Borrowings (Narrative) (Details)	0 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 09, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 06, 2010 USD ($)	Apr. 15, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 USD ($)	Dec. 21, 2011 USD ($)	Jul. 12, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 09, 2011 4.2% Senior Notes, Due December 2021 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 06, 2010 4.2% Senior Notes, Due December 2021 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 4.2% Senior Notes, Due December 2021 [Member] years	Jun. 09, 2010 2.58% Senior Euro Notes, Due June 2015 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 09, 2010 2.58% Senior Euro Notes, Due June 2015 [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2011 2.58% Senior Euro Notes, Due June 2015 [Member]	Dec. 06, 2010 4.5 % Senior Notes [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 15, 2010 4.5 % Senior Notes [Member] years	Dec. 31, 2011 4.5 % Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 IDEX UK Ltd [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 IDEX UK Ltd [Member] GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2011 Letters Of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Swing Line Loans [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving facility closing date						June 27, 2011
Replaced credit facility due to expire					$ 600,000,000	$ 600,000,000
Replaced credit facility expiration date					December 2011	December 2011
Revolving facility principal amount						700,000,000																75,000,000	25,000,000
Revolving facility expiration date						June 27, 2016
Aggregate lending commitments, maximum					950,000,000	950,000,000
Current borrowings under revolving facility																				10,800,000	7,000,000	7,800,000
Applicable margin over LIBOR					1.05%	1.05%																		0.875%	1.70%
Annual credit facility fee basis point rate spread over LIBOR					20	20
Net available borrowing under Revolving Facility					641,400,000	641,400,000
Unsecured senior bank term loan agreement amount									100,000,000
Retired amount on senior bank term loan									82,000,000
Principal amount of private placement														96,800,000	81,000,000
Stated interest rate											4.20%		4.20%	2.58%	2.58%	2.58%	4.50%	4.50%	4.50%
Debt instrument maturity period											December 15, 2021			June 9, 2015	June 9, 2015		December 15, 2020
Debt instrument maximum amount outstanding														750,000,000
Repayment, minimum percentage outstanding																5.00%
Debt instrument face amount											350,000,000						300,000,000
Net proceeds from debt offering												346,200,000					295,700,000
Debt offering initial discount											900,000						1,600,000
Interest rate contract settlement		34,700,000		31,000,000	38,700,000
Additional interest rate contract settlement					4,000,000
Interest rate contract settlement term													10					10
Recognized as other expense					800,000
Interest expense					37,900,000	29,332,000	16,150,000	17,178,000
Interest rate contract settlement, interest rate, effective percentage													5.30%					5.80%
Leverage ratio																								3.0 to 1	3.25 to 1
Debt offering underwriting commission											2,300,000						1,900,000
Estimated offering expenses											600,000						800,000
Outstanding repayment of indebtedness	306,000,000		250,000,000
Contingent percentage of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest											101.00%								101.00%
Interest rate contract with notional amount		350,000,000		300,000,000						350,000,000
Revolving facility, amount outstanding					50,800,000	50,800,000
Other borrowings					$ 5,700,000	$ 5,700,000
Lowest interest rate payable on debt						1.50%
Highest interest rate payable on debt						5.20%