Reportable Business Segment Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 1,148,008		$ 1,002,056		$ 2,673,318		$ 2,359,940
Depreciation and amortization	40,537	[1]	35,580	[1]	118,395	[1]	106,818	[1]
Rationalization charges	682		971		4,782		3,733
Segment income from operations	136,051		120,954	[2]	284,156	[3],[4]	244,718	[2],[5]
Metal Containers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	798,663	[6]	688,901	[6]	1,671,404	[6]	1,442,015	[6]
Depreciation and amortization	20,498	[1],[6]	16,697	[1],[6]	58,481	[1],[6]	50,299	[1],[6]
Rationalization charges			381	[6]	1,378	[6]	694	[6]
Segment income from operations	111,745	[6]	95,274	[2],[6]	192,984	[3],[4],[6]	185,698	[2],[5],[6]
Closures
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	189,554		162,769		534,133		472,588
Depreciation and amortization	8,353	[1]	7,055	[1]	25,074	[1]	21,114	[1]
Rationalization charges	339				1,731
Segment income from operations	24,369		22,028	[2]	62,866	[3],[4]	57,078	[2],[5]
Plastic Containers
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	159,791		150,386		467,781		445,337
Depreciation and amortization	11,269	[1]	11,408	[1]	33,576	[1]	34,146	[1]
Rationalization charges	343		590		1,673		3,039
Segment income from operations	3,802		8,206	[2]	14,629	[3],[4]	15,080	[2],[5]
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization	417	[1]	420	[1]	1,264	[1]	1,259	[1]
Segment income from operations	$ (3,865)		$ (4,554)	[2]	$ 13,677	[3],[4]	$ (13,138)	[2],[5]

[1] Depreciation and amortization excludes amortization of debt discount and issuance costs of $0.9 million and $0.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, and $2.5 million and $2.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

[2] Income from operations for corporate includes costs attributable to announced acquisitions of $0.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010.

[3] Income from operations for corporate includes income of $25.2 million for proceeds received as a result of the termination of the Graham Packaging merger agreement, net of costs associated with certain corporate development activities.

[4] Income from operations of the metal containers segment includes a charge for the resolution of a past product liability dispute of $3.3 million.

[5] Income from operations for the closures segment includes a charge of $3.2 million for the remeasurement of net assets in the Venezuela operations to the devalued official Bolivar exchange rate.

[6] Our metal containers segment includes the operations formerly categorized as metal food containers and the VN operations acquired in March 2011.