STRONG EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION FOR MEDICA 2020 CONFIRMS ACCEPTANCE OF NEW HALL LAYOUT

   Based on strong exhibitor registrations for MEDICA 2020, the world’s leading medical trade fair, more than 5,500 exhibitors from about 70 nations are again expected to participate. The booked floor space corresponds to the high level at in the previous year, with approximately 1.2 million square feet. With around 800 exhibitors, registrations for the concurrently held COMPAMED 2020, trade fair for suppliers in the medical technology industry, are just as positive. Both events will be held at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany, from November 16 – 19, 2020.

 

   “The high re-booking rate underlines the satisfaction of the exhibitors with the events and with regard to MEDICA also the acceptance of the new thematic hall structure implemented last year,” stated Wolfram Diener, Operative Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf. As part of this concept, more space was allocated to the large national and international joint stands in Halls 15 to 17. From Hall 13, the manufacturers of surgical instruments moved closer to the suppliers of complete OR solutions and imaging processes in Halls 10 and 11in order to be closer to the suppliers of complete OR solutions and imaging processes. The MEDICA segment of Health-IT was presented for the first time in Hall 13 (previously Hall 15) with its exhibitors and highly frequented specialist forums - with direct access to the halls for medical technology and electromedicine. In line with the digitalization of healthcare, many innovations here are increasingly software-driven (including artificial intelligence) and equipped with the necessary interfaces for secure integration into network structures.

 

   The revised allocation of themes to the halls in line with market developments also does justice to MEDICA's increasingly important role in the matchmaking of suppliers. “Medical suppliers have always been a key target group and that has not changed. However, MEDICA, in combination with COMPAMED, has become increasingly important in the past years when it comes to business relations between manufacturers and service providers, as the trade fair is globally aligned and covers the entire value chain including suppliers,” explained Wolfram Diener.

 

Finding partners for future-oriented projects

   Many participating countries at MEDICA rely on exactly this effect at their joint stands, as Marie Catherine Lundstand of Innovation Norway confirms: “Norwegian companies have always been good at research and development. Now we support them in gaining a foothold in the health sector and ease their entry into the international market.” Innovation Norway joined MEDICA for the first time in 2019 (in Hall 15). Based on exhibitor satisfaction, Messe Düsseldorf plans to expand its stand space this year.

 

   Especially young companies can benefit tremendously from participating in MEDICA. “As the world’s largest trade fair in the healthcare sector, MEDICA is the ideal starting point to strengthen relations to our international customers in particular and to connect with industrial partners for future projects and partnerships,“ said Jörg Dräger, Head of Sales at Werth Systems, an IT company founded in 2016.

 

In 2019, the established company Beurer, a specialist for electrical devices for domestic use, teamed up with start-up 8sense and proved that the combination of established providers and creative start-ups can achieve ideal results. Together, they presented a smart clip and coaching app to fight back pain at MEDICA. The clip can be attached to the user’s shirt or t-shirt and is connected to the smart phone app via Bluetooth. It is then used to execute a precise scan of the wearer’s posture and movement. If users remain in one position for too long, the sensor emits gentle vibrations to encourage them to move more and change their sitting position.

 

    “MEDICA offers the best opportunities to present our innovative products in the medical field to a broad audience and to strengthen our markets. Platforms such as this one are particularly inspiring when it comes to exchanging information with customers, suppliers and experts, and are great places to identify fresh impulses for new developments and market trends,” commented Georg Walkenbach, CEO of Beurer GmbH.

 

Mobile health between creative solutions and sophisticated approval procedures

   Cooperation between start-ups and well-known market players is likely to become increasingly important in the future. This applies, for example, to mobile digital health solutions, which are currently trending. “They are successively capturing the first health market. However, we will not be seeing prescriptions for apps until their benefits have been proven in complex procedures, and product approvals and certifications have been completed; a fact that discourages a lot of small companies,” explained Dr. Claudio Bucchi, Senior Project Manager and Trend Scout within the MEDICA team at Messe Düsseldorf. “However, if a creative product idea is combined with the approval know-how and marketing power of a large supplier, we have a win-win situation for both sides. This is one reason why the MEDICA START-UP PARK and pitching formats within our forums are very well received. They allow us to bring business partners together, who then go on to launch joint projects.”

 

Trade fair, forums and conferences

   The forums are integrated into the trade fair’s thematic segments and this year once again include the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (which includes the MEDICA App COMPETITION), the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM, the MEDICA TECH FORUM, the MEDICA LABMED FORUM as well as the MEDICA ECON FORUM, initiated by Messe Düsseldorf in cooperation with German health insurance company Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).   

 

   MEDICA will focus on medical technology and electromedicine (2019: 2,600 exhibitors), commodities and consumables (1,150 exhibitors), laboratory technology and diagnostics (922), physiotherapy and orthopedic technology (468) and Health IT/information and communication technology (385).

 

   MEDICA’s conference program is aligned with the interests of key target groups and also ensures a content-related connection to the trending topics on the market and at the trade fair. This includes the 43rd German Hospital Day, a leading event for the directors and management of German hospitals, addressing current political topics, best practices (e.g. digitalization projects in clinics) as well as aspects of human resource management and financing. Also on the agenda again will be the two English-language conferences geared towards an international audience: DiMiMED, the Conference on Disaster and Military Medicine, and the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE.

 

Providers as key drivers in the process chain

   COMPAMED is the ideal venue for professionals looking to stay up-to-date on the developments that drive medical technology in particular and, above all, on how suppliers can provide vital momentum for medical progress as players in upstream stages of development and manufacturing. Around 800 exhibitors use the internationally leading market platform in this sector to present their technology and service solutions. Components, microsystem technology, material processing and coating, additive manufacturing/3D printing, manufacturing engineering and machines as well as packaging and services are focal points of the exhibits which are also  reflected in the programs of the two integrated forums.

 

   This globally unique combination of MEDICA and COMPAMED will reflect the entire medical technology value and  process chains and present a comprehensive range of medical products, devices and instruments. The two trade fairs will occupy the entire exhibition center in Düsseldorf (18 halls) and in 2019 attracted 121,369 visitors from 70 nations. 

 

   For further information on visiting or exhibiting at  MEDICA or COMPAMED 2020, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit https://www.medica-tradefair.com, https://www.compamed-tradefair.com and www.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago

 

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