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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS TEXTUALS (Details) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) numberOfPlans | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) numberOfPlans | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, cost recognized | $ 58,200 | $ 54,700 | $ 18,300
Defined Benefit Plan, Description | Wesco sponsors a contributory defined benefit plan covering substantially all Canadian employees of EECOL Electric Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “EECOL Plan”). The EECOL Plan provides retirement benefits based on earnings and credited service, and participants contribute 2% of their earnings to the EECOL Plan. Participants become 100% vested after two years of continuous service or, if earlier, at the participant's normal retirement age. |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Unfunded Plan | Wesco also sponsors a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan for certain executives of EECOL Electric Corp. (the “EECOL SERP”), which provides additional pension benefits based on earnings and credited service. Effective January 1, 2013, the EECOL SERP was closed to new participants and existing participants became 100% vested. Participants of the EECOL SERP now contribute 4% of their earnings to the EECOL Plan.Anixter Inc. sponsors the Anixter Inc. Pension Plan, which was closed to entrants first hired or rehired on or after July 1, 2015, and various defined benefit pension plans covering employees of foreign subsidiaries in Canada and Europe (together with the EECOL Plan and the EECOL SERP, the “Foreign Plans”). The majority of the Company's defined benefit pension plans are non-contributory, and with the exception of the U.S. and Canada, cover substantially all full-time employees in their respective countries. Retirement benefits are provided based on compensation as defined in each of the plan agreements |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate | 4.60% | 2.60% |
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation | $ 520,758 | $ 725,879 | 819,339
DefinedBenefitPlanNumberOfPlansWithProjectedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfFairValueOfPlanAssets | numberOfPlans | 7 | 9 |
Defined Benefit Plan, Pension Plan with Projected Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets, Projected Benefit Obligation | $ 119,000 | $ 214,500 |
Defined Benefit Plan, Pension Plan with Projected Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets, Plan Assets | 91,000 | 167,400 |
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount | $ 552,693 | $ 752,512 | 721,005
DefinedBenefitPlanNumberOfPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfFairValueOfPlanAssets | numberOfPlans | 7 | 9 |
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan with Accumulated Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets, Accumulated Benefit Obligation | $ 113,700 | $ 194,600 |
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan with Accumulated Benefit Obligation in Excess of Plan Assets, Plan Assets | 91,000 | 167,400 |
Service Cost | $ 8,317 | 15,173 | 10,792
Defined Benefit Plan Assets Actual Gain Loss | (25.10%) |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Future Benefit Payment, Year One | $ 152,775 |  |
Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets | 153,166 | 56,274 | (2,321)
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment | $ 0 | 36,580 | 0
WESCO [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 50.00% |  |
Defined contribution plan, maximum annual contribution per employee, percent | 6.00% |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer discretionary contribution amount |  | 13,100 | 0
Anixter Employee Savings Plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 50.00% |  |
Defined contribution plan, maximum annual contribution per employee, percent | 5.00% |  |
WESCO Deferred Compensation Plan |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent |  | 20,900 |
AnixterDeferred Compensation Plan |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Distribution Paid |  | 42,800 |
Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets |  | $ 39,700 |
Defined Contribution Pension Plan for Employees of Anixter Canada Inc. |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 6.00% |  |
Defined contribution plan, maximum annual contribution per employee, percent | 5.50% |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match | 25.00% |  |
Canadian Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 50.00% |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match | 4.00% |  |
U.S. Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 100.00% |  |
Foreign Plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate | 4.80% | 2.40% |
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation | $ 267,258 | $ 424,096 | 486,855
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount | 267,574 | 381,781 | 365,718
Accumulated Benefit Obligation (ABO) at December 31 | 253,200 | 390,800 |
Service Cost | 8,317 | $ 12,140 | 9,029
Defined Benefit Plan, Estimated Future Employer Contributions in Next Fiscal Year | 7,000 |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Future Benefit Payment, Year One | $ 9,580 |  |
United States |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate | 4.40% | 2.90% |
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation | $ 253,500 | $ 301,783 | 332,484
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount | 285,119 | 370,731 | 355,287
Accumulated Benefit Obligation (ABO) at December 31 | 253,500 | 301,800 |
Service Cost | 0 | 3,033 | 1,763
Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Future Benefit Payment, Year One | $ 143,195 |  |
Minimum | WESCO Distribution Canada Defined Contribution plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 3.00% |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution greater than 20 years of service, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay | 5.00% |  |
Minimum | Anixter Employee Savings Plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution discretionary contribution percentage | 2.00% |  |
Minimum | Defined Contribution Pension Plan for Employees of Anixter Canada Inc. |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 3.00% |  |
Minimum | Canadian Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 3.00% |  |
Minimum | U.S. Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 3.00% |  |
Maximum | WESCO Distribution Canada Defined Contribution plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 5.00% |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution greater than 20 years of service, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay | 7.00% |  |
Maximum | Anixter Employee Savings Plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution discretionary contribution percentage | 2.50% |  |
Maximum | Defined Contribution Pension Plan for Employees of Anixter Canada Inc. |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 4.00% |  |
Maximum | Canadian Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 5.00% |  |
Maximum | U.S. Defined Contribution Plan Merger |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent | 4.00% |  |
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match | 50.00% |  |
Pension Plan [Member] |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Other Nonoperating Gains (Losses) | $ (14,800) | $ (53,200) | $ (8,200)
WESCO Deferred Compensation Plan |  |  |
Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] |  |  |
Deferred Compensation Liability, Classified, Noncurrent | $ 20,300 |  |

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- Definition Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution greater than 20 years of service, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Schedule of Employee Benefit Plans [Line Items] + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
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Balance Type: |
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- Details
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Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
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- Details
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