Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income tax examination, year(s) under examination	The Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, has commenced an examination of Silgan's income tax return for the periods ended December 31, 2004 through December 31, 2010.

The tax year(s) being audited in connection with the income tax examination.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (d)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319

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