Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Details)

v2.4.0.6
Debt (Details)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current Liabilities: Other Current Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Long-Term Liabilities: Other Liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 9 [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2012
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2012
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
Sep. 30, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Wetzel GmbH [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Wetzel GmbH [Member]
EUR (€)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                                                                          
Maximum amount of borrowings available                                               $ 400,000                     $ 15,003 € 11,400                  
Interest rate on borrowings, based on leverage ratio                                               LIBOR plus a factor ranging from 1.00% to 1.50% based on the Company's leverage ratio                                          
Maturity date                                               Mar. 31, 2017                                          
Annual commitment fee range on unused portion                                               .20% to .30% (based on the Company's leverage ratio)                                          
Maximum available for issuance of trade and standby letters of credit                                               25,000                                          
Outstanding borrowings                                               358,823 281,323   30,586 23,600 5,771 4,400 4,322 3,400     7,689 5,800 8,080 6,300 4,131 3,100 10,514 8,200   11,923 9,000
Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths)                                               2.62%   2.68% 2.38% 2.38%         3.12% 3.16%         3.93% 3.93%     6.05% 6.99% 6.99%
Number of lines of credit                                                                     4 4                  
Derivative [Line Items]                                                                                          
Effective Date                             May 2011 October 2011 November 2011 March 2012 June 2012 August 2012 September 2012 September 2012 November 2012                                            
Amount                             25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 40,000 35,000 25,000 25,000 25,000                                            
Fixed Interest Rate (in hundredths)                             1.37% 1.67% 2.13% 2.44% 1.88% 1.74% 3.03% 1.24% 1.33%                                            
Interest Rate Spread (in hundredths)                             1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25%                                            
Maturity Date                             May 2014 October 2015 November 2014 March 2015 June 2022 June 2022 December 2015 March 2017 November 2015                                            
Interest rate cash flow hedges [Abstract]                                                                                          
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps 8,112 6,999                                                                                      
Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax 4,948 4,269                                                                                      
Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months 1,740                                                                                        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]                                                                                          
Liability derivatives                 8,112 9,133 2,852 2,851 5,260 6,282                                                              
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]                                                                                          
Amount of loss recognized in income (loss) on derivatives             (1,003) (687)                                                                          
Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in AOCL on derivatives         11 (320)                                                                              
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCL into income (effective portion)     $ (612) $ (419)