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Debt (Details)
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3 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2010
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2010
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
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Dec. 31, 2010
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Kroma Pre-Press Preparation Systems Industry & Trade, Inc. [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Kroma Pre-Press Preparation Systems Industry & Trade, Inc. [Member]
TRY
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Sep. 30, 2011
Kroma Pre-Press Preparation Systems Industry & Trade, Inc. [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Kroma Pre-Press Preparation Systems Industry & Trade, Inc. [Member]
TRY
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
EUR (€)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
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| Line of Credit Facility [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum amount of borrowings available | $ 300,000,000 | $ 32,400,000 | € 25,000,000 | $ 14,736,000 | € 11,400,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio | LIBOR plus a factor ranging from 1.00% to 1.50% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maturity date | December 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Annual commitment fee range on unused portion | .20% to .30% (based on the Company's leverage ratio) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum available for issuance of commercial and standby letters of credit | 25,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding borrowings | 252,500,000 | 250,000,000 | 30,586,000 | 23,600,000 | 31,593,000 | 23,600,000 | 8,347,000 | 16,000,000 | 7,184,000 | 13,300,000 | 1,646,000 | 1,300,000 | 661,000 | 493,000 | 10,806,000 | 8,300,000 | 11,159,000 | 8,300,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) | 2.68% | 2.89% | 2.38% | 2.38% | 2.00% | 9.66% | 9.66% | 3.16% | 3.39% | 6.05% | 6.05% | 6.28% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Effective Date | September 2007 | May 2008 | May 2011 | October 2011 | November 2011 | March 2012 | September 2012 | November 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount | 25,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) | 4.77% | 3.72% | 1.37% | 1.67% | 2.13% | 2.44% | 3.03% | 1.33% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maturity Date | September 2012 | September 2012 | May 2014 | October 2015 | November 2014 | March 2015 | December 2015 | November 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps | 6,999,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax | 4,269,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months | 1,611,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Liability derivatives | 6,999,000 | 7,161,000 | 2,641,000 | 2,061,000 | 4,358,000 | 5,100,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of loss recognized in income (loss) on derivatives | (687,000) | (757,000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in AOCL on derivatives | (320,000) | 15,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCL into income (effective portion) | (419,000) | (462,000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding borrowings on bank loans | $ 8,950,000 | € 6,900,000 | $ 11,611,000 | € 8,700,000 | $ 10,806,000 | € 8,300,000 | $ 11,159,000 | € 8,300,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) | 2.68% | 2.89% | 2.38% | 2.38% | 2.00% | 9.66% | 9.66% | 3.16% | 3.39% | 6.05% | 6.05% | 6.28% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||