XML 110 R66.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Retirement, Pension and Other Postretirement Plans - Changes in Level 3 plan assets (Detail) (Level 3 [Member], Components of Net Periodic Pension Cost [Member], USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Beginning balance $ 37,051us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets $ 32,156us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Assets held, end of year 2,438us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld 2,995us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
Assets sold during the period 25us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsSoldDuringPeriod 13us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsSoldDuringPeriod
Purchases 2,816ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchasesAndSettlements 4,242ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchasesAndSettlements
Sales (1,684)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets (2,228)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets
Foreign currency translation (977)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanForeignCurrencyExchangeRateChangesPlanAssets (127)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanForeignCurrencyExchangeRateChangesPlanAssets
Ending balance 39,669us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets 37,051us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Other Types of Investments Real Estate Collective Funds [Member]
   
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Beginning balance 14,958us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
13,110us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Assets held, end of year 1,667us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
1,970us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Assets sold during the period 25us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsSoldDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
13us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsSoldDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Sales (155)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
(135)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Ending balance 16,495us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
14,958us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsRealEstateCollectiveFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Other Types of Investments Insurance Contracts [Member]
   
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Beginning balance 22,093us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
19,046us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Assets held, end of year 771us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
1,025us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanActualReturnOnPlanAssetsStillHeld
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Purchases 2,816ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchasesAndSettlements
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
4,242ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchasesAndSettlements
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Sales (1,529)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
(2,093)ndsn_DefinedBenefitPlanSaleOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Foreign currency translation (977)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanForeignCurrencyExchangeRateChangesPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
(127)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanForeignCurrencyExchangeRateChangesPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Ending balance $ 23,174us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
$ 22,093us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= ndsn_OtherTypeOfInvestmentsInsuranceContractMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member