Revolving Credit Facilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012
NMHG [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Loan Processing Fee	$ 5.6
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	200.0
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	190.7
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	9.3
Assets held as collateral	685
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.50%
Dividend Payment Restrictions Schedule, Description	NMHG may pay dividends subject to maintaining a certain level of availability prior to and upon payment of a dividend and achieving a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.10 to 1.00, as defined in the NMHG Facility. The current level of availability required to pay dividends is $40 million. The NMHG Facility also requires NMHG to achieve a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio in certain circumstances if NMHG fails to maintain a minimum amount of availability as specified in the NMHG Facility.
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.375%
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.50%
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member] | Domestic base rate loans [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	0.75%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	4.00%
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member] | LIBOR base rate loans [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.75%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	2.25%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	3.00%
Line of Credit [Member] | NMHG [Member] | Foreign Overdraft [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.00%
Line of Credit [Member] | HBB [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	115.0
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	41.4
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	66.6
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	108.0
Assets held as collateral	180
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate During Period	2.09%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.00%
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.25%
Dividend Payment Restrictions Schedule, Description	(i) $15.0 million from the closing date of the HBB Facility through December 31, 2012, so long as HBB has excess availability, as defined in the HBB Facility, of at least $30.0 million; (ii) the greater of $20.0 million or excess cash flow from the most recently ended fiscal year in each of the two twelve-month periods following the closing date of the HBB Facility, so long as HBB has excess availability under the HBB Facility of $25.0 million and maintains a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.0 to 1.0, as defined in the HBB Facility; and (iii) in such amounts as determined by HBB subsequent to the second anniversary of the closing date of the HBB Facility, so long as HBB has excess availability under the HBB Facility of $25.0 million.
Loan Processing Fee	$ 1.2
Line of Credit [Member] | HBB [Member] | Domestic base rate loans [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	0.00%
Line of Credit [Member] | HBB [Member] | LIBOR base rate loans [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.50%