	8,630	6,999	7,381	6,984
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,017, $(124), $1,935 and $(360), respectively	(1,993)	(885)	5,439	(2,068)
Net income (loss)	6,637	6,114	12,820	4,916
Reclassifications and Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	(233,766)	(246,202)	(477,734)	(488,432)
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	(218,190)	(230,594)	(446,310)	(462,690)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(15,576)	(15,608)	(31,424)	(25,742)
Research and development	0	0	0	0
Restructuring charges	0	0	0	0
Net (gain) loss on sales and disposals of assets	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	(233,766)	(246,202)	(477,734)	(488,432)
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Interest income		0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0
Other (income) expense, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	16,772	(2,703)	23,770	(26,698)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	(16,772)	2,703	(23,770)	26,698
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	(16,772)	2,703	(23,770)	26,698
Equity income (loss) from NEC TOKIN	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(16,772)	2,703	(23,770)	26,698
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,017, $(124), $1,935 and $(360), respectively	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	$ (16,772)	$ 2,703	$ (23,770)	$ 26,698