CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 5,748	$ 6,639
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	4,770	4,794
Losses on sales and/or abandonment of property and equipment	0	4
Write-off of certain patents and license agreement	0	14
Acquired in-process research and development	175	0
Amortization of deferred credits	(24)	(27)
Purchase of trading investments	0	(111)
Unrealized gains on trading investments	0	(163)
Deferred income taxes	13	93
Tax benefit attributable to appreciation of common stock options exercised	(4)	(1,055)
Stock-based compensation expense	555	335
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Trade receivables	(4,871)	(3,316)
Employee receivables	(20)	(47)
Other receivables	(1,011)	17
Inventories	(544)	245
Prepaid expenses	(625)	(1,522)
Prepaid income taxes	(8)	120
Income tax refund receivable	42	(107)
Other assets	(436)	22
Trade payables	1,295	(2,100)
Accrued expenses	653	(48)
Advances from employees	404	15
Income taxes payable	1,425	2,702
Deferred compensation payable	481	219
Other long-term obligations	(533)	39
Total adjustments	1,737	123
Net cash provided by operating activities	7,485	6,762
Capital expenditures for:
Property and equipment	(17,733)	(10,699)
Patents and trademarks	(402)	(889)
Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment	3	0
Cash paid in acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(11,770)	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(29,902)	(11,588)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	118	2,810
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	66,573	22,700
Payments on long-term debt	(44,786)	(21,674)
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	4	1,055
Payment of taxes related to an exchange of common stock	0	(154)
Net cash provided by financing activities	21,909	4,737
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATES ON CASH	41	(181)
NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(467)	(270)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
Beginning of year	10,128	3,735
End of year	9,661	3,465
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION-Cash paid during the period (net capitalized interest of $264 and $0, respectively):
Interest (net of capitalized interest of $66 and $60, respectively)	63	402
Income taxes	546	376
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Property and equipment purchases in accounts payable	7,575	3,770
Acquisition purchases in accounts payable	12,500	0
Merit common stock surrendered (0 and 20 shares, respectively) in exchange for exercise of stock options	$ 0	$ 233