Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Details)

v3.2.0.727
Debt (Details)
€ in Thousands, $ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
USD ($)
LinesofCredit
Jun. 30, 2014
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2015
USD ($)
LinesofCredit
Jun. 30, 2014
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2014
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2015
EUR (€)
LinesofCredit
Sep. 30, 2014
EUR (€)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Other current assets $ 54,274   $ 54,274   $ 49,456    
Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract]              
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, before tax     (822)   (330)    
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax     (501)   (201)    
Unrealized loss expected to be recognized over the next 12 months (527)   (527)        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 900,000   $ 900,000   500,000    
Interest rate on borrowings (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maximum available for issuance of trade and standby letters of credit $ 30,000   $ 30,000        
Outstanding borrowings $ 655,425   $ 655,425   680,000    
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 2.51% 2.55% 2.51% 2.55%   2.51%  
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion (in hundredths)     0.15%        
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion (in hundredths)     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 (in hundredths)     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 (in hundredths)     2.00%        
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 38,994   $ 38,994     € 35,000  
Outstanding borrowings $ 12,586   $ 12,586   22,055 € 11,300 € 17,500
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 1.50% 1.35% 1.50% 1.35%   1.50%  
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Outstanding borrowings $ 4,020   $ 4,020   6,063 € 3,600 4,800
Letter of Credit [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Other current assets $ 12,925   $ 12,925        
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 3.21% 3.13% 3.21% 3.13%   3.21%  
Matthews International S.p.A [Member] | Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Maximum amount of borrowings available $ 12,623   $ 12,623     € 11,300  
Outstanding borrowings $ 5,094   $ 5,094   6,922 € 4,600 5,500
Number of lines of credit | LinesofCredit 3   3     3  
Saueressig [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Outstanding borrowings $ 1,790   $ 1,790   1,576 € 1,060 1,200
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 3.85% 4.04% 3.85% 4.04%   3.85%  
Wetzel GmbH [Member] | Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]              
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]              
Outstanding borrowings $ 2,650   $ 2,650   3,624 € 2,400 € 2,900
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) 5.82% 7.62% 5.82% 7.62%   5.82%  
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]              
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]              
Total derivatives $ (822)   $ (822)   330    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current assets: Other Current Assets [Member]              
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]              
Assets derivatives 89   89   324    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-term assets: Other Assets [Member]              
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]              
Assets derivatives 534   534   2,133    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]              
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]              
Liability derivatives (953)   (953)   (1,808)    
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]              
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]              
Liability derivatives (492)   $ (492)   $ (319)    
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     October 2011        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.67%   1.67%     1.67%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     October 2015        
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     June 2012        
Amount $ 40,000   $ 40,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.88%   1.88%     1.88%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     June 2022        
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     August 2012        
Amount $ 35,000   $ 35,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.74%   1.74%     1.74%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     June 2022        
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     September 2012        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 3.03%   3.03%     3.03%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     December 2015        
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     September 2012        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.24%   1.24%     1.24%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     March 2017        
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     November 2012        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.33%   1.33%     1.33%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     November 2015        
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     May 2014        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.35%   1.35%     1.35%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     May 2018        
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     November 2014        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.26%   1.26%     1.26%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     June 2018        
Interest Rate Swap 9 [Member]              
Derivative [Line Items]              
Effective Date     March 2015        
Amount $ 25,000   $ 25,000        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths) 1.49%   1.49%     1.49%  
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths) 1.75%   1.75%     1.75%  
Maturity Date     March 2019        
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member]              
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]              
Amount of (loss) recognized in AOCI on derivatives     $ (2,548) $ (2,437)      
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 $ (953) $ (1,987) (3,026) (4,117)      
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income (effective portion) [1]     $ (1,846) $ (2,511)      
[1] There is no ineffective portion or amount excluded from effectiveness testing.