Restructuring Charges (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2013

Restructuring Charges [Abstract]

Schedule of Restructuring Reserve by Type of Cost [Table Text Block]

The following illustrates the reconciliation of the restructuring liability by major type of costs for the three months ended November 30, 2013 (in thousands):

	Q4’12 Plan									Q1’14 Plan									Total Charges to Date		Total Expected Charges
	Balance 8/31/2013		Charges		Payments and Other			Balance 11/30/2013		Balance 8/31/2013		Charges		Payments and Other			Balance 11/30/2013
Severance costs	$	278	$	26	$	(227	)	$	77	$	—	$	1,076	$	(115	)	$	961	$	6,286	$	6,900
Contract termination costs	3,027		462		(1,425		)	2,064		—		38		—			38		4,169		4,700
Other exit costs	—		—		—			—		—		210		(210		)	—		4,275		4,900
Total	$	3,305	$	488	$	(1,652	)	$	2,141	$	—	$	1,324	$	(325	)	$	999	$	14,730	$	16,500

Restructuring and Related Costs [Table Text Block]

Restructuring charges were comprised of the following (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended November 30, 2012
	Q4’12 Plan		Q1’14 Plan		Total Charges
Severance costs	$	939	$	—	$	939
Contract termination costs	5		—		5
Other exit costs	649		—		649
Total charges	$	1,593	$	—	$	1,593

	Three Months Ended November 30, 2013
	Q4’12 Plan		Q1’14 Plan		Total Charges
Severance costs	$	26	$	1,076	$	1,102
Contract termination costs	462		38		500
Other exit costs	—		210		210
Total charges	$	488	$	1,324	$	1,812
	Total Charges
	Q4’12 Plan		Q1’14 Plan		Total
Total charges to date	$	13,406	$	1,324	$	14,730
Total expected charges	$	13,500	$	3,000	$	16,500

Schedule of Restructuring and Related Activities By Segment [Table Text Block]

The amounts of restructuring charges relating to each segment were as follows (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended November 30,				Total Charges to Date		Total Expected Charges
	2013		2012
Metals Recycling Business	$	1,291	$	550	$	5,699	$	7,300
Auto Parts Business	61		187		533		600
Unallocated (Corporate)	460		856		8,498		8,600
Total	$	1,812	$	1,593	$	14,730	$	16,500

The Company does not allocate restructuring charges to the segments’ operating results because management does not include this information in its measurement of the performance of the operating segments.