Pension Plans (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2010	Jul. 01, 2011	Jul. 02, 2010
Pension Plans
Service cost	$ 3.2	$ 2.6	$ 6.2	$ 5.4
Interest cost	5.4	5.3	10.9	10.7
Expected return on plan assets	(5.5)	(4.9)	(11.0)	(9.9)
Net amortization	0.8	1.1	1.8	2.1
Curtailment			0.6
Net periodic cost	3.9	4.1	8.5	8.3
Pension Plans (Textuals) [Abstract]
General discussion of pension and other postretirement benefits			The Company has various defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans. The defined benefit plans of the Company are the Anixter Inc. Pension Plan, Executive Benefit Plan and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”) (together the “Domestic Plans”) and various pension plans covering employees of foreign subsidiaries (“Foreign Plans”). The majority of the Company’s pension plans are non-contributory and cover substantially all full-time domestic employees and certain employees in other countries. Retirement benefits are provided based on compensation as defined in both the Domestic and Foreign Plans. The Company’s policy is to fund all Domestic Plans as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and the IRS and all Foreign Plans as required by applicable foreign laws. The Executive Plan and SERP are the only two plans that are unfunded. Assets in the various plans consist primarily of equity securities and fixed income investments.
Domestic [Member]
Pension Plans
Service cost	1.8	1.5	3.5	3.1
Interest cost	2.9	2.9	6.0	5.8
Expected return on plan assets	(2.9)	(2.7)	(5.9)	(5.4)
Net amortization	0.8	0.9	1.7	1.7
Curtailment			0.6
Net periodic cost	2.6	2.6	5.9	5.2
Foreign [Member]
Pension Plans
Service cost	1.4	1.1	2.7	2.3
Interest cost	2.5	2.4	4.9	4.9
Expected return on plan assets	(2.6)	(2.2)	(5.1)	(4.5)
Net amortization		0.2	0.1	0.4
Net periodic cost	$ 1.3	$ 1.5	$ 2.6	$ 3.1