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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands |  | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 01, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Reduction in federal statutory rate |  | 35.00% | 35.00% | 35.00% |
Provisional tax benefit related to remeasurement of deferred tax balances |  | $ 62,300 |  |  |
Provisional tax expense related to transition tax on foreign earnings |  | 429,200 |  |  |
Increase in Federal deferred benefit |  | 70,800 |  |  |
Increase in valuation allowance |  | 408,252 | $ 20,568 | $ 59,889 |
Tax credit carryovers |  | 11,634 | 1,029 |  |
Valuation allowance on deferred tax asset |  | 458,288 | 69,900 | 84,137 | $ 30,768
Cumulative undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries |  | 4,800,000 |  |  |
Income tax benefit related to previously taxed foreign earnings |  | 9,700 |  |  |
Liabilities related to uncertain tax position |  | 24,369 | 27,919 |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits, income tax penalties and interest accrued |  | 2,900 | 3,000 |  |
Assets offsetting unrecognized tax benefits |  | 14,600 | 15,100 |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits net of offsetting assets |  | 6,900 | 9,800 |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits |  | 21,438 | $ 25,384 | $ 95,715 | $ 24,969
Decrease in liability related to uncertain tax positions |  | 1,600 |  |  |
Domestic Country |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Tax credit carryovers |  | 11,600 |  |  |
Valuation allowance on deferred tax asset |  | 300 |  |  |
Net operating loss carryovers |  | 156,100 |  |  |
Operating loss carryover, valuation allowance |  | 39,300 |  |  |
State and Local Jurisdiction |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Capital loss carryover, valuation allowance |  | 8,700 |  |  |
Foreign Country |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Valuation allowance on deferred tax asset |  | 34,400 |  |  |
Net operating loss carryovers |  | 1,750,000 |  |  |
Operating loss carryover, valuation allowance |  | 1,730,000 |  |  |
Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Reduction in federal statutory rate | 21.00% |  |  |  |
Rockwood Holdings, Inc. |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in federal current expense related to transition tax on foreign earnings |  | 387,000 |  |  |
Change in Estimate, Foreign Net Operating Loss |  |  |  |  |
Income Taxes [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in valuation allowance |  | $ 400,600 |  |  |

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