Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 30,530	$ 29,643
Accounts receivable, less allowances of $2,383 ($2,370 in 2014)	63,426us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	67,942us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Inventories - net	76,097us-gaap_InventoryNet	80,037us-gaap_InventoryNet
Deferred income taxes	8,052us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	7,249us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Prepaids	4,963us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent	6,926us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrent
Prepaid taxes	3,877us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes	2,241us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes
Other current assets	4,262us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent	6,625us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS	191,207us-gaap_AssetsCurrent	200,663us-gaap_AssetsCurrent
Property, plant and equipment - net	97,886us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	102,531us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Patents and other intangibles - net	13,016us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	14,121us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Goodwill	16,958us-gaap_Goodwill	17,792us-gaap_Goodwill
Deferred income taxes	7,044us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent	5,773us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent
Other assets	11,758us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent	13,087us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
TOTAL ASSETS	337,869us-gaap_Assets	353,967us-gaap_Assets
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Notes payable to banks	1,735us-gaap_NotesPayableToBankCurrent	1,809us-gaap_NotesPayableToBankCurrent
Current portion of long-term debt	111us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent	116us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Trade accounts payable	19,572us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrent	22,332us-gaap_AccountsPayableTradeCurrent
Accrued compensation and amounts withheld from employees	10,318	9,876
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	12,044us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	13,021us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Accrued profit-sharing and other benefits	2,521	5,151
Dividends payable	1,110us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent	1,220us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrent
Income taxes payable and deferred income taxes	1,305	1,802
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES	48,716us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent	55,327us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent
Long-term debt, less current portion	30,741us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent	31,749us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Unfunded pension obligation	12,423	12,503
Income taxes payable	1,726	1,735
Deferred income taxes	4,541	3,283
Other noncurrent liabilities	6,355us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	6,445us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent
Shareholders' equity:
Common shares - $2 par value per share, 15,000,000 shares authorized, 5,393,371 and 5,397,138 issued and outstanding, net of 824,011 and 819,424 treasury shares at par, respectively, at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014	10,787us-gaap_CommonStockValue	10,794us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Common shares issued to rabbi trust, 289,942 and 292,609 shares at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014	(11,617)	(11,790)
Deferred compensation liability	11,617plpc_DeferredCompensationLiability	11,790plpc_DeferredCompensationLiability
Paid-in capital	23,342	22,795
Retained earnings	242,900	244,470
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(43,662)	(35,134)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	233,367	242,925
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 337,869	$ 353,967

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.