Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		May 31, 2017	May 31, 2016	May 31, 2017	May 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 477,088	$ 351,604	$ 1,193,333	$ 961,880
Operating expense:
Cost of goods sold		411,109	294,738	1,033,805	839,262
Selling, general and administrative		48,451	41,696	129,766	113,713
(Income) loss from joint ventures		(668)	(258)	(3,300)	61
Goodwill impairment charge		0	0	0	8,845
Other asset impairment charges (recoveries), net		(1,044)	0	(643)	18,458
Restructuring charges and other exit-related activities		93	542	(200)	7,758
Operating income (loss)		19,147	14,886	33,905	(26,217)
Interest expense		(2,131)	(2,905)	(5,969)	(6,779)
Other income (expense), net		524	(81)	1,318	763
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		17,540	11,900	29,254	(32,233)
Income tax expense		(161)	(95)	(736)	(810)
Income (loss) from continuing operations		17,379	11,805	28,518	(33,043)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		(127)	(116)	(275)	(1,206)
Net income (loss)		17,252	11,689	28,243	(34,249)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(687)	(689)	(1,967)	(1,294)
Net income (loss) attributable to SSI		$ 16,565	$ 11,000	$ 26,276	$ (35,543)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to SSI Basic:
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations attributable to SSI		$ 0.60	$ 0.41	$ 0.97	$ (1.26)
Loss per share from discontinued operations attributable to SSI		0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.04)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to SSI(1)	[1]	0.60	0.40	0.96	(1.31)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to SSI Diluted:
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations attributable to SSI		0.60	0.41	0.96	(1.26)
Loss per share from discontinued operations attributable to SSI		0.00	0.00	(0.01)	(0.04)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to SSI	[1]	$ 0.60	$ 0.40	$ 0.95	$ (1.31)
Weighted average number of common shares:
Basic		27,601	27,261	27,499	27,195
Diluted		27,703	27,327	27,692	27,195
Dividends declared per common share		$ 0.1875	$ 0.1875	$ 0.5625	$ 0.5625

[1] May not foot due to rounding.