XML 45 R44.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.0.814

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.”

X
- Definition Finite lived intangible assets accumulated amortization foreign exchange impact. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | alb_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortizationForeignExchangeImpact
Namespace Prefix: | alb_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- 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
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life for purchase accounting adjustments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) to assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life for foreign currency translation adjustments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsTranslationAdjustments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph ((a)(1),(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=alb_CustomerListsAndRelationshipsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_TrademarksAndTradeNamesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=alb_PatentsAndTechnologyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=alb_RockwoodHoldingsInc.Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=alb_OthersignificantprojectsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |