<TABLE> <S> <C>




<PAGE>



<ARTICLE> 5
       
<S>                                       <C>                     <C>                     <C>                     <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                    3-MOS                   3-MOS                   3-MOS                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          OCT-31-1997             OCT-31-1997             OCT-31-1997             OCT-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JAN-31-1997             APR-30-1997             JUL-31-1997             OCT-31-1997
<CASH>                                         1627732                 2298330                 1886937                  912290
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                 16937515                18710236                18744927                20215180
<ALLOWANCES>                                    924000                  967000                 1060000                 1140000
<INVENTORY>                                   10655018                10122727                10822261                11576651
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                              30035235                31953005                31982217                33129382
<PP&E>                                        34644773                34994877                35821995                37100695
<DEPRECIATION>                                11447066                12296837                13413620                13825053
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                57255064                59482959                59226509                60345713
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                         12544977                13226197                12413338                14194210
<BONDS>                                              0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
<COMMON>                                       8382489                 8382489                 8384930                 8384930
<OTHER-SE>                                    16795681                17361611                17700828                18464842
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                  57255064                59482959                59226509                60345713
<SALES>                                       21115836                29260261                27867096                30141445
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                              21115836                29260261                27867096                30141445
<CGS>                                         15111279                19330376                19129064                19568280
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                 15111279                19330376                19129064                19568280
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               4694266                 8129304                 7194767                 8060672
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              238070                  451646                  451997                  444705
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                1534463                 1644992                 1337835                 1820135
<INCOME-TAX>                                    665466                  673681                  557194                  674303
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             868997                  971311                  780641                 1145832
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0                       0                       0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                    868997                  971311                  780641                 1145832
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.10                    0.12                    0.09                    0.14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.10                    0.12                    0.09                    0.14
        


</TABLE>