Reflects the effect of a currency conversion charge during the period due to an equity affiliate.

No definition available.

Name:	kwr_CurrencyConversionAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the effect on diluted earnings per share of currency conversions during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	kwr_EffectOfCurrencyConversionPerDilutedShare
Namespace Prefix:	kwr_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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

- Definition

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66022249&loc=d3e33749-111570

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 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in noncontrolling interest from subsidiary issuance of equity interests to noncontrolling interest holders.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64809438&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68079674&loc=SL4569655-111683

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=kwr_EquityMethodInvesteeNameNipponQuakerJapanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=us-gaap_AsiaPacificMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=kwr_EquityMethodInvesteeNameKelkoVenezuelaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=us-gaap_SouthAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=kwr_EquityMethodInvesteeNameKelkoPanamaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=kwr_EquityMethodInvesteeNamePrimexMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=us-gaap_NorthAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Investment in Associated Companies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments				$ 22,817	$ 20,354
Noncontrolling Interest Increase From Subsidiary Equity Issuance				$ 73
Nippon Quaker (Japan) [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Ownership Percentage				50.00%
Nippon Quaker (Japan) [Member] \| Asia Pacific [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments				$ 5,200
Kelko (Venezuela) [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Ownership Percentage				50.00%
Currency Conversion Adjustment	$ 100	$ 2,800	$ 300
Effect Of Currency Conversion Per Diluted Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.21	$ 0.02
Kelko (Venezuela) [Member] \| South America [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments				$ 200
Kelko (Panama) [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Ownership Percentage				50.00%
Kelko (Panama) [Member] \| South America [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments				$ 300
Primex (Barbados) [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Ownership Percentage				33.00%
Primex (Barbados) [Member] \| North America [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments				$ 17,100