Debt (Details) $ in Thousands, ¥ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 26, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 26, 2015 CNY (¥)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 216,010	$ 241,444
Less current portion of debt	(11,760)	(36,194)
Long-term debt	204,250	205,250
Aggregate annual maturities of debt [Abstract]
2016	11,760
2017	201,000
2018	1,000
2019	1,000
2020	1,000
Thereafter	250
Long-term debt	216,010	241,444
Net interest expense [Abstract]
Interest expense	8,335	6,393	$ 5,147
Capitalized interest	(668)	(653)	(1,157)
Net interest expense	7,667	5,740	3,990
Interest Paid	8,100	5,700	$ 4,900
Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 200,000	200,000
Debt, stated interest rate	2.66%			2.66%
Debt instrument maturity date	Dec. 11, 2017
Aggregate annual maturities of debt [Abstract]
Long-term debt	$ 200,000	200,000
Mueller Xingrong Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 5,275	29,968
Debt, stated interest rate	5.60%			5.60%
Debt instrument maturity date	Dec. 31, 2016
Aggregate annual maturities of debt [Abstract]
Long-term debt	$ 5,275	29,968
2001 Series IRB [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	$ 5,250	6,250
Debt, stated interest rate	1.23%			1.23%
Debt instrument maturity date	Dec. 31, 2021
Aggregate annual maturities of debt [Abstract]
Long-term debt	$ 5,250	6,250
Other [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt	5,485	5,226
Aggregate annual maturities of debt [Abstract]
Long-term debt	5,485	$ 5,226
Mueller Xingrong Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	$ 36,000			¥ 230
Credit Agreement [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument variable rate basis	Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest, at the Company’s option, at LIBOR or Base Rate as defined by the Credit Agreement, plus a variable premium. LIBOR advances may be based upon the one, three, or six-month LIBOR.
Outstanding letters of credit	$ 8,800
Terms of the letters of credit	1 year
Credit Agreement [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.375%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.375%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility commitment fee	0.25%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.125%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.125%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Credit facility commitment fee	0.375%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member] | LIBOR [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.625%
Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.625%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding letters of credit	$ 0
Line of credit facility, current borrowing capacity	200,000
Mueller Xingrong [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Total borrowings	$ 10,800