Benefit Plans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Employer Contributions [Abstract]
Percentage of employer contribution into the employers savings plan	3.00%
Maximum percentage of total benefit obligation for international pension plans	25.00%
Employee vesting period for defined benefit plans	5 years
Amounts recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Non-current liability	$ (141.8)	$ (146.5)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Amount recognized end of year	74.8	82.1
Accumulated benefit obligation	382.6	393.3
Changes in Plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Amortization of prior service credit (gain) loss	(6.3)	(3.5)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income	$ (7.3)	$ 31.1	$ (34.3)
Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Discount rate	3.71%	4.39%	3.80%
Expected return on plan assets	6.89%	7.34%	7.18%
Rate of compensation increase	3.04%	3.08%	3.16%
Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligation [Abstract]
Discount rate	3.89%	3.66%	4.37%
Rate of compensation increase	3.04%	3.05%	3.10%
Actual return (loss) on pension assets	1.00%	7.00%	14.00%
Maximum health care cost trend rate	5.00%
Weighted average asset allocations [Abstract]
Weighted average asset allocation percentages, Total	100.00%	100.00%
Weighted average asset allocations value [Abstract]
Total value	$ 282.5	$ 295.8
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 282.5	295.8
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
Average rate of return on assets	9.00%
Company's contributions to employee voluntary savings and investment plan	$ 6.3	2.9	$ 2.9
Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	231.6	217.3
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	33.0	51.9
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value	26.6	20.2
Purchases, sales, settlements	0.0	0.0
Actual return on plan assets	(8.4)	2.0
Acquisition		4.9
Foreign exchange impact	(0.3)	(0.5)
Ending fair value	17.9	26.6	20.2
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 17.9	$ 26.6
Equity Securities [Member]
Weighted average asset allocations [Abstract]
Weighted average asset allocation percentages, Total	58.90%	58.20%
Weighted average asset allocations value [Abstract]
Total value	$ 166.4	$ 172.3
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, minimum	55.00%
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, maximum	65.00%
Equity Securities [Member] | US Equities [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 143.9	142.1
Equity Securities [Member] | US Equities [Member] | Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	143.7	132.1
Equity Securities [Member] | US Equities [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.2	10.0
Equity Securities [Member] | US Equities [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.0	0.0
Equity Securities [Member] | Non-US Equities [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	22.5	30.2
Equity Securities [Member] | Non-US Equities [Member] | Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	22.5	22.2
Equity Securities [Member] | Non-US Equities [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.0	8.0
Equity Securities [Member] | Non-US Equities [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 0.0	$ 0.0
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
Weighted average asset allocations [Abstract]
Weighted average asset allocation percentages, Total	34.70%	32.40%
Weighted average asset allocations value [Abstract]
Total value	$ 98.0	$ 95.7
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, minimum	30.00%
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, maximum	35.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Instruments [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 98.0	95.7
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Instruments [Member] | Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	65.4	62.8
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Instruments [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	32.6	32.9
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Corporate Debt Instruments [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 0.0	$ 0.0
Real Estate [Member]
Weighted average asset allocations [Abstract]
Weighted average asset allocation percentages, Total	0.90%	0.70%
Weighted average asset allocations value [Abstract]
Total value	$ 2.5	$ 2.2
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	2.5	2.2
Real Estate [Member] | Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.0	0.0
Real Estate [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.0	1.0
Real Estate [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 2.5	$ 1.2
Other [Member]
Weighted average asset allocations [Abstract]
Weighted average asset allocation percentages, Total	5.50%	8.70%
Weighted average asset allocations value [Abstract]
Total value	$ 15.6	$ 25.6
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 15.6	25.6
