OTHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Condensed Financial Information [Abstract]

Condensed Financial Information Statements Of Financial Condition [Text Block]

	September 30, 2012
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.		WESCO Distribution, Inc.		Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries		Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Cash and cash equivalents	$	3	$	75,673	$	31,961	$	—		$	107,637
Trade accounts receivable, net	—		—		1,020,454		—			1,020,454
Inventories, net	—		337,316		325,448		—			662,764
Other current assets	—		38,423		76,647		—			115,070
Total current assets	3		451,412		1,454,510		—			1,905,925
Intercompany receivables, net	—		—		1,751,125		(1,751,125		)	—
Property, buildings and equipment, net	—		59,543		81,455		—			140,998
Intangible assets, net	—		6,360		198,212		—			204,572
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	—		246,125		880,876		—			1,127,001
Investments in affiliates and other noncurrent assets	2,426,032		3,601,264		30,989		(6,016,787		)	41,498
Total assets	$	2,426,035	$	4,364,704	$	4,397,167	$	(7,767,912	)	$	3,419,994
Accounts payable	$	—	$	444,291	$	248,886	$	—		$	693,177
Other current liabilities	2,578		57,161		157,120		—			216,859
Total current liabilities	2,578		501,452		406,006		—			910,036
Intercompany payables, net	679,405		1,071,720		—		(1,751,125		)	—
Long-term debt	171,244		187,988		337,526		—			696,758
Other noncurrent liabilities	28,126		182,443		58,101		—			268,670
Stockholders’ equity	1,544,682		2,421,101		3,595,534		(6,016,787		)	1,544,530
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	2,426,035	$	4,364,704	$	4,397,167	$	(7,767,912	)	$	3,419,994

	December 31, 2011
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.		WESCO Distribution, Inc.		Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries		Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Cash and cash equivalents	$	5	$	44,412	$	19,452	$	—		$	63,869
Trade accounts receivable, net	—		—		939,422		—			939,422
Inventories, net	—		341,423		285,544		—			626,967
Other current assets	270		32,548		74,344		—			107,162
Total current assets	275		418,383		1,318,762		—			1,737,420
Intercompany receivables, net	—		—		1,771,921		(1,771,921		)	—
Property, buildings and equipment, net	—		54,038		79,512		—			133,550
Intangible assets, net	—		6,981		149,893		—			156,874
Goodwill and other intangibles, net	—		246,125		762,002		—			1,008,127
Investments in affiliates and other noncurrent assets	2,219,323		3,422,885		31,745		(5,631,472		)	42,481
Total assets	$	2,219,598	$	4,148,412	$	4,113,835	$	(7,403,393	)	$	3,078,452
Accounts payable	$	—	$	423,509	$	219,268	$	—		$	642,777
Other current liabilities	7,797		56,035		139,237		—			203,069
Total current liabilities	7,797		479,544		358,505		—			845,846
Intercompany payables, net	668,447		1,103,474		—		(1,771,921		)	—
Long-term debt	169,054		188,081		285,787		—			642,922
Other noncurrent liabilities	28,131		163,177		52,466		—			243,774
Stockholders’ equity	1,346,169		2,214,136		3,417,077		(5,631,472		)	1,345,910
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	2,219,598	$	4,148,412	$	4,113,835	$	(7,403,393	)	$	3,078,452

Condensed Financial Information Statement Of Income [Text Block]

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2012
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.		WESCO Distribution, Inc.		Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Net sales	$	—	$	868,289	$	816,211		$	(28,314	)	$	1,656,186
Cost of goods sold	—		689,522		656,224			(28,314		)	1,317,432
Selling, general and administrative expenses	25		121,006		104,781			—			225,812
Depreciation and amortization	—		3,980		5,930			—			9,910
Results of affiliates’ operations	69,571		44,115		—			(113,686		)	—
Interest expense, net	6,095		3,706		2,853			—			12,654
Provision for income taxes	—		24,679		2,308			—			26,987
Net income (loss)	63,451		69,511		44,115			(113,686		)	63,391
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	—		—		(24		)	—			(24		)
Net income (loss) attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	63,451	$	69,511	$	44,139		$	(113,686	)	$	63,415
Comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	10,652		10,652		10,652			(21,304		)	10,652
Comprehensive income attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	74,103	$	80,163	$	54,791		$	(134,990	)	$	74,067

