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BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Segments
The Company’s primary business is the design and manufacture of arc welding and cutting products, manufacturing a broad line of arc welding equipment, consumable welding products and other welding and cutting products.  The Company also has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market.  The Company has aligned its business units into five operating segments to enhance the utilization of the Company’s worldwide resources and global end user and sourcing initiatives. The operating segments consist of North America Welding, Europe Welding, Asia Pacific Welding, South America Welding and The Harris Products Group.  The North America Welding segment primarily includes welding operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  The Europe Welding segment includes welding operations in Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East.  The Asia Pacific Welding segment primarily includes welding operations in China and Australia. The South America Welding segment primarily includes welding operations in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. The Harris Products Group, includes the Company’s global cutting, soldering and brazing businesses as well as the retail business in the United States.
Segment performance is measured and resources are allocated based on a number of factors, the primary profit measure being earnings before interest and income taxes (“EBIT”), as adjusted.  Segment EBIT is adjusted for special items as determined by management such as the impact of rationalization activities, certain asset impairment charges and gains or losses on disposals of assets.
Reclassification
Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to current year classifications.
Inventories
Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market.  Fixed manufacturing overhead costs are allocated to inventory based on normal production capacity and abnormal manufacturing costs are recognized as period costs.  For most domestic inventories, cost is determined principally by the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method, and for non-U.S. inventories, cost is determined by the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method.  The valuation of LIFO inventories is made at the end of each year based on inventory levels and costs at that time.  Accordingly, interim LIFO calculations are based on management’s estimates of expected year-end inventory levels and costs.  Actual year-end costs and inventory levels may differ from interim LIFO inventory valuations.
Financial Instruments
The Company uses derivatives to manage exposures to currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices arising in the normal course of business.  Derivative contracts to hedge currency and commodity exposures are generally written on a short-term basis but may cover exposures for up to two years while interest rate contracts may cover longer periods consistent with the terms of the underlying debt.  The Company does not enter into derivatives for trading or speculative purposes.
All derivatives are recognized at fair value on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The accounting for gains and losses resulting from changes in fair value depends on the use of the derivative and whether it is designated and qualifies for hedge accounting.  The Company formally documents the relationship of the hedge with the hedged item as well as the risk-management strategy for all designated hedges.  Both at inception and on an ongoing basis, the hedging instrument is assessed as to its effectiveness, when applicable.  If and when a derivative is determined not to be highly effective as a hedge, the underlying hedged transaction is no longer likely to occur, or the derivative is terminated, hedge accounting is discontinued.  The cash flows from settled derivative contracts are recognized in operating activities in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.  Hedge ineffectiveness was immaterial in the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014.
The Company is subject to the credit risk of the counterparties to derivative instruments.  Counterparties include a number of major banks and financial institutions.  The Company manages individual counterparty exposure by monitoring the credit rating of the counterparty and the size of financial commitments and exposures between the Company and the counterparty.  None of the concentrations of risk with any individual counterparty was considered significant at March 31, 2015.  The Company does not expect any counterparties to fail to meet their obligations.
Cash Flow Hedges
Certain foreign currency forward contracts were qualified and designated as cash flow hedges.  The dollar equivalent gross notional amount of these short-term contracts was $24,785 at March 31, 2015 and $27,265 at December 31, 2014. The effective portions of the fair value gains or losses on these cash flow hedges are recognized in AOCI and subsequently reclassified to Cost of goods sold or Sales for hedges of purchases and sales, respectively, as the underlying hedged transactions affect earnings.
Net Investment Hedges
The Company has foreign currency forward contracts that qualify and are designated as net investment hedges.  The dollar equivalent gross notional amount of these short-term contracts was $7,427 at March 31, 2015 and $60,734 at December 31, 2014. The effective portions of the fair value gains or losses on these net investment hedges are recognized in AOCI and subsequently reclassified to Selling, general and administrative expenses, as the underlying hedged investment is liquidated.
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
The Company has certain foreign exchange forward contracts that are not designated as hedges.  These derivatives are held as economic hedges of certain balance sheet exposures.  The dollar equivalent gross notional amount of these contracts was $287,685 at March 31, 2015 and $280,949 at December 31, 2014. The fair value gains or losses from these contracts are recognized in Selling, general and administrative expenses, offsetting the losses or gains on the exposures being hedged.
The Company had short-term silver and copper forward contracts with notional amounts of $3,934 and $992, respectively, at March 31, 2015 and notional amounts of $4,467 and $1,066, respectively, at December 31, 2014.  Realized and unrealized gains and losses on these contracts are recognized in Costs of goods sold.
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
New Accounting Pronouncements:
In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") No. 2015-03, "Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30)." ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the new amendment. The new guidance will be applied on a retrospective basis to each prior reporting period presented. Upon transition, the Company is required to comply with applicable disclosures for a change in accounting principle. The amendment is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2015-03 on the Company's financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)." ASU 2014-09 requires an entity to recognize revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, the amendment provides five steps that an entity should apply when recognizing revenue. The amendment also specifies the accounting of some costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer and expands the disclosure requirements around contracts with customers. An entity can either adopt this amendment retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the update recognized at the date of initial application. The amendment is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is not permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on the Company's financial statements.