Slicers (applies to each fact value in each table cell)

Reporting Entity [Axis]

0000022444 (http://www.sec.gov/CIK)

Segment Reporting [Abstract]	Period [Axis]
	2015-09-01 - 2016-08-31
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Summary of certain financial information from continuing operations by reportable segment	The following is a summary of certain financial information from continuing operations by reportable segment:     Americas   International             (in thousands)   Recycling   Mills   Fabrication   Mill   Marketing and Distribution   Corporate   Eliminations   Continuing Operations 2016                                 Net sales-unaffiliated customers   $ 594,275   $ 839,432   $ 1,479,125   $ 516,643   $ 1,173,969   $ 7,082   $ —   $ 4,610,526 Intersegment sales   111,479   659,416   10,330   543   15,627   —   (797,395 )   — Net sales   705,754   1,498,848   1,489,455   517,186   1,189,596   7,082   (797,395 )   4,610,526 Adjusted operating profit (loss)   (61,284 )   209,751   68,602   28,892   (7,087 )   (95,085 )   5,319   149,108 Interest expense*   2,210   1,942   8,356   2,608   3,524   43,591   —   62,231 Capital expenditures**   4,891   110,375   14,958   27,155   289   5,587   —   163,255 Depreciation and amortization   17,919   47,924   13,620   25,902   1,302   20,273   —   126,940 Asset impairment charges   38,900   —   —   208   726   194   —   40,028 Total assets***   188,873   798,481   659,165   372,492   564,068   1,034,053   (493,050 )   3,124,082 2015                                 Net sales-unaffiliated customers   $ 887,068   $ 1,048,063   $ 1,612,084   $ 626,219   $ 1,814,319   $ 852   $ —   $ 5,988,605 Intersegment sales   135,553   793,749   12,154   32   83,298   —   (1,024,786 )   — Net sales   1,022,621   1,841,812   1,624,238   626,251   1,897,617   852   (1,024,786 )   5,988,605 Adjusted operating profit (loss)   (29,157 )   255,507   22,424   17,555   35,376   (77,832 )   1,409   225,282 Interest expense*   2,628   4,207   8,864   2,620   9,096   50,345   —   77,760 Capital expenditures**   12,811   67,203   14,883   15,413   296   5,194   —   115,800 Depreciation and amortization   17,460   46,780   17,509   28,087   1,928   20,739   —   132,503 Asset impairment charges   7,494   —   1,585   124   623   13   —   9,839 Total assets***   261,676   738,669   713,860   403,706   798,914   1,044,178   (552,577 )   3,408,426 2014                                 Net sales-unaffiliated customers   $ 1,176,907   $ 1,198,249   $ 1,523,573   $ 822,224   $ 2,055,202   $ 14,283   $ —   $ 6,790,438 Intersegment sales   190,163   793,085   13,912   969   65,335   —   (1,063,464 )   — Net sales   1,367,070   1,991,334   1,537,485   823,193   2,120,537   14,283   (1,063,464 )   6,790,438 Adjusted operating profit (loss)   (5,687 )   256,536   6,440   30,632   30,557   (72,347 )   (302 )   245,829 Interest expense*   2,700   7,059   10,222   4,608   6,924   45,524   —   77,037 Capital expenditures**   16,771   31,781   13,798   30,770   1,122   6,907   —   101,149 Depreciation and amortization   14,832   45,392   19,192   32,209   2,328   20,269   —   134,222 Asset impairment charges   1,592   —   —   567   172   974   —   3,305 Total assets***   316,967   762,549   734,500   466,449   822,679   1,048,517   (469,093 )   3,682,568 ________________________ * Includes intercompany interest expense (income) in the segments and is all eliminated within Corporate. ** Excludes capital expenditures from discontinued operations that were immaterial for the years ended August 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014. *** Excludes total assets from discontinued operations of $6.8 million at August 31, 2016, $31.5 million at August 31, 2015 and $151.1 million at August 31, 2014.
Reconciliations of earnings from continuing operations to adjusted operating profit	Reconciliations of earnings from continuing operations to adjusted operating profit from continuing operations are provided below:     Year Ended August 31, (in thousands)   2016   2015   2014 Earnings from continuing operations   $ 72,543   $ 99,131   $ 117,606 Income taxes   12,647   46,844   47,351 Interest expense   62,231   77,760   77,037 Discounts on sales of accounts receivable   1,687   1,547   3,835 Adjusted operating profit from continuing operations   $ 149,108   $ 225,282   $ 245,829
External net sales from continuing operations by major product	Year Ended August 31, (in thousands)   2016   2015   2014 Major product information:             Steel products   $ 3,156,028   $ 4,084,092   $ 4,500,093 Industrial materials   453,714   566,323   659,251 Nonferrous scrap   364,690   536,856   639,961 Ferrous scrap   287,713   428,192   659,578 Construction materials   242,961   220,232   199,154 Nonferrous products   13,456   10,443   8,761 Other   91,964   142,467   123,640 Net sales   $ 4,610,526   $ 5,988,605   $ 6,790,438
External net sales from continuing operations by geographic area	Year Ended August 31, (in thousands)   2016   2015   2014 Geographic area:             United States   $ 3,220,459   $ 4,199,789   $ 4,510,080 Europe   771,118   1,006,204   1,215,150 Asia   429,910   578,755   786,512 Australia/New Zealand   125,069   121,403   175,756 Other   63,970   82,454   102,940 Net sales   $ 4,610,526   $ 5,988,605   $ 6,790,438
Long-lived assets by geographic area	The following table represents long-lived assets, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization, by geographic area:     August 31, (in thousands)   2016   2015   2014 United States   $ 803,245   $ 860,784   $ 864,491 Europe   177,778   189,796   243,280 Asia   5,863   7,692   8,814 Australia/New Zealand   534   1,292   11,309 Total long-lived assets   $ 987,420   $ 1,059,564   $ 1,127,894