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Acquisitions Acquisitions - National Meter (Details) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Oct. 01, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Apr. 01, 2013
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Business Acquisition          
Goodwill   $ 47,722,000us-gaap_Goodwill   $ 44,695,000us-gaap_Goodwill $ 35,900,000us-gaap_Goodwill
National Meter and Automation, Inc.          
Business Acquisition          
Percentage acquired 100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Incremental revenue 15,000,000bmi_BusinessCombinationsIncrementalRevenue
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Total purchase consideration 22,900,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Cash payment 20,300,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Deferred payments   2,500,000bmi_BusinessCombinationDeferredPaymentsLiability
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
     
Receivables 3,900,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentAssetsReceivables
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Inventory 4,500,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedInventory
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Property, plant and equipment 2,800,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Intangibles 9,800,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Goodwill 3,000,000us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Current liabilities 100,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCurrentLiabilitiesOther
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
       
Transaction costs   400,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationSeparatelyRecognizedTransactionsAdditionalDisclosuresAcquisitionCostExpensed
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
     
Aquacue          
Business Acquisition          
Percentage acquired     100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_AquacueInc.Member
   
Cash payment     13,800,000us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_AquacueInc.Member
   
Goodwill       8,800,000us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_AquacueInc.Member
 
Accounts Payable | National Meter and Automation, Inc.          
Business Acquisition          
Deferred payments   2,000,000bmi_BusinessCombinationDeferredPaymentsLiability
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccountsPayableMember
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
     
Long-term Debt | National Meter and Automation, Inc.          
Business Acquisition          
Deferred payments   $ 500,000bmi_BusinessCombinationDeferredPaymentsLiability
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= bmi_NationalMeterandAutomationInc.Member
     
Customer relationships | National Meter and Automation, Inc.          
Business Acquisition          
Estimated average useful life (in years)   12 years