STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Proceeds from stock option exercises	$ 26,078,000	$ 28,820,000	$ 9,227,000
Stock options
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Award vesting period (in years)	3 years
Expiration period (in years)	P10Y
Compensation expense	13,700,000	11,200,000	9,800,000
Compensation expense, net of tax	9,600,000	8,000,000	7,300,000
Compensation expense, per basic share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.14	$ 0.12	$ 0.11
Compensation expense, per diluted share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.14	$ 0.11	$ 0.10
Income tax benefit related to compensation expense	4,100,000	3,200,000	2,400,000
Weighted-average fair value of stock options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 11.36	$ 9.18	$ 7.33
Fair value of shares vested	11,100,000	11,700,000	11,000,000
Proceeds from stock option exercises	26,100,000
Tax benefit realized for the tax deduction from option exercises	8,600,000
Unrecognized compensation cost expected to be recognized in future periods	8,200,000
Weighted-average period over which compensation cost is expected to be recognized (in years)	1.4
Stock options | Selling, research & development and administrative expenses
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Compensation expense	12,500,000	9,900,000	8,700,000
Stock Awards Plans | Stock options
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of stock options granted
Dividend Yield (as a percent)	1.70%	1.80%	1.60%
Expected Stock Price Volatility (as a percent)	23.30%	22.70%	24.20%
Risk-free Interest Rate (as a percent)	2.70%	3.60%	2.20%
Expected Life of Option (in years)	6.9	6.9	6.9
Stock options activity
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	8,208,736
Granted (in shares)	1,284,150
Exercised (in shares)	(1,128,656)
Forfeited or expired (in shares)	(18,313)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	8,345,917	8,208,736
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	5,862,872
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 28.91
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 48.21
Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 21.28
Forfeited or expired (in dollars per share)	$ 37.00
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 32.90	$ 28.91
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 29.22
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years):
Outstanding at the end of the period (in years)	5.9
Exercisable at the end of the period (in years)	4.7
Aggregate Intrinsic Value:
Outstanding at the end of the period	158,585,000
Exercisable at the end of the period	132,307,000
Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised	32,782,000	31,217,000	10,916,000
Stock Awards Plans | Restricted stock units
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Award vesting period (in years)	3 years
Compensation expense	267,000	467,000	143,000
Unrecognized compensation cost expected to be recognized in future periods	105,000
Weighted-average period over which compensation cost is expected to be recognized (in years)	1.3
Restricted stock unit activity
Balance at the beginning of the period (in shares)	22,303
Granted (in shares)	5,035
Vested (in shares)	(10,045)
Balance at the end of the period (in shares)	17,293	22,303
Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 34.71
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 49.63
Vested (in dollars per share)	$ 34.44
Nonvested at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 39.21	$ 34.71
Fair value of units vested	346,000	298,000	323,000
Intrinsic value of units vested	492,000	330,000	319,000
Director Stock Option Plans | Stock options
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION
Weighted-average fair value of stock options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 12.00	$ 10.07	$ 7.90
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of stock options granted
Dividend Yield (as a percent)	1.60%	1.70%	1.70%
Expected Stock Price Volatility (as a percent)	22.90%	22.60%	24.90%
Risk-free Interest Rate (as a percent)	2.50%	3.40%	3.10%
Expected Life of Option (in years)	6.9	6.9	6.9
Stock options activity
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	219,000
Granted (in shares)	85,500
Exercised (in shares)	(34,500)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	270,000	219,000
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)	125,836
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 30.40
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 51.26
Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 22.79
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 37.98	$ 30.40
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 29.15
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years):
Outstanding at the end of the period (in years)	7.0
Exercisable at the end of the period (in years)	5.0
Aggregate Intrinsic Value:
Outstanding at the end of the period	3,831,000
Exercisable at the end of the period	2,896,000
Intrinsic Value of Options Exercised	$ 970,000	$ 1,151,000