SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2015

Selected Financial Statement Information (Tables) [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

(in thousands)	April 30, 2015			October 31, 2014
Accounts receivable		$154,807			$151,812
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(2,144		)	(2,143		)
Accounts receivable, net		$152,663			$149,669

Schedule of Costs in Excess of Billings and Billings in Excess of Costs [Table Text Block]

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

(in thousands)	April 30, 2015			October 31, 2014
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$16,866			$24,437
Estimated earnings	8,510			11,747
	25,376			36,184
Less: Billings to date	(22,769		)	(29,829		)
		$2,607			$6,355
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets under the following captions:
Accounts receivable, net (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)		$5,052			$8,161
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)	(2,445		)	(1,806		)
		$2,607			$6,355

Schedule of Inventory [Table Text Block]

Inventories

(in thousands)	April 30, 2015			October 31, 2014
Finished products		$109,914			$106,229
Work in process	31,051			30,056
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	87,267			79,163
Contracts in process	4,997			2,594
Less: Billings to date	(2,194		)	—
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$231,035			$218,042

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

Property, Plant and Equipment

(in thousands)	April 30, 2015			October 31, 2014
Land		$4,963			$4,501
Buildings and improvements	67,117			60,332
Machinery, equipment and tooling	149,249			139,963
Construction in progress	8,898			6,905
	230,227			211,701
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(125,734		)	(117,836		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$104,493			$93,865

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

The components of net pension income for the six and three months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014 that were recorded within the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations are as follows (in thousands):

	Six months ended April 30,				Three months ended April 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Expected return on plan assets		$370		$370		$185		$185
Interest cost	280		306		140		153
Net pension income		$90		$64		$45		$32

Schedule of Research and Development Expenses [Table Text Block]

The amount of new product research and development ("R&D") expenses included in cost of sales for the six and three months ended April 30, 2015 and 2014 is as follows (in thousands):

	Six months ended April 30,				Three months ended April 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
R&D expenses		$19,439		$18,416		$10,137		$9,300

Schedule of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Table Text Block]

Management's estimate of the aggregate redemption amount of all put rights (inclusive of the fiscal 2015 transactions described below) that the Company could be required to pay at varying dates through fiscal 2023 is as follows (in thousands):

	April 30, 2015		October 31, 2014
Redeemable at fair value		$51,614		$27,666
Redeemable based on a multiple of future earnings	12,300		12,300
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$63,914		$39,966

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

Changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the six months ended April 30, 2015 are as follows (in thousands):

	Foreign Currency Translation			Pension Benefit Obligation		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Balances as of October 31, 2014		($8,348	)		$59		($8,289	)
Unrealized loss, net	(10,925		)	—		(10,925		)
Balances as of April 30, 2015		($19,273	)		$59		($19,214	)