<ARTICLE>                     5
<MULTIPLIER>                        1,000
<CURRENCY>                          U.S.
       
                                                               
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       YEAR         YEAR         YEAR         
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   OCT-31-1997  OCT-31-1996  JAN-31-1998  
<PERIOD-START>                      NOV-01-1996  NOV-01-1995  NOV-01-1997  
<PERIOD-END>                        OCT-31-1997  OCT-31-1996  JAN-31-1998  
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                               1            1            1
<CASH>                                    1,532        3,821        6,317  
<SECURITIES>                                  0            0            0  
<RECEIVABLES>                            83,539       76,669       76,797  
<ALLOWANCES>                              1,330        1,408        1,252  
<INVENTORY>                              33,497       37,239       36,509  
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                        122,003      124,365      124,719  
<PP&E>                                   60,763       48,527       60,456 
<DEPRECIATION>                           21,396       18,340       22,462
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          199,600      189,058      200,379  
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                    70,760       89,842       63,167  
<BONDS>                                   1,043        1,181        1,009  
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                         0            0            0  
<PREFERRED>                                   0            0            0  
<COMMON>                                      0            0            0  
<OTHER-SE>                              124,318       94,201      132,684  
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>            199,600      189,058      200,379  
<SALES>                                 353,350      323,735       76,483  
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                        355,999      324,884       76,767  
<CGS>                                   260,794      247,559       56,653  
<TOTAL-COSTS>                           320,462      294,868       71,810  
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                              0            0            0  
<LOSS-PROVISION>                              0            0            0  
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          792           82          845  
<INCOME-PRETAX>                          34,745       29,934        4,112  
<INCOME-TAX>                             13,874       11,488        1,987  
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                      20,853       18,446        2,139  
<DISCONTINUED>                                0            0            0  
<EXTRAORDINARY>                               0            0            0  
<CHANGES>                                     0            0            0  
<NET-INCOME>                             20,853       18,446        2,139  
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 0            0            0  
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 0            0            0