Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Details)

v3.4.0.3
Debt (Details)
$ in Thousands
 6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2016
USD ($)
LinesofCredit
Mar. 31, 2016
EUR (€)
LinesofCredit
Sep. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2015
EUR (€)
Mar. 31, 2015
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Other current assets   $ 76,194   $ 77,319    
Subsequent Event [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Debt issuance costs $ 0          
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Maximum amount of borrowings available   $ 900,000        
Interest rate on borrowings   1.75% 1.75%      
Maximum available for issuance of trade and standby letters of credit   $ 30,000        
Outstanding borrowings   $ 859,425   857,425    
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings   2.52% 2.52%     2.50%
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   $ 39,744 € 35,000,000      
Outstanding borrowings   $ 10,773 € 9,500,000 26,829 € 23,900,000  
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings   1.50% 1.50%     1.74%
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Outstanding borrowings   $ 5,511 € 4,900,000 5,166 4,600,000  
Letter of Credit [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Other current assets   $ 12,925        
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Maximum amount of borrowings available 900,000          
Proceeds from revolving credit facility $ 900,000          
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Minimum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion 0.15%          
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Maximum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion 0.25%          
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Minimum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 0.75%          
New Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Maximum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 2.00%          
Term Loan [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 200,000          
Long term debt outstanding principal payment in year 1 5.00%          
Long term debt outstanding principal payment in year 2 7.50%          
Long term debt outstanding principal payment in year 3 10.00%          
Long term debt outstanding principal payment in year 4 10.00%          
Long term debt outstanding principal payment in year 5 10.00%          
Term Loan [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Minimum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 0.75%          
Term Loan [Member] | LIBOR [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Maximum [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio 2.00%          
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings   3.47% 3.47%     3.18%
Matthews International S.p.A [Member] | Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Maximum amount of borrowings available   $ 12,866 € 11,300,000      
Outstanding borrowings   $ 4,953 € 4,200,000 4,772 4,300,000  
Number of lines of credit | LinesofCredit   4 4      
Saueressig [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Outstanding borrowings   $ 740 € 651,780 824 734,452  
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings   4.16% 4.16%     4.05%
Wetzel GmbH [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]            
Outstanding borrowings   $ 1,329 € 1,200,000 $ 2,110 € 1,900,000  
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings   6.11% 6.11%     5.84%