Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Details)

v3.3.1.900
Debt (Details)
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
LinesofCredit
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
EUR (€)
LinesofCredit
Sep. 30, 2015
EUR (€)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Other current assets $ 66,833,000   $ 64,394,000    
Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract]          
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, before tax (1,092,000)   (3,686,000)    
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax (666,000)   (2,248,000)    
Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months (240,000)        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 900,000,000        
Interest rate on borrowings 1.75%     1.75%  
Maximum available for issuance of trade and standby letters of credit $ 30,000,000        
Outstanding borrowings $ 872,425,000   857,425,000    
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings 2.31% 2.51%   2.31%  
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion 0.15%        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion 0.25%        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 0.75%        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 2.00%        
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 38,171,000     € 35,000,000  
Outstanding borrowings $ 22,810,000   26,829,000 € 20,900,000 € 23,900,000
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings 1.50% 1.27%   1.50%  
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Outstanding borrowings $ 6,192,000   5,166,000 € 5,700,000 4,600,000
Letter of Credit [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Other current assets $ 12,925,000        
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings 3.33% 3.18%   3.33%  
Matthews International S.p.A [Member] | Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 12,356,000     € 11,300,000  
Outstanding borrowings $ 3,780,000   4,772,000 € 3,500,000 4,300,000
Number of lines of credit | LinesofCredit 3     3  
Saueressig [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Outstanding borrowings $ 1,053,000   824,000 € 965,452 734,452
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings 4.00% 4.24%   4.00%  
Wetzel GmbH [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Outstanding borrowings $ 1,597,000   2,110,000 € 1,500,000 € 1,900,000
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings 6.12% 5.74%   6.12%  
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]          
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]          
Amount of (loss) recognized in AOCI on derivatives $ 1,076,000 $ (1,468,000)      
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Interest Expense [Member]          
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]          
Amount of loss recognized in income (loss) on derivatives (830,000) (1,077,000)      
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income (effective portion) [1] (506,000) $ (657,000)      
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]          
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]          
Total derivatives (1,092,000)   (3,686,000)    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current assets: Other Current Assets [Member]          
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]          
Assets derivatives 26,000   0    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-term assets: Other Assets [Member]          
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]          
Assets derivatives 99,000   0    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]          
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]          
Liability derivatives (420,000)   (1,165,000)    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]          
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]          
Liability derivatives $ (797,000)   $ (2,521,000)    
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date June 2012        
Amount $ 40,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.88%     1.88%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date June 2022        
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date August 2012        
Amount $ 35,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.74%     1.74%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date June 2022        
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date September 2012        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.24%     1.24%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date March 2017        
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date May 2014        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.35%     1.35%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date May 2018        
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date November 2014        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.26%     1.26%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date June 2018        
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date March 2015        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.49%     1.49%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date March 2019        
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date September 2015        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.39%     1.39%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date September 2020        
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date November 2015        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.32%     1.32%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date November 2020        
Interest Rate Swap 9 [Member]          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Effective Date December 2015        
Amount $ 25,000,000        
Fixed Interest Rate 1.59%     1.59%  
Interest Rate Spread 1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date December 2020        
[1] There is no ineffective portion or amount excluded from effectiveness testing.