PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT [Abstract]

5. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following:

	September 30,
	2012			2011

Land	$	21,566		$	21,597
Buildings		101,627			100,779
Machinery and equipment		181,117			171,595
Furniture and fixtures		6,417			6,247
Information systems		25,346			23,318
Capital leases		66			9,820
Construction in progress		4,890			5,166
Total property, plant and equipment		341,029			338,522
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization of assets under
capital leases		(216,009	)		(207,731	)
Net property, plant and equipment	$	125,020		$	130,791

Depreciation expense, including amortization of assets recorded under capital leases, was $20,863, $21,271 and $22,568 for the years ended September 30, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

In fiscal 2012, we recorded $968 in impairment expense primarily related to the decision to write-off certain operational assets at one of our foreign locations in accordance with the applicable accounting standards for the impairment and disposal of long-lived assets. Of this amount, $842 and $126 was included in cost of goods sold and selling and marketing expense, respectively. Impairment expense for fiscal 2011 and 2010 was not material.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and other types of furniture and equipment including, but not limited to, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment and software. This disclosure may include property plant and equipment accounting policies and methodology, a schedule of property, plant and equipment gross, additions, deletions, transfers and other changes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, net, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense and useful lives, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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