Number of assets group newly added.

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- Definition

Number of assets group with assets and Liabilities held for sale.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of assets group with assets sold.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets, including but not limited to property plant and equipment, intangible assets and equity in securities of subsidiaries or equity method investee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 360

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment assets, including oil and gas property and timber property.

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of property used for growing and harvesting trees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale and Disposals of Property, Plant, Equipment and Businesses, Net - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014 Assets	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group disposed			1gef_NumberOfAssetsGroupWithAssetsSold
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net	$ 2.8		$ 8.3	$ 5.6	$ 7.6
Gain (loss) disposition of assets	21.2us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1		11.5us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
Gain (loss) on sale of timberland		17.3us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty	17.1us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty	17.3us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty	0us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfTimberProperty
Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net				(0.9)
Land [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net				0.8
Other Miscellaneous Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net			1.1	0.8	1.0
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group with assets and liabilities held for sale	3		3
Number of assets group disposed			1
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] \| Assets Held-for-sale [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) disposition of assets				0.6
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] \| Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net				2.5	0.6
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] \| HBU and Surplus Properties [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group newly added			3
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group with assets and liabilities held for sale	1	2	1	2
Number of assets group disposed			2
Flexible Products & Services [Member] \| Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net			1.1
Flexible Products & Services [Member] \| HBU and Surplus Properties [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group newly added			1
Land Management [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group with assets and liabilities held for sale	1		1
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net			5.4	1.2	5.5
Paper Packaging [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Number of assets group disposed			1
Paper Packaging [Member] \| Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net				0.6
Gain (loss) disposition of assets			0.7
Paper Packaging [Member] \| Other Miscellaneous Equipment [Member]
Long Lived Assets Held-for-sale [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on disposals of property, plant and equipment, net					$ 0.5