Note 2 - Acquisitions of Businesses (Details) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Chemtura [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Chemtura [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] United States of America, Dollars Agriphar Acquisition [Member]	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Euro Member Countries, Euro Agriphar Acquisition [Member]	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] EUR (€)	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Agriphar Acquisition [Member] EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2013 EBITDA [Member] MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Stock Price [Member] MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 16, 2014 Cash [Member] Chemtura [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 MacDermid [Member] Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 MacDermid [Member] Other Noncurrent Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 MacDermid [Member] MacDermid Savings Plan [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 MacDermid [Member] MacDermid Savings Plan [Member]	Mar. 04, 2014 MacDermid [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 MacDermid [Member]	Jan. 31, 2014 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 04, 2014 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 MacDermid [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 16, 2014 Chemtura [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2014 Chemtura [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 03, 2014 Specialty Chemical Business [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Agriphar Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 PDH [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 PDH [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions of Businesses (Details) [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Ownership																				3.00%	3.00%	97.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred										$ 379,000	€ 300,000					$ 950,000								$ 1,800,000					$ 1,000,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Liabilities Incurred																								754,200
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High																								100,000
Business Combination, Provisional Information, Initial Accounting Incomplete, Adjustment, Consideration Transferred																							8,540
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate																								2.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Future Value of Cash Payments														60,000
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements Expected Future Value of Payments															40,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability	60,900	34,800															60,900	34,800						35,500		100,000	100,000	35,500
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability			26,100
Business Combination, Provisional Information, Initial Accounting Incomplete, Adjustment, Intangibles																										2,300
Business Acquisition, Share Price (in Dollars per share)																										$ 11.00	$ 11.00
Business Acquisition Proportionate Share of Contingent Consideration																											100,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners																										6.76%	6.76%						6.76%
Annual Maximum Percentage of Holdings Exchanged																																		25.00%
Remaining Shares Exchanged In Percentage Increments																																		25.00%
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance (in Shares)																																	8,800,000
Redeemable 401k Plan Interest		20,972																										20,972
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross										360,000	285,000								2,600						2,600
Business Acquisition, Equity Interest Issued or Issuable, Number of Shares (in Shares)																			1,670,386						1,670,386				2,000,000		2,000,000
Number of Major Product Lines	2																												7
Escrow Deposit																														315,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs				5,900	15,800	1,000	1,300			1,500																			5,000
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate, Translation								1.26	1.00			1.26	1.26
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Equity Interests Issued and Issuable (in Euro)											711,551
undefined	63,854																															63,854
Business Combination, Consideration Payable, Shares to be Issued												$ 19,000	€ 15,000