The OFC/NFOEC 2009 exposition came to a close yesterday. While overall attendance was down – organizers announced a preliminary registration total of 9500 (the official final attendance tally for 2008 was 12,000) – most of those who were here this week "were here for a reason," as one exhibitor noted. Fabrinet's elephant was an eye-catcher on the OFC/NFOEC exhibit floor. The maker of optical and electromechanical components, modules, and bulk optics is based in Thailand, where the elephant is the national symbol. In many cases, it seems, companies sent only those focused on next-generation products – rather than putting everyone on the payroll on a plane to San Diego, as they might have in years past. Stay tuned for a complete wrap-up of OFC/NFOEC 2009. Gary Boas contributing editor, Photonics Spectragboas@eggship-media.com