GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES - Schedule of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents $ 209,025 $ 182,059 $ 167,908 $ 343,637
Short-term investments 129,895 148,383    
Receivables, net 111,417 117,745    
Inventories, net 475,719 474,306    
Costs in excess of billings 8,171 5,522    
Deferred income taxes 30,632 30,632    
Other current assets 23,817 19,803    
Total current assets 988,676 978,450    
Property, plant, and equipment, net 366,236 369,287    
Goodwill 144,513 145,518    
Other intangible assets, net 55,131 57,122    
Other noncurrent assets 14,189 15,317    
Intercompany investments 0 0    
Total assets 1,568,745 1,565,694    
Current liabilities:        
Current portion of long-term debt 113,121 111,645    
Accounts payable 85,401 105,044    
Accrued wages and other employee costs 24,132 26,874    
Billings in excess of cost 11,777 9,962    
Unearned revenues 22,042 7,623    
Other accrued liabilities 26,582 18,724    
Total current liabilities 283,055 279,872    
Long-term debt 348,031 345,012    
Intercompany debt 0 0    
Liability for post-retirement benefits 48,935 48,295    
Liability for pension benefits 16,673 16,986    
Deferred income taxes 60,467 60,503    
Unearned revenue 4,829 5,476    
Other noncurrent liabilities 13,889 14,070    
Total liabilities 775,879 770,214    
Shareholders' equity 792,866 795,480    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 1,568,745 1,565,694    
RTI International Metals, Inc.        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 627 0 0 0
Short-term investments 0 0    
Receivables, net 1,600 928    
Inventories, net 0 0    
Costs in excess of billings 0 0    
Deferred income taxes 25,589 25,591    
Other current assets 7,333 1,307    
Total current assets 35,149 27,826    
Property, plant, and equipment, net 9,520 2,028    
Goodwill 0 0    
Other intangible assets, net 0 0    
Other noncurrent assets 8,145 8,635    
Intercompany investments 1,292,438 1,290,173    
Total assets 1,345,252 1,328,662    
Current liabilities:        
Current portion of long-term debt 110,281 108,767    
Accounts payable 1,847 1,559    
Accrued wages and other employee costs 5,322 6,345    
Billings in excess of cost 0 0    
Unearned revenues 0 0    
Other accrued liabilities 7,552 1,411    
Total current liabilities 125,002 118,082    
Long-term debt 335,191 331,998    
Intercompany debt 18,832 9,768    
Liability for post-retirement benefits 0 0    
Liability for pension benefits 6,714 6,655    
Deferred income taxes 57,405 57,441    
Unearned revenue 0 0    
Other noncurrent liabilities 9,242 9,238    
Total liabilities 552,386 533,182    
Shareholders' equity 792,866 795,480    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 1,345,252 1,328,662    
Guarantor Subsidiaries        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 149,052 117,086 136,217 312,202
Short-term investments 129,895 148,383    
Receivables, net 60,707 78,436    
Inventories, net 321,248 319,107    
Costs in excess of billings 4,271 2,393    
Deferred income taxes 2,755 2,754    
Other current assets 11,528 13,345    
Total current assets 679,456 681,504    
Property, plant, and equipment, net 275,243 280,805    
Goodwill 94,769 94,769    
Other intangible assets, net 32,221 32,897    
Other noncurrent assets 883 948    
Intercompany investments 161,557 148,432    
Total assets 1,244,129 1,239,355    
Current liabilities:        
Current portion of long-term debt 541 721    
Accounts payable 56,512 81,055    
Accrued wages and other employee costs 12,269 13,491    
Billings in excess of cost 1,814 2,205    
Unearned revenues 14,661 519    
Other accrued liabilities 7,398 7,879    
Total current liabilities 93,195 105,870    
Long-term debt 474 572    
Intercompany debt 63,320 55,486    
Liability for post-retirement benefits 48,935 48,295    
Liability for pension benefits 9,799 10,172    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Unearned revenue 0 0    
Other noncurrent liabilities 4,370 4,549    
Total liabilities 220,093 224,944    
Shareholders' equity 1,024,036 1,014,411    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 1,244,129 1,239,355    
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 59,346 64,973 31,691 31,435
Short-term investments 0 0    
Receivables, net 79,914 70,911    
Inventories, net 154,471 155,199    
Costs in excess of billings 3,900 3,129    
Deferred income taxes 2,288 2,287    
Other current assets 4,956 5,151    
Total current assets 304,875 301,650    
Property, plant, and equipment, net 81,473 86,454    
Goodwill 49,744 50,749    
Other intangible assets, net 22,910 24,225    
Other noncurrent assets 5,161 5,734    
Intercompany investments 68,244 66,101    
Total assets 532,407 534,913    
Current liabilities:        
Current portion of long-term debt 2,299 2,157    
Accounts payable 57,846 54,960    
Accrued wages and other employee costs 6,541 7,038    
Billings in excess of cost 9,963 7,757    
Unearned revenues 7,381 7,104    
Other accrued liabilities 11,632 9,434    
Total current liabilities 95,662 88,450    
Long-term debt 12,366 12,442    
Intercompany debt 237,065 238,953    
Liability for post-retirement benefits 0 0    
Liability for pension benefits 160 159    
Deferred income taxes 3,062 3,062    
Unearned revenue 4,829 5,476    
Other noncurrent liabilities 277 283    
Total liabilities 353,421 348,825    
Shareholders' equity 178,986 186,088    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 532,407 534,913    
Eliminations        
Current assets:        
Cash and cash equivalents 0 0 0 0
Short-term investments 0 0    
Receivables, net (30,804) (32,530)    
Inventories, net 0 0    
Costs in excess of billings 0 0    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Other current assets 0 0    
Total current assets (30,804) (32,530)    
Property, plant, and equipment, net 0 0    
Goodwill 0 0    
Other intangible assets, net 0 0    
Other noncurrent assets 0 0    
Intercompany investments (1,522,239) (1,504,706)    
Total assets (1,553,043) (1,537,236)    
Current liabilities:        
Current portion of long-term debt 0 0    
Accounts payable (30,804) (32,530)    
Accrued wages and other employee costs 0 0    
Billings in excess of cost 0 0    
Unearned revenues 0 0    
Other accrued liabilities 0 0    
Total current liabilities (30,804) (32,530)    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Intercompany debt (319,217) (304,207)    
Liability for post-retirement benefits 0 0    
Liability for pension benefits 0 0    
Deferred income taxes 0 0    
Unearned revenue 0 0    
Other noncurrent liabilities 0 0    
Total liabilities (350,021) (336,737)    
Shareholders' equity (1,203,022) (1,200,499)    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (1,553,043) $ (1,537,236)