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Property, Plant, and Equipment
 12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2011
Property, Plant, and Equipment [Abstract]  
Property, Plant, and Equipment

4. Property, Plant, and Equipment

Property, plant, and equipment consist of the following (in thousands):

 

                 
    October 31,  
    2011     2010  

Land

   $ 7,023     $ 7,023  

Buildings and improvements

     18,279       18,039  

Leasehold improvements

     1,315       1,104  

Equipment

     50,511       48,725  

Information systems - hardware and software

     4,479       5,175  

Construction in progress

     4,426       2,265  
   

 

 

    

 

 

  
      86,033       82,331  

Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

     (38,942 )      (41,272 ) 
   

 

 

    

 

 

  
    $ 47,091     $ 41,059  
   

 

 

    

 

 

  

Depreciation expense was $3.2 million, $2.8 million and $2.6 million for fiscal years 2011, 2010, and 2009, of which $ 0.2 million was related to depreciation on capital leases for fiscal years 2011, 2010, and 2009.

We capitalize software development costs for internal use beginning in the application development stage and ending when the asset is placed into service. We amortize such costs using the straight-line basis over estimated useful lives. Beginning in fiscal year 2010, we began the process of converting to a new accounting software system, which is recorded into construction in progress. The total capitalized computer software costs related to this new accounting software system was $2.3 million and $1.7 million as of October 31, 2011 and 2010. We expect to be completed with the conversion of this accounting software in the second quarter of fiscal year 2012.