Media stories prior to the start of GRAPH EXPO had warned of a near-complete halt in spending and credit worldwide, but show producer Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC®) counterattacked this unsettling economic news by researching the lending potential of exhibiting banks and third-party lenders. Attendees discovered on-site that there was plenty of money to lend-more than usual, in fact-just not through the typical large banks that were involved in the sub-prime and credit card debacle. Moreover, the business economic stimulus plan that GASC's partner organization NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies had promoted all year created an additional incentive for those ready to buy this year. These two factors-money to lend and bonus depreciation advantage-created an urgency to purchase at, and after, GRAPH EXPO 2008.