CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
Operating Activities:
Net income from consolidated operations	$ 71,041,000	$ 52,464,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income from consolidated operations to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	13,426,000	13,578,000
Impairment of intangible assets	0	281,000
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)	422,000	(80,000)
Tax benefit from stock option exercises	7,704,000	951,000
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	(6,347,000)	(669,000)
Stock option compensation expense	1,813,000	921,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Increase in accounts receivable	(3,468,000)	(2,988,000)
(Increase) decrease in inventories	(8,053,000)	3,625,000
Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(2,083,000)	(1,051,000)
Increase (decrease) in trade accounts payable	2,184,000	(177,000)
Increase in accrued expenses and other current liabilities	6,160,000	1,744,000
Increase (decrease) in income taxes payable	1,996,000	(794,000)
Other	203,000	116,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	84,998,000	67,921,000
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(29,215,000)	(39,061,000)
Capital expenditures	(5,710,000)	(6,743,000)
Other	197,000	(18,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(34,728,000)	(45,822,000)
Financing Activities:
Payments on revolving credit facility	(42,000,000)	(45,000,000)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	28,000,000	37,000,000
Acquisitions of noncontrolling interests	(7,241,000)	(795,000)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,328,000)	(7,184,000)
Redemptions of common stock related to stock option exercises	(5,432,000)	(681,000)
Cash dividends paid	(4,596,000)	(3,614,000)
Excess tax benefit from stock option exercises	6,347,000	669,000
Proceeds from stock option exercises	2,088,000	1,467,000
Other	(131,000)	(152,000)
Net cash used in financing activities	(29,293,000)	(18,290,000)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	68,000	61,000
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	21,045,000	3,870,000
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	6,543,000	7,167,000
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 27,588,000	$ 11,037,000