Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Quarterly Financial Data Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Quarterly Financial Data [Table Text Block]

		First Quarter		Second Quarter		Third Quarter		Fourth Quarter
	2011
	Net Sales	$	658.1	$	709.2	$	764.3	$	740.0
	Gross Profit	$	205.2	$	229.9	$	252.3	$	236.3
	Net Income	$	50.7	$	65.7	$	83.3	$	70.5
	Net Income attributable to Hubbell	$	50.3	$	65.2	$	82.4	$	70.0
	Earnings Per Share — Basic	$	0.83	$	1.08	$	1.38	$	1.18
	Earnings Per Share — Diluted	$	0.82	$	1.07	$	1.37	$	1.17
	2010
	Net Sales	$	570.5	$	646.4	$	685.0	$	639.3
	Gross Profit	$	175.7	$	211.0	$	235.2	$	206.8
	Net Income	$	39.0	$	57.9	$	71.7	$	50.2	(1)
	Net Income attributable to Hubbell	$	38.6	$	57.6	$	71.3	$	49.7	(1)
	Earnings Per Share — Basic	$	0.64	$	0.96	$	1.19	$	0.82	(1)
	Earnings Per Share — Diluted	$	0.64	$	0.95	$	1.18	$	0.81	(1)
(1)	The fourth quarter of 2010 includes a $14.7 million pre-tax charge ($9.1 million after-tax) related to a loss on debt extinguishment. The earnings per share impact of this charge, both basic and diluted, was $0.15.