Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Gross Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Other Intangible Assets (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Gross Carrying Amount and Accumulated Amortization of Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015
Aug. 31, 2014
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Accumulated Amortization $ 154,523us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization $ 148,184us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Other intangibles, gross 479,390us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill 513,361us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
Other intangibles, net 324,867us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill 365,177us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Tradenames    
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Gross Carrying Value 113,264us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
125,905us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Customer relationships    
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Amortization Period (Years) 15 years  
Gross Carrying Value 306,159us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
325,164us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Accumulated Amortization 122,912us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
117,706us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Net Book Value 183,247us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
207,458us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Patents    
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Amortization Period (Years) 10 years  
Gross Carrying Value 30,960us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
31,678us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
Accumulated Amortization 18,580us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
17,494us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
Net Book Value 12,380us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
14,184us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_PatentsMember
Trademarks and tradenames    
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Amortization Period (Years) 18 years  
Gross Carrying Value 22,106us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
23,241us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
Accumulated Amortization 6,534us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
6,201us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
Net Book Value 15,572us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
17,040us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
Other intangibles    
Indefinite And Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted Average Amortization Period (Years) 3 years  
Gross Carrying Value 6,901us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember
7,373us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember
Accumulated Amortization 6,497us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember
6,783us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember
Net Book Value $ 404us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember
$ 590us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= atu_NonCompeteAgreementsAndOtherMember