Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

LONG-TERM DEBT (Details)

v3.2.0.727
LONG-TERM DEBT (Details)
$ in Thousands, € in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
USD ($)
LinesofCredit
Sep. 30, 2013
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2014
EUR (€)
LinesofCredit
Sep. 30, 2013
EUR (€)
LONG-TERM DEBT [Abstract]        
Revolving credit facilities $ 702,055 $ 335,420    
Notes payable to banks 13,315 21,530    
Short-term borrowings 6,410 8,612    
Capital lease obligations 7,475 9,093    
Total debt and capital lease obligations 729,255 374,655    
Less current maturities (15,228) (23,587)    
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations, excluding current maturities 714,027 351,068    
Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract]        
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps 330 (908)    
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax 201 (554)    
Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months (905)      
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 900,000 500,000    
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio LIBOR plus a factor ranging from .75% to 2.00% based on the Company’s leverage ratio      
Interest rate on borrowings (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion .15% to .25% (based on the Company's leverage ratio)      
Maximum available for issuance of trade and standby letters of credit $ 30,000      
Outstanding borrowings $ 680,000 $ 305,000    
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 2.53% 2.81% 2.53% 2.81%
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio (in hundredths) 0.75%      
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion (in hundredths) 0.15%      
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio (in hundredths) 2.00%      
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion (in hundredths) 0.25%      
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 31,580   € 25.0  
Outstanding borrowings $ 22,055 $ 30,434 € 17.5 € 22.5
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 1.35% 1.37% 1.35% 1.37%
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Outstanding borrowings $ 6,063 $ 7,639 € 4.8 € 5.6
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 3.15% 3.16% 3.15% 3.16%
Matthews International S.p.A [Member] | Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 14,312   € 11.3  
Outstanding borrowings $ 6,922 $ 6,871 € 5.5 € 5.1
Number of lines of credit | LinesofCredit 3   3  
Saueressig [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Outstanding borrowings $ 1,576 $ 2,310 € 1.2 € 1.7
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 3.96% 4.04% 3.96% 4.04%
Wetzel GmbH [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]        
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]        
Outstanding borrowings $ 3,624 $ 10,000 € 2.9 € 7.4
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 5.67% 7.48% 5.67% 7.48%
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Total derivatives $ 330 $ (908)    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current assets: Other Current Assets [Member]        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Assets derivatives 324 427    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-term assets: Other Assets [Member]        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Assets derivatives 2,133 3,309    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current liabilities: Other current liabilities [Member]        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Liability derivatives (1,808) (2,590)    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-term liabilities: Other liabilities [Member]        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Liability derivatives $ (319) (2,054)    
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date October 2011      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.67%   1.67%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date October 2015      
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date November 2011      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 2.13%   2.13%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date November 2014      
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date March 2012      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 2.44%   2.44%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date March 2015      
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date June 2012      
Amount $ 40,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.88%   1.88%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date June 2022      
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date August 2012      
Amount $ 35,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.74%   1.74%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date June 2022      
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date September 2012      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 3.03%   3.03%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date December 2015      
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date September 2012      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.24%   1.24%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date March 2017      
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date November 2012      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.33%   1.33%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date November 2015      
Interest Rate Swap 9 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Effective Date May 2014      
Amount $ 25,000      
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.35%   1.35%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%  
Maturity Date May 2018      
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]        
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]        
Amount of gain (loss) recognized in AOCI on derivatives $ (1,879) 2,474    
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Interest Expense [Member]        
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]        
Amount of loss recognized in income on derivatives (4,318) (4,170)    
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into Income (effective portion) [1] $ (2,634) $ (2,544)    
[1] There is no ineffective portion or amount excluded from effectiveness testing.