Note 10 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

	2013		2012			2011
From continuing operations:
Current:
Federal	$	-	$	52		$	128
State		12		(14	)		3
Foreign		1,251		1,215			611
		1,263		1,253			742
Deferred:
Federal		-		-			-
State		-		-			-
Non - U.S.		99		(71	)		169
		99		(71	)		169
Total operations	$	1,362	$	1,182		$	911

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

	September 30,
	2013			2012
Deferred tax assets:
Accrued employee compensation	$	115		$	107
Reserves		270			273
Other assets		17			17
Non-Qualified Stock Compensation		1,236			1,236
Net operating loss and credit carryforwards		38,824			32,628
		40,462			34,261
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property, plant and equipment		(14,024	)		(12,255	)
Prepaid expenses		(124	)		(162	)
		(14,148	)		(12,417	)
Total deferred taxes		26,314			21,844
Less: valuation allowance		(26,634	)		(22,137	)
Net deferred tax liability	$	(320	)	$	(293	)
Classification of deferred taxes:
Current deferred tax asset (included in other current assets)	$	168		$	180
Long-term deferred tax liability		(488	)		(473	)
	$	(320	)	$	(293	)

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

	2013			2012			2011
At statutory rate:
Income tax (benefit) expense on income (loss) from operations	$	2,243		$	8,172		$	(905	)
Increases (decreases):
Effect of lower foreign statutory rates		(3,425	)		(4,540	)		(175	)
Change in valuation allowance on net operating loss		4,294			(1,782	)		(395	)
State taxes, net of federal benefit		(43	)		(22	)		33
Local taxes, non-U.S.		1,045			1,018			611
Change of uncertain tax positions		16			(71	)		(46	)
Reflection of tax rate change – non-U.S.		(641	)		(2,506	)		1,748
Fair market value of warrants		-			(32	)		(422	)
R&D credits		(67	)		(33	)		(186	)
Mexico inflationary adjustment		(772	)		921			560
True up for Mexico inflationary adjustment		(1,397	)		-			-
Other		109			57			88
	$	1,362		$	1,182		$	911

Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]

	2013			2012			2011
Domestic	$	(8,474	)	$	(996	)	$	3,041
Foreign		15,072			25,030			(5,704	)
Income (Loss) from operations before income taxes	$	6,598		$	24,034		$	(2,663	)