Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Details)

 v2.3.0.11
Debt (Details)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2010
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Jun. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2010
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Jun. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2010
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Jun. 30, 2010
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
Jun. 30, 2011
New Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
New Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
New Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Jun. 30, 2011
Replaced Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2010
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
Jun. 30, 2010
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2010
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Current Liabilities
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2010
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                                                                        
Number of lines of credit       4 4                                                                              
Maximum amount of borrowings available       $ 16,489,000 € 11,400,000                       $ 300,000,000     $ 225,000,000 $ 36,255,000 € 25,000,000                                            
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           2,834,000 2,100,000                   204,000,000 187,000,000     34,225,000 23,600,000 16,361,000 12,000,000                                        
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths)               3.26% 3.26% 3.61% 3.61% 6.02% 6.02%     6.05% 2.98%   2.94%   2.27% 2.27%     1.58%                                      
Derivative [Line Items]                                                                                        
Effective Date                                                   September 2007 May 2008 October 2008 May 2011 November 2011 March 2012 September 2012                        
Amount                                                   25,000 20,000 20,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000                        
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths)                                                   4.77% 3.72% 3.46% 1.37% 2.13% 2.44% 3.03%                        
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths)                                                   1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25%                        
Maturity Date                                                   September 2012 September 2012 October 2011 May 2014 November 2014 March 2015 December 2015                        
Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract]                                                                                        
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps 4,577,000                                                                                      
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax 2,792,000                                                                                      
Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months   1,331,000                                                                                    
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]                                                                                        
Liability derivatives                                                                 4,577 4,445 2,181 2,396             2,623 1,822
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]                                                                                        
Amount of loss recognized in income (loss) on derivatives                                                                         (719,000) (926,000) (2,178,000) (2,819,000)        
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in OCL on derivatives                                                                                 (1,410,000) (1,145,000)    
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCL into income (effective portion)                                                                             (1,329,000) (1,720,000)        
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                                                                        
Outstanding borrowings on bank loans               10,830 7,500,000 14,680 10,800,000 12,262 8,500,000 10,816 7,900,000                                                          
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths)               3.26% 3.26% 3.61% 3.61% 6.02% 6.02%     6.05% 2.98%   2.94%   2.27% 2.27%     1.58%                                      
Fair value of long-term debt, including current maturities     $ 225,052