Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Sales	$ 1,040,160		$ 1,192,952		$ 1,177,438
Cost of sales	751,696		835,098		825,715
Gross profit	288,464		357,854		351,723
Selling, general and administrative expenses	200,794		201,752		196,496
Amortization expense	17,333		17,945		19,230
Asset impairments	253,560		0		0
Operating expenses, net	471,687		219,697		215,726
Operating (loss) income	(183,223)	[1],[2]	138,157	[3],[4]	135,997
Other expenses (income):
Interest expense, net	15,971		16,631		16,275
Financing costs amortization	1,290		1,392		1,306
Foreign currency loss (gain)	1,348		970		(242)
Other expenses, net	18,609		18,993		17,339
(Loss) income before income taxes	(201,832)		119,164		118,658
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Current	27,087		36,340		32,903
Deferred	(24,403)		(248)		(1,607)
Income tax expense, net	2,684		36,092		31,296
Net (loss) income	(204,516)		83,072		87,362
Noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	(1,556)		1,208		4,186
Net (loss) income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ (202,960)		$ 81,864		$ 83,176
Net (loss) income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. per common share:
Basic	$ (6.66)	[5]	$ 2.69	[6]	$ 2.75
Diluted	$ (6.66)	[5],[7]	$ 2.67	[6]	$ 2.60
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	30,493		30,384		30,209
Diluted	30,493		30,666		31,931
Retained Earnings [Member]
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net (loss) income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ (202,960)		$ 81,864		$ 83,176

[1] Includes asset impairment charges of $255,116 for the year ended December 31, 2015, attributed to E&C - $68,796, D&S - $2,020 , and BioMedical - $184,300.

[2] Includes impairment of goodwill and intangible assets totaling $253,560 as described in Note 3, Asset Impairments, to the consolidated financial statements.

[3] Includes recovery of $5,003 increasing operating income during the fourth quarter of 2014 from an escrow settlement for breaches of representations and warranties relating to warranty costs (which are in excess of the settlement amount) for certain product lines acquired from AirSep in 2012. We continue to pursue recovery for breaches of representations and warranties related to warranty costs for certain product lines acquired from AirSep in 2012 under our representation and warranty insurance coverage that exists from the acquisition.

[4] The BioMedical segment’s operating income included recovery of $5,003 increasing operating income for the year ended December 31, 2014 from an escrow settlement for breaches of representations and warranties relating to warranty costs (which are in excess of the settlement amount) for certain product lines acquired from AirSep in 2012.

[5] Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share are computed independently for each of the quarters presented. As such, the sum of quarterly basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share may not equal reported annual basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share.

[6] Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share are computed independently for each of the quarters presented. As such, the sum of quarterly basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share may not equal reported annual basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share.

[7] Zero incremental shares from share-based awards are included in the computation of diluted net loss per share for periods in which a net loss occurs, because to do so would be anti-dilutive.