<ARTICLE> 5 <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS 3-MOS 6-MOS 9-MOS 12-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-29-1996 SEP-28-1997 SEP-28-1997 SEP-28-1997 SEP-28-1997 <PERIOD-START> OCT-02-1995 SEP-30-1996 SEP-30-1996 SEP-30-1996 SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-29-1996 DEC-29-1996 MAR-30-1997 JUN-29-1997 SEP-28-1997 <CASH> 4,059 4,249 5,904 4,791 6,145 <SECURITIES> 0 0 0 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 26,899 23,417 27,072 27,898 27,758 <ALLOWANCES> 2,159 2,199 2,530 2,553 2,665 <INVENTORY> 47,279 50,175 49,935 47,328 53,248 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 84,232 84,002 84,468 86,286 97,009 <PP&E> 57,278 60,249 62,549 64,957 70,485 <DEPRECIATION> 31,637 32,468 33,424 34,364 35,614 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 114,439 116,532 122,715 123,227 135,194 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 34,676 34,146 39,429 35,086 41,196 <BONDS> 46,420 46,726 44,391 46,164 47,621 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 0 0 <COMMON> 1,582 1,643 1,741 1,743 1,747 <OTHER-SE> 27,826 30,150 33,277 36,347 40,162 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 114,439 116,532 122,715 123,227 135,194 <SALES> 157,435 35,759 76,416 119,064 163,234 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 157,435 35,759 76,416 119,064 163,234 <CGS> 115,320 26,015 55,630 86,593 118,435 <TOTAL-COSTS> 115,320 26,015 55,630 86,593 118,435 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 545 34 168 257 329 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 0 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 4,440 960 1,920 2,826 3,684 <INCOME-PRETAX> 13,966 3,257 7,327 12,470 18,506 <INCOME-TAX> 5,866 1,368 3,043 5,159 7,455 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 8,100 1,889 4,284 7,311 11,051 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 0 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 8,100 1,889 4,284 7,311 11,051 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.03 0.24 0.52 0.87 1.30 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.80 0.19 0.41 0.70 1.03