Segment and Geographic Information, Segment and Geographic Info (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 1,386,815	$ 1,362,265	$ 1,383,210
Long-lived assets	1,002,075	990,865	950,799
North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	722,732	718,708	745,660
Long-lived assets	568,115	546,661	548,674
Europe [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	342,057	324,597	342,818
Long-lived assets	387,060	405,238	361,029
Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	213,029	208,935	196,884
Long-lived assets	30,236	31,390	30,006
Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	108,997	110,025	97,848
Long-lived assets	16,664	7,576	11,090
Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	723,189	727,026	771,434
Long-lived assets	383,642	389,688	386,109
Color [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	539,974	512,811	490,862
Long-lived assets	495,215	496,144	465,419
Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	123,127	122,428	120,914
Long-lived assets	25,856	26,920	25,280
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | United States [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	586,200	574,500	595,000
Long-lived assets	491,400	491,800	495,300
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	477,083	487,034	515,716
Long-lived assets	260,932	260,802	257,661
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Europe [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	173,562	164,641	192,185
Long-lived assets	121,372	127,111	126,447
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	31,506	32,717	27,459
Long-lived assets	1,061	1,395	1,482
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Flavors & Fragrances [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	41,038	42,634	36,074
Long-lived assets	277	380	519
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Color [Member] | North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	245,278	231,674	229,944
Long-lived assets	209,821	207,746	206,078
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Color [Member] | Europe [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	168,187	159,646	150,553
Long-lived assets	265,688	278,127	245,526
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Color [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	59,548	55,108	49,580
Long-lived assets	3,319	3,075	3,244
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Color [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	66,961	66,383	60,785
Long-lived assets	16,387	7,196	10,571
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member] | North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0
Long-lived assets	0	0	0
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member] | Europe [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	155	310	80
Long-lived assets	0	0	0
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	121,975	121,110	119,845
Long-lived assets	25,856	26,920	25,280
Reportable Geographical Components [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	997	1,008	989
Long-lived assets	0	0	0
Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(37,285)	(34,234)	(37,928)
Intersegment Revenue [Member] | Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(23,743)	(19,917)	(24,377)
Intersegment Revenue [Member] | Color [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(13,505)	(13,552)	(13,269)
Intersegment Revenue [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(37)	(765)	(282)
Corporate & Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	525	0	0
Long-lived assets	97,362	78,113	73,991
Corporate & Other [Member] | North America [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	371	0	0
Long-lived assets	97,362	78,113	84,935
Corporate & Other [Member] | Europe [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	153	0	0
Long-lived assets	0	0	(10,944)
Corporate & Other [Member] | Asia Pacific [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0
Long-lived assets	0	0	0
Corporate & Other [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	1	0	0
Long-lived assets	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0