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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2014 Block Customer County Employees Group | Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2012
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of countries in which company operates |  | 50 us-gaap_NumberOfCountriesInWhichEntityOperates |  |
Number of customer |  | 0 gef_ConcentrationRiskNumberOfCustomers |  |
Approximate number of employees |  | 13,325 dei_EntityNumberOfEmployees |  |
Cash and cash equivalent held in foreign jurisdiction |  | $ 82,300,000 gef_CashAndCashEquivalentHeldInForeignJurisdiction |  |
Allowance for trade accounts receivable | 13,500,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent | 16,800,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent | 13,500,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent |
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale |  | 1 gef_NumberOfAssetsGroupWithAssetsHeldForSale |  |
Depreciation expense on properties, plants and equipment |  | 129,800,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 131,900,000 us-gaap_Depreciation | 131,400,000 us-gaap_Depreciation
Capitalized interest costs | 1,700,000 gef_CapitalizedInterestCosts | 1,400,000 gef_CapitalizedInterestCosts | 1,700,000 gef_CapitalizedInterestCosts | 2,700,000 gef_CapitalizedInterestCosts
Number of product classes |  | 5 gef_NumberOfProductClassesInDepletionBlock |  |
Number of depletion blocks |  | 8 gef_NumberOfDepletionBlocks |  |
Gain on sale of timberland | 17,300,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty | 17,100,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty | 17,300,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty | 0 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty
Self insurance reserve | 2,900,000 us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve | 2,800,000 us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve | 2,900,000 us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve |
Liabilities for anticipated costs related to captive insurance subsidiary | 14,300,000 gef_LiabilitiesForAnticipatedCostsRelatedToCaptiveInsuranceSubsidiary | 14,700,000 gef_LiabilitiesForAnticipatedCostsRelatedToCaptiveInsuranceSubsidiary | 14,300,000 gef_LiabilitiesForAnticipatedCostsRelatedToCaptiveInsuranceSubsidiary |
Largest amount of tax benefit likely of being realized upon settlement |  | 50.00%gef_PercentageOfTaxBenefitLikelyOfBeingRealizedUponSettlement |  |
Options granted |  | 0 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross | 0 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross | 0 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
Translation adjustment functional to reporting currency, losses reclassified to earnings, net of tax |  | 1,200,000 gef_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossNetOfTax | 3,900,000 gef_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossNetOfTax | 800,000 gef_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossNetOfTax
Timber Properties [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Newly constructed road, depreciation period |  | 20 years |  |
Gain on sale of timberland |  | 17,100,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_TimberPropertiesMember | 17,500,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty / us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis = us-gaap_TimberPropertiesMember |
United States [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Area of timber properties in acres |  | 250,200 gef_AreasOfTimberPropertiesInAcreage / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US |  |
Depletion expense, timber |  | 3,800,000 us-gaap_Depletion / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US | 4,300,000 us-gaap_Depletion / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US | 2,900,000 us-gaap_Depletion / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_US
Canada [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Depletion expense, timber |  | $ 0 us-gaap_Depletion / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA |  |
Area of timberland properties |  | 5,300 gef_AreaOfTimberlandProperties / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_CA |  |
Flexible Products & Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale |  | 1 gef_NumberOfAssetsGroupWithAssetsHeldForSale / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember |  |
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of asset groups with assets held for sale |  | 3 gef_NumberOfAssetsGroupWithAssetsHeldForSale / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial purchase price of a certain percentage of eligible receivables |  | 75.00%gef_PercentageOfEligibleReceivablesIncludedInInitialPurchasePrice / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial purchase price of a certain percentage of eligible receivables |  | 90.00%gef_PercentageOfEligibleReceivablesIncludedInInitialPurchasePrice / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |
software [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Amortization period |  | 3 years |  |
software [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |
Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Amortization period |  | 10 years |  |

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- Definition A valuation allowance for trade and other receivables due to an Entity within one year (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) that are expected to be uncollectible. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 4 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5074-111524 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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