MEDTEC
Growing each year since it was founded in 1997, MEDTEC remains Europe’s largest trade show devoted to medical device manufacturers. Last year’s show drew nearly 400 exhibitors and more than 7000 visitors. This year, event planners expect approximately 550 exhibitors and more than 8000 visitors to travel to Stuttgart for the 10th annual MEDTEC. Scheduled from 27 February to 1 March, this year’s show will see the opening of an additional hall at Messe Stuttgart, resulting in a 15% expansion in exhibition space compared with last year.
Also boding well for the success of the event is the renewed vigour of the German economy. The third-largest producer of medical devices worldwide, Germany has recently seen business and investor confidence surge. Within Germany, the state of Baden-Württemberg—of which Stuttgart is the capital—is particularly prosperous. According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, the region’s overall economic output exceeds that of Belgium, Sweden, and Austria. With 50% of Germany’s medical device firms located there, the state has one of the highest concentrations of medical device firms in Europe. Within the immediate region of the exhibition alone, more than 750 companies produce medical devices.
MEDTEC will also offer a comprehensive conference programme that will examine topics such as product development, medical device packaging, regulation and quality systems, and advanced FMEA for medical manufacturing. More than 200 senior-level delegates from medical device firms are expected to attend the conferences. For a complete conference schedule, turn to page 98.
MEDTEC Stuttgart is produced and managed by Canon Communications llc, which publishes this magazine and Medical Device Technology. Log onto www.medtecstuttgart.com for more information. The Web site also includes registration and travel assistance.
