XML 38 R52.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9

Note 6 - Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Note 6 - Goodwill (Details) [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	$ 23,800,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	$ 23,836,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	$ 23,836,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	[1]		[1]	$ 6,583,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	[1]
Minimum [Member]
Note 6 - Goodwill (Details) [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Change If 1% Change to Weighted Average Cost of Capital			16,000,000zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToWeightedAverageCostOfCapital / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
Goodwill Impairment Change If 1% Change to Terminal Growth Rate			10,000,000zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToTerminalGrowthRate / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MinimumMember
Maximum [Member]
Note 6 - Goodwill (Details) [Line Items]
Goodwill Impairment Change If 1% Change to Weighted Average Cost of Capital			20,000,000zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToWeightedAverageCostOfCapital / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
Goodwill Impairment Change If 1% Change to Terminal Growth Rate			$ 13,000,000zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToTerminalGrowthRate / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember
[1] The goodwill impairment in 2014 related to the tubular and pipe products segment. The goodwill impairment in 2012 related the to flat products segment's Southern region.

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

- Definition

The amount of goodwill impairment change if there is a 1% change to terminal growth rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToTerminalGrowthRate
Namespace Prefix:	zeus_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The amount of goodwill impairment change if there is a 1% change to weighted average cost of capital.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	zeus_GoodwillImpairmentChangeIf1ChangeToWeightedAverageCostOfCapital
Namespace Prefix:	zeus_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	zeus_Note6GoodwillDetailsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	zeus_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: