Summary of Operating Expense (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Components of Other Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Selling	$ 31,593us-gaap_SellingExpense	$ 32,929us-gaap_SellingExpense	$ 25,869us-gaap_SellingExpense
General and administrative	27,057us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	33,536us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	29,715us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense
Research, product development and regulatory	21,206us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	21,644us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	20,750us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Freight, delivery and warehousing	27,930	27,503	25,468
Operating expenses	$ 107,786us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	$ 115,612us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	$ 101,802us-gaap_OperatingExpenses

Name:	avd_ComponentsOfOtherIncomeExpenseLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	avd_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The aggregate total of expenses of managing and administering the affairs of an entity, including affiliates of the reporting entity, which are not directly or indirectly associated with the manufacture, sale or creation of a product or product line.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- Definition

Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 985

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 730

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373

+ Details

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

- Definition

Expenses recognized in the period that are directly related to the selling and distribution of products or services.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Cost incurred during the reporting period in transporting goods and services to customers. Includes freight-out costs.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18726-107790

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 45

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6408196&loc=d3e61069-111654

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Handling Costs

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6514758

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 45

-Section 45

-Paragraph 20

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915142&loc=d3e60635-111653

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 45

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6408413&loc=d3e221937-122793

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Shipping Costs

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6525344

+ Details

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