SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2015

Selected Financial Statement Information [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

(in thousands)	July 31, 2015			October 31, 2014
Accounts receivable		$153,185			$151,812
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(2,255		)	(2,143		)
Accounts receivable, net		$150,930			$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)	July 31, 2015			October 31, 2014
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$22,814			$24,437
Estimated earnings	11,761			11,747
	34,575			36,184
Less: Billings to date	(35,284		)	(29,829		)
		($709	)		$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)		$4,695			$8,161
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)	(5,404		)	(1,806		)
		($709	)		$6,355

Schedule of Inventory [Table Text Block]

Inventories

(in thousands)	July 31, 2015			October 31, 2014
Finished products		$113,626			$106,229
Work in process	32,871			30,056
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	87,598			79,163
Contracts in process	4,508			2,594
Less: Billings to date	(2,368		)	—
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$236,235			$218,042

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

Property, Plant and Equipment

(in thousands)	July 31, 2015			October 31, 2014
Land		$4,954			$4,501
Buildings and improvements	69,091			60,332
Machinery, equipment and tooling	152,249			139,963
Construction in progress	6,630			6,905
	232,924			211,701
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(129,749		)	(117,836		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$103,175			$93,865

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

The components of net pension income for the nine and three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014 that were recorded within the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations are as follows (in thousands):

	Nine months ended July 31,				Three months ended July 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Expected return on plan assets		$555		$555		$185		$185
Interest cost	420		459		140		153
Net pension income		$135		$96		$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 nine and three months ended July 31, 2015 and 2014 is as follows (in thousands):

	Nine months ended July 31,				Three months ended July 31,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
R&D expenses		$28,860		$28,278		$9,421		$9,862

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):

	July 31, 2015		October 31, 2014
Redeemable at fair value		$52,521		$27,666
Redeemable based on a multiple of future earnings	12,300		12,300
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$64,821		$39,966

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

Changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the nine months ended July 31, 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	(16,273		)	—		(16,273		)
Balances as of July 31, 2015		($24,621	)		$59		($24,562	)