General	6 Months Ended
General	Jun. 30, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	General Nature of Business Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. ("SWM," "we," or the "Company"), headquartered in the United States of America, is a multinational diversified producer of highly engineered solutions and advanced materials for a variety of industries. The Company maintains two operating product line segments: Advanced Materials & Structures and Engineered Papers. The Advanced Materials & Structures ("AMS") segment offers design and manufacturing solutions for the filtration, transportation, healthcare, construction and industrial end-markets. We manufacture resin-based rolled goods such as nets, films and meltblown materials, bonding products and adhesive components, along with providing adhesives and other coating solutions and converting services for our customers. The Engineered Papers ("EP") segment primarily serves the tobacco industry with production of various cigarette papers and reconstituted tobacco products ("Recon"). Traditional reconstituted tobacco leaf ("RTL") is used as a blend with virgin tobacco in cigarettes and used in the production of small cigars. Recon, as well as low ignition propensity ("LIP") cigarette paper, a specialty product with fire-safety features, are two key profit drivers, which together account for more than half of segment net sales. The EP segment also produces non-tobacco papers for premium applications, such as energy storage and industrial commodity paper grades. We conduct business in over 90 countries and operate 39 production locations worldwide, with facilities in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Russia, Brazil, China, Italy, Germany, Malaysia, India and Poland. We also have a 50% equity interest in two joint ventures in China. The first, China Tobacco Mauduit (Jiangmen) Paper Industry Ltd. ("CTM"), produces various cigarette papers and the second, China Tobacco Schweitzer (Yunnan) Reconstituted Tobacco Co. Ltd. ("CTS"), produces RTL. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto have been prepared in accordance with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and do not include all of the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). However, such information reflects all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of results for the interim periods. The results of operations for the three or six months ended June 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and these notes thereto included herein should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the SEC on March 1, 2021. Principles of Consolidation The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned, majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. The Company’s share of the net income of its 50%-owned joint ventures in China is included in the condensed consolidated statements of income as Income from equity affiliates, net of income taxes. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, inventory valuation, useful lives of tangible and intangible assets, fair values, sales returns and rebates, receivables valuation, pension, postretirement and other benefits, restructuring and impairment, taxes and contingencies. Furthermore, the Company considered the continuing impact from the global economic and social disruption caused by the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) in estimates used in the Company’s financial statements as of and for the period ended June 30, 2021. The Company determined changes to these estimates did not have a material impact on our assessment of recoverability of our assets, including Accounts receivable, net, Goodwill, Intangible assets or long-lived assets. There may also be long-term undetermined effects on some of our customers and suppliers, and as a result of these uncertainties, actual results could differ materially from these estimates and assumptions. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes." The new standard simplifies income tax accounting requirements by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740, Income Taxes. The provisions of this ASU were adopted effective January 1, 2021 and did not have a material impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, "Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans." The new standard modifies the annual disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans and requires the amendments to be applied on a retrospective basis for all periods presented. The provisions of this ASU were adopted effective January 1, 2021 and the required changes, are not expected to have a material impact and will be reflected in the annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021. Recently Issued Accounting Standards In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, "Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting." The new standard provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform and the anticipated discontinuance of the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") if certain criteria are met. The amendments in this ASU are effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020, through December 31, 2022. The Company does not currently have any contracts that have been changed to a new reference rate but will continue to evaluate the applicability and impact of the guidance.