	Three Months Ended September 30, 2011
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.			WESCO Distribution, Inc.			Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Net sales	$	—		$	847,745		$	764,880		$	(32,249	)	$	1,580,376
Cost of goods sold	—			680,897			616,097			(32,249		)	1,264,745
Selling, general and administrative expenses	18			134,671			81,516			—			216,205
Depreciation and amortization	—			2,780			4,894			—			7,674
Results of affiliates’ operations	60,336			53,846			—			(114,182		)	—
Interest expense, net	6,428			5,573			3,078			—			15,079
Provision for income taxes	—			17,334			5,449			—			22,783
Net income (loss) attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	53,890		$	60,336		$	53,846		$	(114,182	)	$	53,890
Comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(26,411		)	(26,411		)	(26,411		)	52,822			(26,411		)
Comprehensive income attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	27,479		$	33,925		$	27,435		$	(61,360	)	$	27,479

WESCO INTERNATIONAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(unaudited)

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.		WESCO Distribution, Inc.		Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Net sales	$	—	$	2,602,688	$	2,432,239		$	(99,989	)	$	4,934,938
Cost of goods sold	—		2,074,165		1,966,586			(99,989		)	3,940,762
Selling, general and administrative expenses	49		413,540		271,541			—			685,130
Depreciation and amortization	—		11,231		15,200			—			26,431
Results of affiliates’ operations	192,729		164,338		—			(357,067		)	—
Interest expense, net	17,417		7,667		8,009			—			33,093
Provision for income taxes	—		67,694		6,565			—			74,259
Net income (loss)	175,263		192,729		164,338			(357,067		)	175,263
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	—		—		(4		)	—			(4		)
Net income (loss) attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	175,263	$	192,729	$	164,342		$	(357,067	)	$	175,267
Comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	14,297		14,297		14,297			(28,594		)	14,297
Comprehensive income attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	189,560	$	207,026	$	178,639		$	(385,661	)	$	189,564

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.			WESCO Distribution, Inc.			Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries			Consolidated
Net sales	$	—		$	2,386,968		$	2,223,588		$	(74,360	)	$	4,536,196
Cost of goods sold	—			1,913,902			1,788,124			(74,360		)	3,627,666
Selling, general and administrative expenses	62			404,112			240,002			—			644,176
Depreciation and amortization	—			8,228			14,633			—			22,861
Results of affiliates’ operations	159,957			156,191			—			(316,148		)	—
Interest expense, net	18,493			12,839			10,319			—			41,651
Provision for income taxes	—			44,121			14,319			—			58,440
Net income (loss) attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	141,402		$	159,957		$	156,191		$	(316,148	)	$	141,402
Comprehensive income:
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(16,685		)	(16,685		)	(16,685		)	33,370			(16,685		)
Comprehensive income attributable to WESCO International, Inc.	$	124,717		$	143,272		$	139,506		$	(282,778	)	$	124,717

Condensed Financial Information Statements Of Cash Flows [Text Block]

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.			WESCO Distribution, Inc.			Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries		Consolidated
Net cash (used) provided by operating activities	$	(8,490	)	$	201,343		$	(3,170	)	$	—	$	189,683
Investing activities:
Capital expenditures	—			(15,654		)	(3,815		)	—		(19,469		)
Acquisition payments	—			(201,123		)	—			—		(201,123		)
Other	—			51			—			—		51
Net cash used in investing activities	—			(216,726		)	(3,815		)	—		(220,541		)
Financing activities:
Net borrowings	10,957			36,589			19,259			—		66,805
Equity transactions	(2,469		)	—			—			—		(2,469		)
Other	—			10,055			—			—		10,055
Net cash provided by financing activities	8,488			46,644			19,259			—		74,391
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	—			—			235			—		235
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(2.4		)	31,261			12,509			—		43,768
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	5			44,412			19,452			—		63,869
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of period	$	3		$	75,673		$	31,961		$	—	$	107,637

	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2011
	(In thousands)
	WESCO International, Inc.			WESCO Distribution, Inc.			Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries			Consolidating and Eliminating Entries		Consolidated
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities	$	(2,450	)	$	33,256		$	41,022		$	—	$	71,828
Investing activities:
Capital expenditures	—			(21,700		)	(2,266		)	—		(23,966		)
Acquisition payments	—			(8,166		)	—			—		(8,166		)
Other	—			86			—			—		86
Net cash used in investing activities	—			(29,780		)	(2,266		)	—		(32,046		)
Financing activities:
Net (repayments) borrowings	4,973			(6,002		)	—			—		(1,029		)
Equity transactions	(2,517		)	—			—			—		(2,517		)
Other	—			8,751			—			—		8,751
Net cash provided by financing activities	2,456			2,749			—			—		5,205
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	—			—			(4,515		)	—		(4,515		)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	6			6,225			34,241			—		40,472
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	1			32,342			21,234			—		53,577
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of period	$	7		$	38,567		$	55,475		$	—	$	94,049