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Segment and Geographic Information - Narratives (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jun. 11, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Nov. 15, 2018
Segment Reporting Information
Restructuring charges										$ 4.4	$ 11.2	$ 9.5
Transaction related costs										2.1	10.1	0.4
Severance costs										3.2	3.6	8.6
Share-based compensation expense										4.9	10.6	10.1
Asset impairments										0.0	0.0	1.2
Sales to external customers		$ 290.1	$ 272.2	$ 277.9	$ 244.1	$ 269.4	$ 202.7	$ 199.8	$ 171.0	1,084.3	842.9	722.0
Assets		1,897.7				1,724.7				1,897.7	1,724.7
Goodwill		520.7				459.7				520.7	459.7	208.9
Identifiable intangible assets, net		330.4				286.4				330.4	286.4
Customer Concentration Risk \| Sales \| Praxair and Linde
Segment Reporting Information
Sales to external customers										$ 121.6
Concentration risk (percent)										11.20%
Customer Concentration Risk \| Sales \| Air Gas and Air Liquide
Segment Reporting Information
Sales to external customers												$ 90.6
Concentration risk (percent)												12.50%
D&S West
Segment Reporting Information
Goodwill		151.3				147.3				$ 151.3	147.3	$ 146.2
Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Goodwill		295.8				275.1				295.8	275.1	27.9
D&S East
Segment Reporting Information
Goodwill		73.6				37.3				73.6	37.3	34.8
Operating Segments \| D&S West
Segment Reporting Information
Restructuring charges										0.0	1.1	3.5
Sales to external customers										455.5	400.6	378.1
Operating Segments \| Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Restructuring charges										0.7	2.4	1.0
Sales to external customers										390.5	225.6	154.3
Operating Segments \| D&S East
Segment Reporting Information
Restructuring charges										1.4	1.7	0.8
Sales to external customers										246.3	232.3	197.6
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information
Restructuring charges										2.3	6.0	4.2
Sales to external customers										0.0	0.0	0.0
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| D&S West
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		420.3				415.7				420.3	415.7
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		889.2				782.9				889.2	782.9
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| D&S East
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		496.1				327.3				496.1	327.3
Continuing Operations \| Corporate
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		92.1				93.9				92.1	93.9
VRV
Segment Reporting Information
Integration costs		0.8
Goodwill													$ 63.2
VRV \| Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		327.8								327.8
Goodwill		64.0								64.0
Identifiable intangible assets, net		66.4								66.4
VRV \| Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		145.8								145.8
Goodwill		27.4								27.4
Identifiable intangible assets, net		33.2								33.2
VRV \| Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| D&S East
Segment Reporting Information
Assets		182.0								182.0
Goodwill		36.6								36.6
Identifiable intangible assets, net		33.2								33.2
Hudson
Segment Reporting Information
Transaction related costs											9.0
Sales to external customers						51.9	$ 6.1			180.3	58.0
Goodwill		$ 233.0				238.3				233.0	238.3
Hudson \| Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Assets						572.8					572.8
Goodwill						238.3					238.3
Identifiable intangible assets, net						$ 211.0					211.0
Employee severance
Segment Reporting Information
Severance costs										2.3
Share-based compensation expense			(0.9)	(1.8)
Employee severance \| CEO
Segment Reporting Information
Severance costs	$ 1.4			1.4
Compensation forfeiture
Segment Reporting Information
Severance costs			$ 1.8	$ 3.2
Cryobiological storage
Segment Reporting Information
Sales to external customers										80.4	77.0	70.6
Cryobiological storage \| Operating Segments \| D&S West
Segment Reporting Information
Product warranty expense										4.0
Sales to external customers										81.9	77.0	70.6
Cryobiological storage \| Operating Segments \| Energy & Chemicals
Segment Reporting Information
Sales to external customers										0.0	0.0	0.0
Cryobiological storage \| Operating Segments \| D&S East
Segment Reporting Information
Sales to external customers										$ 0.0	$ 0.0	$ 0.0