Income Taxes - Significant Components of Company's Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011
Deferred Tax Assets
Net operating loss carryforwards	$ 89.5	$ 132.3
Minimum pension liabilities	61.9	51.0
Insurance operations	9.1	9.7
Incentives	4.1	6.6
Environmental reserves	7.4	7.1
Inventories	2.7
State income tax	9.2	9.0
Postretirement	7.4	9.5
Other	5.7	4.1
Derivatives instruments	0.5
Interest	6.2	7.0
Allowance for doubtful accounts	4.5	3.3
Restructuring reserves	1.1	2.6
Deferred compensation	2.5	2.9
Foreign tax credits	1.8	1.8
Vacation accruals	1.4	1.2
Stock options	1.4	2.1
Severance	0.2
Workers compensation accruals	2.5	1.0
Total Deferred Tax Assets	219.1	251.2
Valuation allowance	(56.6)	(45.0)
Net Deferred Tax Assets	162.5	206.2
Deferred Tax Liabilities
Properties, plants and equipment	121.6	108.4
Goodwill and other intangible assets	96.4	80.0
Inventories		1.0
Derivative instruments		0.3
Foreign exchange	7.8	1.2
Timberland transactions	95.7	95.7
Pension	13.6	22.6
Total Deferred Tax Liabilities	335.1	309.2
Net Deferred Tax Liability	$ (172.6)	$ (103.0)