Alternative to ARA show?

[greg dugas]

Due to travel conflicts, I will not be able to attend next month's ARA show in Vegas. Is there another show coming up having a similar multitude of laser manufacturers?

[Martin Boekers]

Greg,

This is a much smaller show, but if it's close you may find it worthwhile.


http://www.nbmshows.com/

You might check with the laser's website or talk with their sales staff as to what future shows they are participating in.

Marty

[Mike Null]

There is no other show that matches the ARA show for number of exhibitors and breadth of applications. Not even close.

If you are an ARA member there are other benefits as well.

I do attend the NBM shows but they are usually a disappointment.

[Martin Boekers]

Mike is absolutly right, there is no comparing the two shows.

Each year that goes by the NBM Show has less exhibitors, in volume and quality.

You will not find a show that will have as many laser manufacturers as ARA.
At NBM you will probably find Epilog, ULS and maybe a Chinese brand, but that is it.

With the economy where it is many vendor's are dropping out of the smaller shows and doing ARA alone.

I suggested NBM only if there is one close to you, Indy is only a few hours away from me and that is the main reason I go to it.

This year is going to be tough for me to get to ARA also, I'm going to try to swing it at the last minute if possible!


Marty

[Dave Garcia]

Greg,

I cancelled out on both the ARA Las Vegas show and the NBM(?) show in Long Beach, California, for the exact same reasons you're looking for a show closer to your home and or place of business.

You might want to get your hands on the latest laser buyers guide, published by a number of companies, that list all of the laser manufacturers and or retailers, and their contact information.

Once you have that in hand, most of the listed companies/stores usually have an email address, contact them directly and you'll be totally floored with the amount of information they will provide, both electronically and through the good old US Mail Service. Remember the economy is just as bad for them!

No need to spend the bucks to attend one of these shows, although the ARA show in Las Vegas is probably the biggest and the best.

If it's "hands on" stuff that you're looking for I found in my four year search for a laser that just about every laser company or re-seller out there will climb all over themselves to get you to visit their show room for a demo and or provide you with some sort of internet video link that can do the same, AND send you enough printed information to kill off an entire forest.

Again, "hands on" is hands on. But like most people in todays economy the travel bucks are in short supply. Letting, to borrow a phrase from the telephone company yellow pages, your fingers do the walking and you'll be extremely surprised the information you'll be able to get free of charge, and without leaving the comforts of your shop and or living room.

It was this method that I learned about and ultimately purchased my laser from the company that I did.

Good luck!

Dave Garcia :)
The Wood Block, Ltd

[Bill Cunningham]

This weekend we just had the Canadian Imprint show at the Congress Centre in Toronto.. We usually go look around every year (stock up free pens and teeshirts:rolleyes:). Like the NBM shows I suppose, the usual laser reps are there.. You can generally walk through a couple of hours. The show seemed more crowded this year and there also seemed to be more exhibitors. The Canadian economy is starting to bounce back. It was nice to put a face to some of my suppliers, and likewise I guess.. I usually leave there and then go visit the Toronto International Boat Show downtown, but just couldn't be bothered this year.. I must be getting old..