Restructuring (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 Facilities	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) Positions		Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Estimated fair values of the remaining long-lived assets		$ 22,000				$ 22,000
Long lived asset impairments		2,600		$ 18,200		10,100		$ 66,100
Long lived asset impairments recorded to date		80,300				$ 80,300
Position reduction due to restructuring | Positions						400
Number of positions eliminated due to restructuring | Positions						185
Total restructuring costs incurred to date		126,300				$ 126,300
Savings recognized in restructuring plan		2,300				5,400				$ 3,000
Estimated cost savings due to restructuring						30,000
Estimated cost savings in 2015						8,000
Expected incremental savings in 2016		6,000				6,000
Current estimated cost savings due to restructuring		25,000				25,000
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		10,952		20,986		27,689		75,623
Discontinued Operations		(71)		2,071		43		10,017
Total Restructuring		10,881		23,057		27,732		85,640
Detail of the restructuring costs [Abstract]
Employee separation		745		908		4,449		13,199
Long-lived asset impairment		2,610		17,072		10,090		59,335
Gain on asset sales						(1,301)		(602)
Write-down of inventory		2,814		1,914		3,095		1,914
Other costs		4,783	[1]	1,092	[2]	11,356	[1]	1,777	[2]
Future restructuring costs, current year						9,000
Future restructuring costs, 2016		7,000				7,000
Summary of accrual for restructuring and other charges [Abstract]
Balance as of beginning of period						15,806
Expense activity						15,951
Cash spent						(18,487)
Translation adjustment						(1,126)
Balance as of end of period		12,144				12,144				15,806
Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected incremental savings in 2017		8,000				8,000
Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected incremental savings in 2017		9,000				9,000
Selling & Administrative [Member]
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		8,138		19,072		24,594		73,709
Detail of the restructuring costs [Abstract]
Employee separation		745		908		4,449		13,199
Long-lived asset impairment		2,610		17,072		10,090		59,335
Gain on asset sales						(1,301)		(602)
Write-down of inventory		0		0		0		0
Other costs		4,783	[1]	1,092	[2]	11,356	[1]	1,777	[2]
Cost of Products Sold [Member]
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		2,814		1,914		3,095		1,914
Detail of the restructuring costs [Abstract]
Employee separation		0		0		0		0
Long-lived asset impairment		0		0		0		0
Gain on asset sales						0		0
Write-down of inventory		2,814		1,914		3,095		1,914
Other costs		0	[1]	0	[2]	0	[1]	0	[2]
Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Facilities identified for consolidation | Facilities	8
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		10,035		20,064		$ 23,055		74,115
Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | North America [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Facilities identified for consolidation | Facilities	4
Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Europe [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Facilities identified for consolidation | Facilities	4
Number of additional positions identified for elimination subsequent to current period | Positions						25
Color [Member]
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		245		0		$ 1,828		0
Corporate & Other [Member]
Restructuring cost by segment [Abstract]
Total Continuing Operations		672		$ 922		2,806		$ 1,508
Employee Separations [Member]
Summary of accrual for restructuring and other charges [Abstract]
Balance as of beginning of period						14,909
Expense activity						4,038
Cash spent						(6,317)
Translation adjustment						(1,126)
Balance as of end of period		11,504				11,504				14,909
Other Costs [Member]
Summary of accrual for restructuring and other charges [Abstract]
Balance as of beginning of period						897
Expense activity						11,913
Cash spent						(12,170)
Translation adjustment						0
Balance as of end of period		$ 640				$ 640				$ 897

[1] Other costs include decommissioning costs, professional services, temporary labor, moving costs and other related costs.

[2] Other costs include facility decommissioning costs, professional services, personnel moving costs and other related costs.