SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2013

Selected Financial Statement Information (Tables) [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

(in thousands)	January 31, 2013			October 31, 2012
Accounts receivable		$113,047			$124,548
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(2,789		)	(2,334		)
Accounts receivable, net		$110,258			$122,214

Costs and Estimated Earnings On Uncompleted Percentage Of Completion Contracts [Table Text Block]

Costs and Estimated Earnings on Uncompleted Percentage-of-Completion Contracts

(in thousands)	January 31, 2013			October 31, 2012
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$7,780			$6,673
Estimated earnings	7,235			6,235
	15,015			12,908
Less: Billings to date	(10,740		)	(7,426		)
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets under the caption "Accounts receivable, net" (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)		$4,275			$5,482

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories

(in thousands)	January 31, 2013			October 31, 2012
Finished products		$98,529			$93,873
Work in process	19,483			18,887
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	69,743			69,042
Contracts in process	7,602			8,299
Less: Billings to date	(268		)	(397		)
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$195,089			$189,704

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

(in thousands)	January 31, 2013			October 31, 2012
Land		$4,512			$4,505
Buildings and improvements	55,289			54,322
Machinery, equipment and tooling	111,445			109,041
Construction in progress	6,760			5,599
	178,006			173,467
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(96,206		)	(92,949		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$81,800			$80,518