Pension and other postretirement benefits - fair values of pension plan assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 315,951	$ 328,830
Cash
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	664	659
Money market funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	184	31
Equity Securities | Managed Volatility
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	80,052	83,068
Equity Securities | U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	18,549	20,312
Equity Securities | World Equity Exclude United States
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	29,632	26,064
Equity Securities | Common Equity Securities – Teleflex Incorporated
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	15,366	13,422
Equity Securities | Diversified United Kingdom Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	845	875
Equity Securities | Diversified Global
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	2,948	2,884
Equity Securities | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	1,055	1,266
Fixed Income Investments | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	10,060	8,531
Fixed Income Investments | Long duration bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	80,855	92,553
Fixed Income Investments | UK corporate bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	2,467	2,719
Fixed Income Investments | UK Government bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	4,838	5,078
Fixed Income Investments | High yield bond fund (f)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	10,702	11,618
Fixed Income Investments | Corporate, government and foreign bonds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	75	81
Fixed Income Investments | Asset backed – home loans
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	655	782
Other Investments | Structured credit
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	29,591	31,176
Other Investments | Hedge fund of funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	22,599	23,171
Other Investments | UK Property Fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	1,654	1,549
Other Investments | Multi asset fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	3,155	2,986
Other Investments | Other
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	5	5
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	251,312	263,535
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Cash
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	664	659
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Money market funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	184	31
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | Managed Volatility
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	80,052	83,068
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	18,549	20,312
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | World Equity Exclude United States
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	29,632	26,064
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | Common Equity Securities – Teleflex Incorporated
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	15,366	13,422
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | Diversified United Kingdom Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	845	875
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | Diversified Global
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	2,948	2,884
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Equity Securities | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,055	$ 1,266
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | Long duration bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 80,855	$ 92,553
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | UK corporate bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	2,467	2,719
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | UK Government bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	4,838	5,078
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | High yield bond fund (f)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 10,702	$ 11,618
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | Corporate, government and foreign bonds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fixed Income Investments | Asset backed – home loans
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other Investments | Structured credit
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other Investments | Hedge fund of funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other Investments | UK Property Fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other Investments | Multi asset fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 3,155	$ 2,986
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other Investments | Other
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 12,444	$ 10,943
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Cash
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Money market funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | Managed Volatility
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | World Equity Exclude United States
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | Common Equity Securities – Teleflex Incorporated
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | Diversified United Kingdom Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | Diversified Global
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Equity Securities | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 10,060	$ 8,531
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | Long duration bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | UK corporate bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | UK Government bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | High yield bond fund (f)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | Corporate, government and foreign bonds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 75	$ 81
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fixed Income Investments | Asset backed – home loans
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 655	$ 782
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other Investments | Structured credit
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other Investments | Hedge fund of funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other Investments | UK Property Fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,654	$ 1,549
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other Investments | Multi asset fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other Investments | Other
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 52,195	$ 54,352
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Cash
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Money market funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | Managed Volatility
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | U.S. Small/Mid-Cap Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | World Equity Exclude United States
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | Common Equity Securities – Teleflex Incorporated
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | Diversified United Kingdom Equity
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | Diversified Global
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Equity Securities | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | Emerging Markets
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | Long duration bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | UK corporate bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | UK Government bond fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | High yield bond fund (f)
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | Corporate, government and foreign bonds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Fixed Income Investments | Asset backed – home loans
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other Investments | Structured credit
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 29,591	$ 31,176
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other Investments | Hedge fund of funds
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 22,599	$ 23,171
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other Investments | UK Property Fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other Investments | Multi asset fund
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other Investments | Other
Schedule Of Pension Plan Assets By Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 5	$ 5