Income taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Nondeductible Portion of Interest Carryforwards		$ 14,700,000	$ 12,500,000
Unpaid Transition Tax		$ 33,300,000
Transition Tax, Number Of Payments		2
Transition Tax, due in 2024		$ 14,800,000
Transition Tax, due in 2025		18,500,000
Income tax expense (benefit)		(22,400,000)	33,800,000	$ 60,100,000
Deferred income taxes		$ 67,000,000.0	40,500,000
Period For Which Opertaing Loss Carryforward is Utilized		3 years
Business interest income, adjusted taxable income		30.00%
Current income taxes expense (benefit)		$ 26,100,000	36,400,000	51,200,000
Deferred income taxes expense (benefit)		(48,500,000)	(2,600,000)	8,900,000
Deferred income taxes		31,800,000	63,500,000
Unrecognized tax benefits impact on effective tax rate		2,800,000
Accrued interest and penalties during the period		0	200,000	700,000
Accrued interest and penalties end of the period		0	100,000
Contran
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Income taxes payable current		10,200,000	5,800,000
Chemicals
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes expense (benefit)		$ 2,200,000
Canada
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Period		20 years
European Subsidiaries | Chemicals | Transition Tax
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Current income tax expense provisional pursuant to transition tax	$ 74,100,000
Income tax liability payable period					8 years
Corporate Tax Purposes | Germany
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards		$ 75,800,000
Net operating loss carryforwards		478,700,000
Corporate Tax Purposes | Belgium
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards		11,800,000
Net operating loss carryforwards		47,000,000.0
Corporate Tax Purposes | Canada
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards		4,700,000
Net operating loss carryforwards		31,500,000
Trade Tax Purposes | Germany
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards		5,900,000
Net operating loss carryforwards		54,500,000
Provincial Tax Purposes | Canada
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Net operating loss carryforwards		4,000,000.0
Net operating loss carryforwards		34,900,000
Direct Investment in Subsidiary | Kronos
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes expense (benefit)		6,400,000	$ (1,200,000)	$ 5,000,000.0
Deferred income taxes		47,400,000
Direct Investment in Subsidiary | Kronos | Maximum [Member]
Income Taxes Disclosure [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes		$ 153,600,000