Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 342,468	$ 346,226
Total Revenue	354,080	356,979
Operating income (loss)	47,519	46,446
Interest expense	4,800	3,915
Earnings before income taxes	42,719	42,531
Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenue	198,339	205,978
Color [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenue	126,034	122,198
Asia Pacific [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenue	29,707	28,803
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenue	0	0
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	342,468	346,226
Operating Segments [Member] \| Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	190,520	199,100
Operating income (loss)	27,510	30,459
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	27,510	30,459
Operating Segments [Member] \| Color [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	122,281	118,355
Operating income (loss)	27,844	26,263
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	27,844	26,263
Operating Segments [Member] \| Asia Pacific [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	29,667	28,771
Operating income (loss)	6,005	5,651
Interest expense	0	0
Earnings before income taxes	6,005	5,651
Operating Segments [Member] \| Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(13,840)	(15,927)
Interest expense	4,800	3,915
Earnings before income taxes	(18,640)	(19,842)
Intersegment Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	11,612	10,753
Intersegment Revenue [Member] \| Flavors & Fragrances [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	7,819	6,878
Intersegment Revenue [Member] \| Color [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	3,753	3,843
Intersegment Revenue [Member] \| Asia Pacific [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	40	32
Intersegment Revenue [Member] \| Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 0	$ 0

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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