Debt Long Term and Short Term Less Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense Combined Amount

No definition available.

Name:	slgn_DebtLongTermandShortTermLessUnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpenseCombinedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	slgn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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

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

- Definition

Represents the aggregate of total long-term debt, including current maturities and short-term debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Gross amount of debt extinguished.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slgn_BankBorrowingsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slgn_FiveandOneHalfPercentSeniorNotesdue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slgn_FourandThreeQuartersPercentSeniorNotesdue2025Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slgn_ThreeandOneQuarterPercentSeniorNotesdue2025Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=slgn_FinanceLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=slgn_RevolvingLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=slgn_USTermLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=slgn_CanadianTermLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=slgn_OtherForeignBankRevolvingAndTermLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=slgn_FinanceLeasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 01, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		$ 2,722,866	$ 2,317,723	$ 2,977,311
Less unamortized debt issuance costs		11,875	13,109	14,639
Debt long term and short term less unamortized debt issuance costs combined amount		2,710,991	2,304,614	2,962,672
Less current portion		886,458	170,214	788,731
Long-term debt		1,824,533	2,134,400	2,173,941
Bank debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		1,361,402	951,800	1,617,851
5 1/2% Senior Notes due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		$ 300,000	$ 300,000	$ 300,000
Senior note interest rate (percent)		5.50%	5.50%	5.50%
4 3/4% Senior Notes due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		$ 300,000	$ 300,000	$ 300,000
Senior note interest rate (percent)		4.75%	4.75%	4.75%
3 1/4% Senior Notes due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		$ 739,245	$ 744,380	$ 759,460
Senior note interest rate (percent)		3.25%	3.25%	3.25%
Finance leases [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		$ 22,219	$ 21,543	$ 0
Revolving Loan [Member] \| Bank debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		506,000	0	760,000
Less current portion		506,000
U S Term Loans [Member] \| Bank debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		800,000	800,000	800,000
Less current portion		40,000
Canadian Term Loans [Member] \| Bank debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		16,133	22,103	22,937
Other Foreign Bank Revolving And Term Loans [Member] \| Bank debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt - principal		39,269	$ 129,697	$ 34,914
Less current portion		39,300
Finance leases [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less current portion		$ 1,200
Subsequent Event [Member] \| 5 1/2% Senior Notes due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of debt	$ 300,000
Senior note interest rate (percent)	5.50%