Amount recognized arising from contingent consideration held in escrow

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Payments to acquire businesses

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Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

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- Definition

Date when the acquirer obtains control of the acquiree, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences due after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

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Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date.

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Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

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The cash inflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period (for example, cash that was held by the acquired business).

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Amount of amortization expense expected to be recognized during the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of amortization expense expected to be recognized during the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of amortization expense expected to be recognized during the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of amortization expense expected to be recognized during the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of amortization expense expected to be recognized during the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year for assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, Net - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition		Jan. 15, 2014
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired	100.00%
Payments to acquire businesses		$ 102,600,000iff_Paymentstoacquirebusinesses
Cash Acquired from Acquisition		100,000us-gaap_CashAcquiredFromAcquisition
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net	56,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill	53,000,000
Goodwill	10,000,000us-gaap_Goodwill	675,484,000us-gaap_Goodwill	665,582,000us-gaap_Goodwill
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent	9,000,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Held in Escrow	15,000,000	15,000,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets		7,300,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	6,100,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	6,100,000us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Estimated annual amortization, 2015		7,200,000
Estimated annual amortization, 2016		7,200,000
Estimated annual amortization, 2017		7,200,000
Estimated annual amortization, 2018		7,200,000
Estimated annual amortization, 2019		$ 6,500,000
Minimum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		13 years
Maximum [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		19 years