EDITOR'S notebook

Evolving, too, is the sales process when it comes to making capital equipment acquisitions. Manufacturers are increasingly relying on expanded showrooms/demo centers to help close deals. Customers are brought in, often bringing along some of their most difficult work, to run actual jobs in a controlled environment that's much less hectic than a trade show booth.

Don't get me wrong. There's no better place than a major trade show to compare offerings side-by-side. But, with enhanced demo centers and the ability to research and even buy some products on the Internet, shows are increasingly just one part of the buying equation.