Goodwill and Other Intangibles Other Intangibles (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period		$ 129,873
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		(104,762)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period		2,041,027
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period		(85,748)
Amortization		(61,534)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		3,248
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period		(144,034)
Net Book Value		1,896,993	$ 44,125
Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period		48,479
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		(74,388)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period		1,370,091
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period		(22,931)
Amortization		(41,796)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		1,482
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period		(63,245)
Net Book Value		1,306,846	25,548
Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period		17,555
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		(17,722)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period		362,953
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period		(7,912)
Amortization		(9,216)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		139
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period		(16,989)
Net Book Value		345,964	9,643
Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period		40,398
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		(10,735)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period		258,936
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period		(32,831)
Amortization		(10,157)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		1,102
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period		(41,886)
Net Book Value		217,050	7,567
Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross Asset Value, Beginning of Period		23,441
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		(1,917)
Gross Asset Value, End of Period		49,047
Accumulated Amortization, Beginning of Period		(22,074)
Amortization		(365)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other		525
Accumulated Amortization, End of Period		(21,914)
Net Book Value		27,133	$ 1,367
Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets		1,937,470
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets		1,319,060
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets		363,120
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets		227,840
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. | Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets		27,450
Other significant projects
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	[1]	78,446
Other significant projects | Customer lists and relationships
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	[1]	76,940
Other significant projects | Trade names and trademarks
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	[1]	0
Other significant projects | Patents and technology
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	[1]	1,433
Other significant projects | Other
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition of other intangible assets	[1]	$ 73

[1] Primarily relates to the acquisition of the remaining interest in Shanghai Chemetall. See Note 2, “Acquisitions.”