OPERATING SEGMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2012

Operating Segments (Tables) [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information by Segment [Table Text Block]

Information on the Company’s two operating segments, the FSG and the ETG, for each of the last three fiscal years ended October 31 is as follows (in thousands):

	Segment				Other, Primarily Corporate and Intersegment			Consolidated Totals
	FSG		ETG
Year ended October 31, 2012:
Net sales		$570,325		$331,598		($4,576	)		$897,347
Depreciation and amortization	10,451		19,365		840			30,656
Operating income	103,943		77,438		(18,087		)	163,294
Capital expenditures	7,045		7,248		969			15,262
Total assets	487,188		636,660		68,998			1,192,846
Year ended October 31, 2011:
Net sales		$539,563		$227,771		($2,443	)		$764,891
Depreciation and amortization	10,661		7,502		380			18,543
Operating income	95,001		59,465		(16,035		)	138,431
Capital expenditures	6,866		2,543		37			9,446
Total assets	458,624		429,869		52,576			941,069
Year ended October 31, 2010:
Net sales		$412,337		$205,648		($965	)		$617,020
Depreciation and amortization	9,899		7,308		390			17,597
Operating income	67,896		56,126		(14,849		)	109,173
Capital expenditures	7,343		1,502		32			8,877
Total assets	410,666		328,577		42,400			781,643

Schedule of Revenue from External Customers Attributed to Foreign Countries by Geographic Area [Table Text Block]

The composition of the Company’s net sales to customers located in the United States of America and to those in other countries for each of the last three fiscal years ended October 31 is as follows (in thousands):

	Year ended October 31,
	2012		2011		2010
United States of America		$596,922		$507,237		$423,916
Other countries	300,425		257,654		193,104
Total		$897,347		$764,891		$617,020