Reportable Segments (Results of Reportable Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012
Net Sales
Net sales	$ 364,254,000		$ 466,179,000
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	14,040,000		34,436,000
Interest expense	(8,269,000)		(12,212,000)
Interest income	67,000		152,000
Foreign exchange gain (loss)	(2,344,000)		(5,021,000)
Loss on divestiture of Advance Materials business			0
Other expense, net	(756,000)		(291,000)
Non operating income (expense), total	(122,848,000)		(17,372,000)
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	(108,808,000)		17,064,000
Expenditures for property, plant & equipment
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment	14,389,000		10,818,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	22,705,000		22,149,000
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Property			2,900,000
Magnetic Technologies [Member]
Net Sales
Net sales	137,149,000		190,491,000
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	6,359,000	[1],[2]	13,903,000	[1],[2]
Expenditures for property, plant & equipment
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment	2,900,000		3,496,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	10,765,000		10,212,000
Charges related to inventory purchase accounting			15,700,000
Cost Reductions Initiatives	3,900,000
Battery Technologies [Member]
Net Sales
Net sales	41,034,000		37,032,000
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	8,319,000	[1]	5,655,000	[1]
Expenditures for property, plant & equipment
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment	1,055,000		1,221,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	2,503,000		2,502,000
Cost Reductions Initiatives	200,000
Specialty Chemicals [Member]
Net Sales
Net sales	99,822,000		105,913,000
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	6,949,000	[3]	13,521,000	[3]
Expenditures for property, plant & equipment
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment	4,093,000		964,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	5,173,000		5,096,000
Advanced Materials [Member]
Net Sales
Net sales	86,438,000		132,973,000
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	1,746,000		11,111,000
Expenditures for property, plant & equipment
Expenditures for property, plant and equipment	6,341,000		5,137,000
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	4,203,000		4,224,000
Corporate [Member]
Operating profit (loss)
Operating profit (Loss)	(9,333,000)		(9,754,000)
Depreciation and amortization
Depreciation and amortization	61,000		115,000
Intersegment items [Member]
Net Sales
Net sales	$ (189,000)		$ (230,000)

[1] The three months ended March 31, 2013 include costs related to cost reduction initiatives of $3.9 million and $0.2 million in Magnetic Technologies and Battery Technologies, respectively.

[2] includes inventory step-up charges of $15.7 million resulting from purchase accounting for the VAC acquisition.

[3] The three months ended March 31, 2012 includes a $2.9 million property sale gain.