Segment and Geographic Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 1,375,964	$ 1,447,821	$ 1,462,126
Total revenue	1,420,503	1,494,194	1,509,540
Operating income (loss)	166,341	130,665	173,780
Interest expense	16,945	16,067	16,147
Earnings before income taxes	149,396	114,598	157,633
Assets	1,711,437	1,765,206	1,870,734
Capital expenditures	79,941	79,398	104,246
Depreciation and amortization	47,939	51,456	52,016
Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(44,539)	(46,373)	(47,414)
Total revenue	44,539	46,373	47,414
Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	793,386	825,976	854,515
Total revenue	819,009	851,546	880,586
Operating income (loss)	121,874	120,888	121,806
Interest expense	0	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	121,874	120,888	121,806
Assets	806,401	819,366	901,870
Capital expenditures	56,233	41,244	59,086
Depreciation and amortization	24,049	26,316	27,575
Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	25,623	25,570	26,071
Color [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	452,203	488,762	475,061
Total revenue	470,939	509,336	496,307
Operating income (loss)	94,799	114,014	107,214
Interest expense	0	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	94,799	114,014	107,214
Assets	706,769	747,738	778,864
Capital expenditures	18,933	31,883	38,639
Depreciation and amortization	18,529	18,843	17,607
Color [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	18,736	20,574	21,246
Asia Pacific [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	130,375	133,083	132,550
Total revenue	130,555	133,312	132,647
Operating income (loss)	25,496	25,122	22,161
Interest expense	0	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	25,496	25,122	22,161
Assets	82,696	84,842	87,708
Capital expenditures	2,643	2,010	1,670
Depreciation and amortization	2,349	2,473	2,543
Asia Pacific [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	180	229	97
Corporate & Other [Member] | Reportable Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0
Total revenue	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(75,828)	(129,359)	(77,401)
Interest expense	16,945	16,067	16,147
Earnings before income taxes	(92,773)	(145,426)	(93,548)
Assets	115,571	113,260	102,292
Capital expenditures	2,132	4,261	4,851
Depreciation and amortization	3,012	3,824	4,291
Corporate & Other [Member] | Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0