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, minimum	0.00%
Target long-term investment portfolio mix, maximum	15.00%
Other [Member] | Quoted Prices In Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 0.0	0.2
Other [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	0.2	0.0
Other [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	15.4	25.4
Pension Benefits [Member]
Change in benefit obligations [Roll Forward]
Beginning projected benefit obligation	433.8	289.5
Service cost	10.3	8.9	8.4
Interest cost	15.4	14.9	11.3
Actuarial (gain)/loss	(17.0)	57.3
Benefits paid	(19.5)	(12.7)
Settlements		0.0
Acquisition		83.3
Foreign exchange impact	(7.0)	(7.7)
Other	0.6	0.3
Ending projected benefit obligation	416.6	433.8	289.5
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value	295.8	240.3
Actual return on plan assets	1.2	20.7
Employer contributions	10.0	6.4
Plan participants' contributions	0.5	0.5
Benefits paid	(19.5)	(12.7)
Settlements	0.0	0.0
Acquisition	0.0	46.3
Foreign exchange impact	(5.5)	(5.7)
Ending fair value	282.5	295.8	240.3
Funded status of the plan	(134.1)	(138.0)
Amounts recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Current liability	(0.9)	(0.8)
Non-current liability	(133.2)	(137.2)
Recognized liability	(134.1)	(138.0)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net actuarial (gain) loss	80.3	88.4
Prior service cost	0.2	1.0
Amount recognized end of year	80.5	89.4
Changes in Plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Current year actuarial gain (loss)	0.5	(34.0)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss	7.7	4.8
Amortization of prior service credit (gain) loss	0.5	0.6
Total recognized in other comprehensive income	8.7	(28.6)
Components of net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Service cost	10.3	8.9	8.4
Interest cost	15.4	14.9	11.3
Expected return on plan assets	(19.7)	(19.4)	(14.8)
Amortization of prior service cost	0.8	1.0	1.0
Recognized net actuarial (gain) loss	12.1	7.4	13.9
Settlement/curtailment loss		0.0	0.0
Net periodic benefit cost	18.9	12.8	19.8
Amounts that will be amortized from Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in next fiscal year [Abstract]
Amortization of prior service credit (gain) loss	0.7
Amortization of net (gain) loss	10.7
Total costs to be recognized	11.4
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Expected company contribution to its benefit plans	11.0
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
2016	20.6
2017	21.7
2018	22.2
2019	22.8
2020	24.0
2021-2025	127.5
Post-retirement Benefits [Member]
Change in benefit obligations [Roll Forward]
Beginning projected benefit obligation	10.1	9.9
Service cost	0.4	0.4	0.6
Interest cost	0.3	0.4	0.3
Actuarial (gain)/loss	(0.9)	0.7
Benefits paid	(0.4)	(1.2)
Foreign exchange impact	(0.2)	(0.1)
Ending projected benefit obligation	9.3	10.1	9.9
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning fair value	0.0	0.0
Actual return on plan assets	0.0	0.0
Employer contributions	0.4	1.2
Plan participants' contributions	0.0
Benefits paid	(0.4)	(1.2)
Settlements	0.0	0.0
Acquisition	0.0	0.0
Foreign exchange impact	0.0	0.0
Ending fair value	0.0	0.0	0.0
Funded status of the plan	(9.3)	(10.1)
Amounts recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Current liability	(0.7)	(0.8)
Non-current liability	(8.6)	(9.3)
Recognized liability	(9.3)	(10.1)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Net actuarial (gain) loss	(1.5)	(1.0)
Prior service cost	(4.3)	(6.3)
Amount recognized end of year	(5.8)	(7.3)
Changes in Plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income [Abstract]
Current year actuarial gain (loss)	0.6	(0.5)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss	(0.1)	(0.1)
Amortization of prior service credit (gain) loss	(1.9)	(1.9)
Total recognized in other comprehensive income	(1.4)	(2.5)
Components of net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Service cost	0.4	0.4	0.6
Interest cost	0.3	0.4	0.3
Expected return on plan assets	0.0	0.0	0.0
Amortization of prior service cost	(3.1)	(3.1)	(3.1)
Recognized net actuarial (gain) loss	(0.1)	(0.2)	0.0
Settlement/curtailment loss		0.0	0.0
Net periodic benefit cost	(2.5)	(2.5)	(2.2)
Amounts that will be amortized from Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in next fiscal year [Abstract]
Amortization of prior service credit (gain) loss	(3.1)
Amortization of net (gain) loss	(0.2)
Total costs to be recognized	(3.3)
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Expected company contribution to its benefit plans	0.6
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
2016	0.6
2017	0.7
2018	0.7
2019	0.7
2020	0.7
2021-2025	3.4
U.S. Plans [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	213.0	224.1	170.6
International Plans [Member]
Fair value of plan assets [Abstract]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 69.5	71.7	$ 70.1
AMCOL's Savings Plan [Member]
Estimated future benefit payments [Abstract]
Company's contributions to employee voluntary savings and investment plan		$ 2.6