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Post Retirement Benefit Plans - Number of Participants in Defined Benefit Plans (Detail) - Participant | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Oct. 31, 2015 | Oct. 31, 2014
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 1,869,000 | 2,131,000
Vested former employees | 2,083,000 | 2,149,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 4,050,000 | 4,131,000
Other plan participants |  | 30,000
USA [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 1,509,000 | 1,772,000
Vested former employees | 1,525,000 | 1,431,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 2,480,000 | 2,372,000
Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 25,000 | 25,000
Vested former employees | 0 | 0
Retirees and beneficiaries | 757,000 | 779,000
Other plan participants | 0 | 0
Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] | USA [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 12,000 | 12,000
Vested former employees | 0 | 0
Retirees and beneficiaries | 667,000 | 683,000
Other plan participants | 0 | 0
Germany [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 105,000 | 112,000
Vested former employees | 57,000 | 60,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 255,000 | 256,000
United Kingdom [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 133,000 | 133,000
Vested former employees | 399,000 | 399,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 718,000 | 718,000
Netherlands [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 74,000 | 66,000
Vested former employees | 81,000 | 238,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 540,000 | 728,000
Other plan participants |  | 30,000
Other International [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 48,000 | 48,000
Vested former employees | 21,000 | 21,000
Retirees and beneficiaries | 57,000 | 57,000
South Africa [Member] | Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |
Active participants | 13,000 | 13,000
Vested former employees | 0 | 0
Retirees and beneficiaries | 90,000 | 96,000
Other plan participants |  | 0

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