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LONG-TERM DEBT (Details)
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12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sep. 30, 2012
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
USD ($)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Interest Expense [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
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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Sep. 30, 2012
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current liabilities: Other current liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Interest Rate Swaps [Member]
Current liabilities: Other current liabilities [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
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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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 1 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 2 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 3 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 4 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 5 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 6 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 7 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 8 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Interest Rate Swap 9 [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Domestic Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Credit Facility With European Bank [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
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Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Matthews International S.p.A [Member]
Lines of Credit with Italian Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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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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Sep. 30, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
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Sep. 30, 2012
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
USD ($)
|
Sep. 30, 2011
Saueressig [Member]
Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
EUR (€)
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| LONG-TERM DEBT [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revolving credit facilities | $ 281,323,000 | $ 281,593,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes payable to banks | 26,626,000 | 31,193,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short-term borrowings | 4,322,000 | 661,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital lease obligations | 7,443,000 | 3,737,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total debt and capital lease obligations | 319,714,000 | 317,184,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less current maturities | (21,566,000) | (18,014,000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations, excluding current maturities | 298,148,000 | 299,170,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Former Borrowing Capacity | 300,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maximum amount of borrowings available | 400,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 14,621,000 | 11,400,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maturity date | March 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 25,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding borrowings | 281,323,000 | 250,000,000 | 31,593,000 | 23,600,000 | 4,322,000 | 3,400,000 | 661,000 | 493,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) | 2.83% | 2.59% | 2.38% | 2.38% | 3.08% | 3.11% | 6.10% | 6.10% | 6.05% | 6.05% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of lines of credit | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Effective Date | May 2011 | October 2011 | November 2011 | March 2012 | June 2012 | August 2012 | September 2012 | September 2012 | November 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 40,000,000 | 35,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | 9,133,000 | 7,161,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of interest rate swaps, after tax | 5,571,000 | 4,368,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gain (loss) expected to be recognized over the next 12 months | 1,739,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Liability derivatives | 9,133,000 | 7,161,000 | 2,851,000 | 2,061,000 | 6,282,000 | 5,100,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of loss recognized in income (loss) on Derivatives | (3,418,000) | (2,600,000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of loss recognized in AOCL on Derivatives | (3,288,000) | (3,246,000) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCL into Income (effective portion) | (2,085,000) | [1] | (1,586,000) | [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding borrowings on bank loans | 8,080,000 | 6,300,000 | 11,611,000 | 8,700,000 | 10,514,000 | 8,200,000 | 11,159,000 | 8,300,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings (in hundredths) | 2.83% | 2.59% | 2.38% | 2.38% | 3.08% | 3.11% | 6.10% | 6.10% | 6.05% | 6.05% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aggregate maturities of long-term debt, including short-term borrowings and capital leases [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | 21,566,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | 9,687,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | 1,841,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | 950,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 282,027,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thereafter | 3,643,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total debt and capital lease obligations | $ 319,714,000 | $ 317,184,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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