Business Combination - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands								12 Months Ended			13 Months Ended
	Apr. 09, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 01, 2017 USD ($) country	Nov. 07, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 04, 2017 USD ($) shares	Nov. 18, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) country	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) country
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Effective period of the repurchase program						1 year
Reduction of contingent liability								$ 3,018	$ 26,948	$ 53,608
Adjustment to additional paid in capital, settlement of Dow liabilities									55,089
Number of operating countries (more than) | country								50			50
AgroFresh Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration							$ 635,000
AgroFresh Inc. | Common stock
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of shares issued as consideration (in shares) | shares							17,500,000
Tecnidex Fruit Protection, S.A.U.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration			$ 20,000	$ 25,000				$ 2,300			$ 22,300
Number of operating countries (more than) | country			18
Percentage of voting interests acquired			75.00%
Dow
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Outstanding payable								0	1,200		$ 0
Dow | Amendment agreement
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in due to related parties					$ 20,000				(18,200)
Related party transactions, cash paid		$ 10,000			$ 10,000
Reduction of contingent liability									95,100
Deferred tax effect on reduction of contingent liability									40,000
Adjustment to additional paid in capital, settlement of Dow liabilities									55,100
Dow | Working capital adjustment
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Outstanding payable									17,000
Dow | Value Added Tax reimbursement
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Outstanding payable									9,300
Dow | Tax receivables agreement
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in due to related parties									(75,300)
Outstanding payable									$ 12,000
Dow Chemical
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized to be repurchased (in shares) | shares					5,070,358
Percentage of number of shares outstanding					10.00%
Effective period of the repurchase program					18 months
Dow Chemical | Tax receivables agreement
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of tax savings to be paid					50.00%		85.00%
Verigo
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments to acquire software	$ 1,800
Level 3 | Tecnidex Fruit Protection, S.A.U.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration			$ 700
Contingent consideration
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Adjustment to fair value								(312)
Contingent consideration related to acquisition | Contingent consideration
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Adjustment to fair value								(312)
Contingent consideration related to acquisition | Contingent consideration | Tecnidex Fruit Protection, S.A.U.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Adjustment to fair value								$ 300