The Company	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
The Company [Abstract]
The Company	(1) The Company Cambrex Corporation and Subsidiaries (the "Company" or "Cambrex") primarily provides products and services worldwide to pharmaceutical companies and generic drug companies. The Company is dedicated to accelerating its customers' drug discovery, development and manufacturing processes for human therapeutics. The Company's products consist of active pharmaceutical ingredients ("APIs") and pharmaceutical intermediates produced under Food and Drug Administration current Good Manufacturing Practices for use in the production of prescription and over-the-counter drug products and to a lesser extent, other fine chemicals. Cambrex has three operating segments, which are manufacturing facilities that have been aggregated as one reportable segment.

The Company

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

(1) The Company

Cambrex Corporation and Subsidiaries (the "Company" or "Cambrex") primarily provides products and services worldwide to pharmaceutical companies and generic drug companies. The Company is dedicated to accelerating its customers' drug discovery, development and manufacturing processes for human therapeutics. The Company's products consist of active pharmaceutical ingredients ("APIs") and pharmaceutical intermediates produced under Food and Drug Administration current Good Manufacturing Practices for use in the production of prescription and over-the-counter drug products and to a lesser extent, other fine chemicals. Cambrex has three operating segments, which are manufacturing facilities that have been aggregated as one reportable segment.