Restructuring Charges (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2011 Employee	Oct. 31, 2010 Employee	Oct. 31, 2009 Employee
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges	$ 19,100,000	$ 6,200,000	$ 30,496,000	$ 26,746,000	$ 66,590,000
Number of employees severed			257	232	1,294
Reversal of severance expense					2,100,000
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			24,054,000	20,980,000	65,742,000
Number of plants closed			2	7	19
Flexible Products and Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			6,899,000	624,000
Number of plants closed				1
Paper Packaging [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			(451,000)	5,142,000	685,000
Number of plants closed				2
Employee separation costs [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			13,360,000	13,744,000	28,400,000
Employee separation costs [Member] | Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			9,538,000
Employee separation costs [Member] | Flexible Products and Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			4,513,000
Employee separation costs [Member] | Paper Packaging [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			(685,000)
Asset impairments [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			4,474,000	2,916,000	19,600,000
Asset impairments [Member] | Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			4,395,000
Asset impairments [Member] | Flexible Products and Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			44,000
Asset impairments [Member] | Paper Packaging [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			35,000
Other restructuring costs [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			12,662,000	10,086,000	18,300,000
Other restructuring costs [Member] | Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			10,121,000
Other restructuring costs [Member] | Flexible Products and Services [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			2,342,000
Other restructuring costs [Member] | Paper Packaging [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			199,000
Professional Fees [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			1,900,000	2,400,000	300,000
Inventory adjustments [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges				100,000	10,800,000
Lease Termination costs [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			3,500,000
Relocation costs [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			2,200,000
Other Cost [Member]
Restructuring and Related Cost (Textual) [Abstract]
Restructuring charges			$ 5,100,000