SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2014

Selected Financial Statement Information (Tables) [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

(in thousands)	January 31, 2014			October 31, 2013
Accounts receivable		$153,386			$160,118
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(3,172		)	(3,096		)
Accounts receivable, net		$150,214			$157,022

Schedule of 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, 2014			October 31, 2013
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$23,236			$22,548
Estimated earnings	24,998			25,391
	48,234			47,939
Less: Billings to date	(37,683		)	(40,676		)
		$10,551			$7,263
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets under the following captions:
Accounts receivable, net (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)		$12,948			$9,540
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)	(2,397		)	(2,277		)
		$10,551			$7,263

Schedule of Inventories [Table Text Block]

Inventories

(in thousands)	January 31, 2014			October 31, 2013
Finished products		$106,886			$103,234
Work in process	27,662			26,810
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	81,767			79,863
Contracts in process	8,241			9,941
Less: Billings to date	(447		)	(955		)
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$224,109			$218,893

Schedule of Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

(in thousands)	January 31, 2014			October 31, 2013
Land		$4,513			$4,515
Buildings and improvements	60,133			60,105
Machinery, equipment and tooling	134,152			131,855
Construction in progress	5,556			4,932
	204,354			201,407
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(107,552		)	(103,670		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$96,802			$97,737

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

The components of net pension income for the three months ended January 31, 2014 that were recorded within the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations are as follows (in thousands):

Expected return on plan assets		$185
Interest cost	153
Net pension income		$32

Schedule of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Table Text Block]

Management's estimate of the aggregate redemption amount of all put rights that the Company could be required to pay at varying dates through fiscal 2022 is as follows (in thousands):

	January 31, 2014		October 31, 2013
Redeemable at fair value		$47,867		$47,839
Redeemable based on a multiple of future earnings	10,136		11,379
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$58,003		$59,218

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

Changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the three months ended January 31, 2014 are as follows (in thousands):

	Foreign Currency Translation			Pension Benefit Obligation		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balances at October 31, 2013		($466	)		$610		$144
Unrealized loss	(2,462		)	—		(2,462		)
Balances at January 31, 2014		($2,928	)		$610		($2,318	)