Stockholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($)									3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2015	Jun. 23, 2015	Mar. 19, 2015	Feb. 25, 2015	Feb. 13, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	May. 22, 2013	Apr. 23, 2013	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 13, 2014	Jan. 23, 2014	Jan. 05, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Price of shares issued (in usd per share)										$ 26.50			$ 19.00	$ 11.00					$ 11.00
Issuance of common shares to directors for exercise of stock options (in shares)															75,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	$ 483,000,000														$ 469,500,000	$ 473,400,000
Number of preferred shares authorized in amendment (in shares)																	5,000,000
Liquidation preference per share									$ 1,000						$ 1,000
Share price (in usd per share)									$ 12.65						12.65			$ 0.01
Preferred stock outstanding (in shares)										$ 0	$ 0	$ (400,000)	$ 300,200,000	$ 0
Issuance of common stock to Founder Entities as stock dividend to Series A Preferred Stock declared on 12/31/14						10,050,290
Dividend price (in usd per share)						$ 22.85
Total number of shares of common stock originally issuable upon the exchange of PDH common stock pursuant to the RHSA (in shares)									8,800,000
Net income allocated to Retaining Holders												$ 2,100,000
Conversion price (in usd per share)									$ 27.14						$ 27.14
Whole payment amount									$ 320,000,000						$ 320,000,000
Arysta [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Volume weighted average price period					10 days
Equity Instruments					$ 645,900,000
Noncontrolling interest acquired					$ 31,000,000
Maximum share conversion (in shares)				22,107,590	22,107,590
Mac Dermid [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Equity Instruments									97,500,000						97,500,000
Net income allocated to Retaining Holders									$ (1,100,000)						$ 100,000	$ 5,200,000
Noncontrolling interest percentage						6.67%			6.35%			6.76%			6.35%	6.76%
Platform Specialty Products [Member] | Director [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period								5 years
Option to acquire shares (in shares)								75,000
Option exercised to acquire shares (in shares)			75,000
PDH [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Rate PDH Common stock that may be exchanged for shares of common stock															25.00%
Common stock issued in connection with exchange of PDH common stock (in shares)									567,920						567,920
Weighted Average [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Share price (in usd per share)						$ 23.16
Redeemable Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Temporary equity designated (in shares)									600,000						600,000
Temporary equity issued (in shares)						0			600,000						600,000
Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of preferred shares authorized in amendment (in shares)																	2,000,000
Preferred shares, shares issued (in shares)						2,000,000			2,000,000						2,000,000
Preferred shares, shares outstanding (in shares)						2,000,000			2,000,000						2,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock [Member] | Founders Entities [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred stock outstanding (in shares)							$ 2,000,000
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Issuance of stock, shares (in Shares)		18,226,414							6,343	406,217	21,316		15,800,000	3,959
Price of shares issued (in usd per share)		$ 26.50
Issuance of common shares to directors for exercise of stock options (in shares)									2,500		75,000
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs	$ 14,800,000
Preferred stock outstanding (in shares)													$ 200,000
Issuance of common stock to Founder Entities as stock dividend to Series A Preferred Stock declared on 12/31/14											10,050,290
Common Stock [Member] | Underwriter Options [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Issuance of common shares to directors for exercise of stock options (in shares)		2,377,358
Series A Preferred Stock To Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Preferred Stock To Common Stock Conversion Ratio															1