Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 29,643	$ 24,291
Accounts receivable, less allowances of $2,370 ($2,136 in 2013)	67,942us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	67,587us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Inventories - net	80,037us-gaap_InventoryNet	73,835us-gaap_InventoryNet
Deferred income taxes	7,249us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	7,022us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Prepaids	6,926us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent	6,112us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent
Prepaid taxes	2,241us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes	3,733us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes
Other current assets	6,625us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	3,154us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	200,663us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	185,734us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
Property, plant and equipment - net	102,531us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	100,461us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Patents and other intangibles - net	14,121us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	11,787us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Goodwill	17,792us-gaap_Goodwill	13,873us-gaap_Goodwill
Deferred income taxes	5,773us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent	3,416us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent
Other assets	13,087us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	17,135us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
TOTAL ASSETS	353,967us-gaap_Assets	332,406us-gaap_Assets
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Notes payable to banks	1,809us-gaap_NotesPayableToBankCurrent	1,105us-gaap_NotesPayableToBankCurrent
Current portion of long-term debt	116us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	195us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Trade accounts payable	22,332us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrent	21,750us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrent
Accrued compensation and amounts withheld from employees	9,876	10,787
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	13,021us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	11,118us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Accrued profit-sharing and other benefits	5,151	5,086
Dividends payable	1,220us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent	1,098us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent
Income taxes payable and deferred income taxes	1,802	1,076
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	55,327us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	52,215us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term debt, less current portion	31,749us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	13,054us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Unfunded pension obligation	12,503	5,027
Income taxes payable	1,735	1,556
Deferred income taxes	3,283	3,621
Other noncurrent liabilities	6,445us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	4,603us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
PLPC Shareholders' equity:
Common shares - $2 par value per share, 15,000,000 shares authorized, 5,397,138 and 5,391,074 issued and outstanding, net of 819,424 and 779,279 treasury shares at par, respectively, at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013	10,794us-gaap_CommonStockValue	10,782us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Common shares issued to rabbi trust, 292,609 and 253,156 shares at December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013	(11,790)	(9,306)
Deferred compensation liability	11,790plpc_DeferredCompensationLiability	9,306plpc_DeferredCompensationLiability
Paid-in capital	22,795	21,082
Retained earnings	244,470	238,168
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(35,134)	(17,702)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	242,925	252,330
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 353,967	$ 332,406

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the unpaid sum of the known and estimated amounts payable to satisfy all currently due domestic and foreign income tax obligations. Also represents the current portion of deferred tax liabilities, which result from applying the applicable tax rate to net taxable temporary differences pertaining to each jurisdiction to which the entity is obligated to pay income tax. A current taxable temporary difference is a difference between the tax basis and the carrying amount of a current asset or liability in the financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In a classified statement of financial position, an enterprise separates deferred tax liabilities and assets into a current amount and a noncurrent amount. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are classified as current or noncurrent based on the classification of the related asset or liability for financial reporting. A deferred tax liability or asset that is not related to an asset or liability for financial reporting, including deferred tax assets related to carry forwards, is classified according to the expected reversal date of the temporary difference.

No definition available.