SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2017

Selected Financial Statement Information [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

(in thousands)	January 31, 2017			October 31, 2016
Accounts receivable		$179,256			$205,386
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(3,227		)	(3,159		)
Accounts receivable, net		$176,029			$202,227

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)	January 31, 2017			October 31, 2016
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$20,937			$19,086
Estimated earnings	14,110			13,887
	35,047			32,973
Less: Billings to date	(40,630		)	(39,142		)
		($5,583	)		($6,169	)
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets under the following captions:
Accounts receivable, net (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)		$3,429			$4,839
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)	(9,012		)	(11,008		)
		($5,583	)		($6,169	)

Schedule of Inventories [Table Text Block]

Inventories

(in thousands)	January 31, 2017			October 31, 2016
Finished products		$138,889			$131,008
Work in process	38,427			36,076
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	120,443			117,153
Contracts in process	4,576			3,253
Less: Billings to date	(1,215		)	(1,188		)
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$301,120			$286,302

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

Property, Plant and Equipment

(in thousands)	January 31, 2017			October 31, 2016
Land		$5,094			$5,090
Buildings and improvements	83,434			79,205
Machinery, equipment and tooling	175,087			171,717
Construction in progress	8,318			10,453
	271,933			266,465
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(150,052		)	(144,854		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$121,881			$121,611

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 three months ended January 31, 2017 and 2016 is as follows (in thousands):

	Three months ended January 31,
	2017		2016
R&D expenses		$11,246		$9,007

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 is as follows (in thousands):

	January 31, 2017		October 31, 2016
Redeemable at fair value		$84,964		$85,574
Redeemable based on a multiple of future earnings	13,938		13,938
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		$98,902		$99,512

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

Changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss for the three months ended January 31, 2017 are as follows (in thousands):

	Foreign Currency Translation			Pension Benefit Obligation			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Balances as of October 31, 2016		($23,953	)		($1,373	)		($25,326	)
Unrealized loss	(1,228		)	—			(1,228		)
Amortization of unrealized loss on defined benefit pension plan, net of tax	—			7			7
Balances as of January 31, 2017		($25,181	)		($1,366	)		($26,547	)