Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Industry Segments (Narrative) (Details)

v3.6.0.2
Industry Segments (Narrative) (Details)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
subsidiaries
segments
Entitiies
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Entitiies
Jan. 03, 2015
USD ($)
Entitiies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Number of Reportable Segments | segments 2    
Goodwill $ 1,354,730 $ 1,354,730 $ 23,250,201
Goodwill impairment $ 0 17,158,249 0
Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Number of subsidiaries (subsidiaries) | subsidiaries 3    
Goodwill $ 0 0 21,895,471
Goodwill impairment $ 0 17,158,249 0
Concentration risk (percentage) 77.00%    
Number of suppliers (entities) | Entitiies 9    
Number of suppliers providing majority of supplies (entities) | Entitiies 1    
Specialty Chemicals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Number of subsidiaries (subsidiaries) | subsidiaries 2    
Goodwill $ 1,354,730 1,354,730 1,354,730
Goodwill impairment   0  
Concentration risk (percentage) 46.00%    
Number of suppliers providing majority of supplies (entities) | Entitiies 11    
Corporate [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Environmental charges $ 48,000 $ 1,000 $ (13,000)
Supplier One [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Concentration risk (percentage) 42.00%    
Revenue [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Concentration risk (percentage)   14.00%  
Revenue [Member] | Specialty Chemicals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Concentration risk (percentage) 25.00% 31.00% 31.00%
United States [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Number of major customers (entities) | Entitiies 0 1 0
United States [Member] | Specialty Chemicals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Number of major customers (entities) | Entitiies 1 1 1
BRISMET, Palmer and Specialty [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Ownership percentage of subsidiary (percent) 100.00% 100.00%  
Manufacturers Soap and Chemical Company [Member] | Specialty Chemicals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Ownership percentage of subsidiary (percent) 100.00%    
Maximum [Member] | Revenue [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Concentration risk (percentage) 10.00%   10.00%