Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Summary of Accounting Policies (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2012
Basis Of Consolidation	*Basis of Consolidation* The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of PCA include all majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The Company has one joint venture that is accounted for under the equity method.
Use Of Estimates	*Use of Estimates* The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition	*Revenue Recognition* The Company recognizes revenue as title to the products is transferred to customers. The cost of shipping and handling products billed to a customer are included in net sales. Shipping and product handling costs not billed to a customer are included in cost of sales. In addition, the Company offers volume rebates to certain of its customers. The cost of these rebates is estimated and accrued as a reduction to net sales at the time of the respective sale.
Segment Information	*Segment Information* PCA is engaged in one line of business: the integrated manufacture and sale of packaging materials, boxes and containers for industrial and consumer markets. No single customer accounts for more than 10% of total net sales.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	*Recent Accounting Pronouncements* In December 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2011-12, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.” This ASU effectively defers only those changes in Update 2011-05 as discussed below that relate to the presentation of reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income and gives the FASB additional time to redeliberate the presentation requirements for reclassification adjustments. The amendments in this ASU are effective for public entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company has complied with the provisions of ASU 2011-12 upon its adoption on January 1, 2012. In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) — Testing Goodwill for Impairment,” which simplifies how entities test goodwill for impairment. The amendments in this update provide an entity the option to make a qualitative evaluation about the likelihood of goodwill impairment to determine whether it should calculate the fair value of a reporting unit. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this guidance on January 1, 2012 did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. The Company will complete its annual goodwill impairment test under this new guidance in the fourth quarter of 2012. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) — Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” The amendments in this ASU require that all nonowner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The provisions in this update should be applied retrospectively and are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company has complied with the additional provisions of ASU 2011-05 upon its adoption on January 1, 2012. See Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income for additional information. In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) — Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs.” The amendments in this ASU clarify the application of existing fair value measurement and disclosure requirements, which will improve the comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and IFRSs. ASU 2011-04 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not have any impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. See Note 11 for additional information.

Disclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.

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+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction.

+ References+ Details

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

+ References+ Details