CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010	Oct. 31, 2009
Operating Activities:
Net income from consolidated operations	$ 95,453,000	$ 72,355,000	$ 59,845,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income from consolidated operations to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	18,543,000	17,597,000	14,967,000
Impairment of intangible assets	4,987,000	1,438,000	300,000
Reduction in value of contingent consideration	(1,150,000)	0	0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)	29,000	1,817,000	(2,651,000)
Tax benefit from stock option exercises	7,703,000	951,000	1,890,000
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	(6,346,000)	(669,000)	(1,573,000)
Stock option compensation expense	2,647,000	1,353,000	181,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(5,327,000)	(10,684,000)	15,214,000
(Increase) decrease in inventories	(9,405,000)	6,359,000	(87,000)
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(343,000)	549,000	5,216,000
Increase (decrease) in trade accounts payable	7,257,000	125,000	(5,619,000)
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other current liabilities	10,425,000	11,474,000	(11,296,000)
Increase (decrease) in income taxes payable	1,516,000	(1,196,000)	(936,000)
Other	(471,000)	248,000	366,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	125,518,000	101,717,000	75,817,000
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(94,655,000)	(39,061,000)	(59,798,000)
Capital expenditures	(9,446,000)	(8,877,000)	(10,253,000)
Other	201,000	(325,000)	20,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(103,900,000)	(48,263,000)	(70,031,000)
Financing Activities:
Payments on revolving credit facility	(50,000,000)	(78,000,000)	(73,000,000)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	72,000,000	37,000,000	91,000,000
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(14,893,000)	(10,360,000)	(9,591,000)
Redemptions of common stock related to stock option exercises	(14,298,000)	(681,000)	0
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests	(7,241,000)	(795,000)	(11,268,000)
Repurchases of common stock	0	0	(8,098,000)
Cash dividends paid	(4,494,000)	(3,546,000)	(3,150,000)
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	6,346,000	669,000	1,573,000
Proceeds from stock option exercises	2,167,000	1,815,000	1,207,000
Other	(256,000)	(294,000)	(219,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(10,669,000)	(54,192,000)	(11,546,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	8,000	114,000	365,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	10,957,000	(624,000)	(5,395,000)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	6,543,000	7,167,000	12,562,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	$ 17,500,000	$ 6,543,000	$ 7,167,000