Debt - Narrative (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Industrial Development Revenue Bond	$ 10,000
Ohio Department of Development Term Loan	2,754	3,076
Line Of Credit Facility Amount Outstanding	12,200	28,500
Derivative Liability Notional Amount		15,000
Derivative Maturity Year	2012
Line Of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line Of Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing Capacity	175,000
Line Of Credit Facility Increase Additional Borrowings	225,000
Line Of Credit Maturity Date	2014-06
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.96%	2.06%
Ohio Department Of Development [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument Maturity Year	2021
Ohio Department of Development Term Loan	$ 3,500
Principal Repayment Commencement Date	2010-09
Debt Instrument Interest Rate Stated Percentage	1.00%
Debt Instrument Interest Rate Stated Percentage In Year Two	2.00%
Debt Instrument Interest Rate Stated Percentage In Year Seven	3.00%

The percentage of the face amount of the debt instrument to be paid as interest seven years from the balance sheet date

No definition available.

Name:	kwr_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageInYearSeven
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the face amount of the debt instrument to be paid as interest two years from the balance sheet date

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageInYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Year that debt instrument matures and is to be fully repaid

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_DebtInstrumentMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Year in which entity's derivative instruments matured.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_DerivativeMaturityYear
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents an Industrial Development Revenue Bond used to fund the expansion of the company's Middletown, Ohio manufacturing facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_IndustrialDevelopmentRevenueBond
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maturity date of entity's principal line of credit in CCYY-MM format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_LineOfCreditMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearMonthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Commencement date of principal repayment in ccyy-mm format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_PrincipalRepaymentCommencementDate
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearMonthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total monetary amount specified by the derivative liability (or liabilities). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1A

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7476318&loc=SL5579245-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Notional Amount

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519104

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1B

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7476318&loc=SL5580258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilityNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Increase for additional borrowings on the credit facility during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(f))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph f

-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityIncreaseAdditionalBorrowings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the current and noncurrent portions of a long-term real estate loan with an initial maturity beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer, to finance building costs. The funds are disbursed as needed or in accordance with a prearranged plan; generally, a portion of the funds is disbursed at inception and the remainder as construction progresses. The money is repaid on completion of the project (generally one to seven years), usually from the proceeds of a mortgage loan. The rate is normally higher than the prime rate, and there is usually an origination fee. The effective yield on these loans tends to be high, and the lender has a security interest in the real property.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20,22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19

-Article 5

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermConstructionLoanCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the calculation as of the balance sheet date of the average interest rate weighted by the amount of long-term debt outstanding by type or by instrument at that time.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant