Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Gardner Denver, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to herein as "Gardner Denver" or the "Company"). Certain prior year balance sheet items have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. In consolidation, all significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The financial information presented as of any date other than December 31, 2010 has been prepared from the books and records of the Company without audit. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements. The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the complete consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in Gardner Denver's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. The results of operations for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2010 has been derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. Other than as specifically indicated in these "Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements" included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company has not materially changed its significant accounting policies from those disclosed in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. New Accounting Standards Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2009-13, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605)—Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements – a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force ("ASU 2009-13"). ASU 2009-13 updates the existing multiple-element revenue arrangements guidance currently included under FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 605-25, Revenue Recognition, Multiple-Element Arrangements. The revised guidance primarily provides two significant changes: (i) eliminates the need for objective and reliable evidence of fair value for the undelivered element in order for a delivered item to be treated as a separate unit of accounting, and (ii) eliminates the residual method to allocate the arrangement consideration. In addition, the guidance expands the disclosure requirements for revenue recognition. ASU 2009-13 was effective for fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010. Adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2011 did not have a material effect on the Company's results of operations, financial position and cash flows. In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU No. 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820) – Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements ("ASU 2010-06"). This update requires the following new disclosures: (i) the amounts of significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements and a description of the reasons for the transfers; and (ii) a reconciliation for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), including separate information about purchases, sales, issuance, and settlements. The update also clarifies existing requirements about fair value measurement disclosures and disclosures about inputs and valuation techniques. The new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures were effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the reconciliation of Level 3 activity, which was effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2011. See Note 11 "Hedging Activities and Fair Value Measurements" for the disclosures required by ASU 2010-06. Adoption of this guidance had no effect on the Company's results of operations, financial position and cash flows. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Presentation of Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2011-05"). This update requires that the components of net income, the components of other comprehensive income and the total of comprehensive income be presented as a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. The option of presenting other comprehensive income in the statement of stockholders' equity is eliminated. This update also requires the presentation on the face of the financial statements of reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statements where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. ASU 2011-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-08, Testing for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2011-08"). ASU 2011-08 amends existing guidance by giving an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. If an entity determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the performance of the two-step goodwill impairment test, as currently prescribed by ASC Topic 350, is required. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted.

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Gardner Denver, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively referred to herein as "Gardner Denver" or the "Company"). Certain prior year balance sheet items have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. In consolidation, all significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

The financial information presented as of any date other than December 31, 2010 has been prepared from the books and records of the Company without audit. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of such financial statements.

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the complete consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in Gardner Denver's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

The results of operations for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The balance sheet at December 31, 2010 has been derived from the audited financial statements as of that date but does not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Other than as specifically indicated in these "Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements" included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company has not materially changed its significant accounting policies from those disclosed in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

New Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2009-13, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605)—Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements – a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force ("ASU 2009-13"). ASU 2009-13 updates the existing multiple-element revenue arrangements guidance currently included under FASB Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 605-25, Revenue Recognition, Multiple-Element Arrangements. The revised guidance primarily provides two significant changes: (i) eliminates the need for objective and reliable evidence of fair value for the undelivered element in order for a delivered item to be treated as a separate unit of accounting, and (ii) eliminates the residual method to allocate the arrangement consideration. In addition, the guidance expands the disclosure requirements for revenue recognition. ASU 2009-13 was effective for fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010. Adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2011 did not have a material effect on the Company's results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

In January 2010, the FASB issued ASU No. 2010-06, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820) – Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements ("ASU 2010-06"). This update requires the following new disclosures: (i) the amounts of significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements and a description of the reasons for the transfers; and (ii) a reconciliation for fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), including separate information about purchases, sales, issuance, and settlements. The update also clarifies existing requirements about fair value measurement disclosures and disclosures about inputs and valuation techniques. The new disclosures and clarifications of existing disclosures were effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, except for the reconciliation of Level 3 activity, which was effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2011. See Note 11 "Hedging Activities and Fair Value Measurements" for the disclosures required by ASU 2010-06. Adoption of this guidance had no effect on the Company's results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Presentation of Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2011-05"). This update requires that the components of net income, the components of other comprehensive income and the total of comprehensive income be presented as a single continuous financial statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. The option of presenting other comprehensive income in the statement of stockholders' equity is eliminated. This update also requires the presentation on the face of the financial statements of reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statements where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. ASU 2011-05 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-08, Testing for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2011-08"). ASU 2011-08 amends existing guidance by giving an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. If an entity determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the performance of the two-step goodwill impairment test, as currently prescribed by ASC Topic 350, is required. ASU 2011-08 is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted.