Note 18 - Stock Option and Purchase Plans (Details Textual) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Employee Stock Option [Member] \| The 2010 Sypris Omnibus Plan [Member]
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance		3,655,088
Employee Stock Option [Member] \| The 2015 Omnibus Plan [Member]
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance	3,476,021
Restricted Stock [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	$ 230,000	$ 773,000
Treasury Stock, Shares	28,999	98,251
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share	$ 2.65	$ 2.81
The 2010 Sypris Omnibus Plan [Member]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Lapsing Restrictions Period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period	5 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period	3 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period	0	201,589
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value	$ 0	$ 0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Available for Grant	3,476,021	1,052,021
Treasury Stock, Shares	49,692	82,692
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 0.82	$ 0.99
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period, Intrinsic Value		$ 417,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Not yet Recognized, Stock Options	$ 1,037,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition	328 days

The length of the award lapsing restrictions period.

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Aggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.

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Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation is expected to be recognized for equity-based compensation plans, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
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Unrecognized cost of unvested options awarded to employees as compensation.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

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The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

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Amount of accumulated difference between fair value of underlying shares on dates of exercise and exercise price on options exercised (or share units converted) into shares.

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The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

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Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Fair value of options vested. Excludes equity instruments other than options, for example, but not limited to, share units, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock.

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Number of share options (or share units) exercised during the current period.

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Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.

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Number of common and preferred shares that were previously issued and that were repurchased by the issuing entity and held in treasury on the financial statement date. This stock has no voting rights and receives no dividends.

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