Represents the number of investment programs under the deferred compensation plan of the entity.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the gains and losses in excess of the specified percentage of the greater of the benefit obligation and the market-related value of assets that are amortized over the average remaining service period of active participants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mtw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of deferred compensation plans of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mtw_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of defined contribution retirement plans for the employees of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mtw_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amounts accrued related to the target benefit plan as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mtw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the expenses related to the target benefit plan during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mtw_TargetBenefitPlanExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	mtw_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements. Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of assets held under deferred compensation agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered, excluding assumptions about future compensation level.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cost (credit) included in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss expected to be recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit) for fiscal year following most recent annual statement of financial position.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedAmortizationNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of funded (unfunded) status of defined benefit plan, measured as difference between fair value of plan assets and benefit obligation. Includes, but is not limited to, overfunded (underfunded) status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64852052&loc=d3e1703-114919

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of target investment allocation to total plan assets. Includes, but is not limited to, percentage on weighted-average basis if more than one plan.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAssetsTargetAllocationPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Ultimate trend rate for health care cost for defined benefit postretirement plan.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cost for defined contribution plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 70
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170846&loc=d3e28014-114942

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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Employee Benefit Plans - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Employee Benefit Plans - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) plan	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Number of defined contribution retirement plans for the employees \| plan	3
Amortization of gains and losses in excess of specified percentage (as a percent)	10.00%
Expenses related to the target benefit plan	$ 1.2	$ 3.2	$ 2.9
Amounts accrued related to the target benefit plan	15.1	21.4
U.S. Pension Plans
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Funded status	(46.1)	(47.0)
Estimated future employer contributions	6.1
Accumulated benefit obligation	162.3	155.6
Non-US Pension Plans
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Funded status	(44.4)	(41.0)
Estimated future employer contributions	2.5
Accumulated benefit obligation	$ 82.1	76.2
Minimum \| Equity Securities
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Target Allocations (as a percent)	25.00%
Minimum \| Debt Securities
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Target Allocations (as a percent)	50.00%
Maximum \| Equity Securities
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Target Allocations (as a percent)	50.00%
Maximum \| Debt Securities
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Target Allocations (as a percent)	75.00%
Pension Plans
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income that are expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost during the next fiscal year	$ (4.9)
Postretirement Health and Other
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Funded status	(28.9)	(41.6)
Amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income that are expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost during the next fiscal year	$ 1.0
Annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits assumed for measurement purposes (as a percent)	6.20%
Ultimate health care cost trend rate (as a percent)	4.50%
Estimated future employer contributions	$ 3.5
Manitowoc Food Service \| Pension Plans
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Funded status			32.5
Retirement Savings Plan
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Total costs incurred under the Manitowoc Retirement Savings Plan	$ 1.5	1.9	$ 3.2
Deferred Compensation Plan
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Number of investment programs \| plan	2
Number of deferred compensation plans \| plan	2
Deferred Compensation Plan \| Program A
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Program asset	$ 0.0	0.0
Program obligation	0.0	0.0
Deferred Compensation Plan \| Program B
Manitowoc Deferred Compensation Plan
Program asset	10.6	11.3
Program obligation	$ 10.6	$ 11.3