XML 54 R45.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Summary of Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015		Oct. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill beginning balance	$ 880.2us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill acquired	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale	0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Goodwill adjustments	0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Currency translation	(43.5)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Goodwill ending balance	836.7us-gaap_Goodwill
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill beginning balance	820.7us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Goodwill acquired	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale	0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Goodwill adjustments	0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Currency translation	(43.5)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Goodwill ending balance	777.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Paper Packaging [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill beginning balance	59.5us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Goodwill acquired	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale	0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Goodwill adjustments	0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Goodwill ending balance	59.5us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember	[1]
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale	0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember	[1]
Goodwill adjustments	0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember	[1]
Accumulated goodwill impairment loss	50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember		50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Land Management [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill acquired	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_LandManagementMember
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale	0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_LandManagementMember
Goodwill adjustments	$ 0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_LandManagementMember
[1] (1) At January 31, 2015 and October 31, 2014, the accumulated goodwill impairment loss was $50.3 million.

X

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: 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=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from adjustments after acquisition date under purchase accounting of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 16

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34752592&loc=d3e961-128460

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (f)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of divestiture of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gef_LandManagementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gef_PaperPackagingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: