COMPAMED 2019: Top bookings at the top event for medical technology suppliers

The registration process for COMPAMED 2019 in Düsseldorf has proved how important it is as the international leading market and information platform for suppliers in the medical technology industry. COMPAMED, the perennial partner to the world’s biggest medical trade fair MEDICA, has once again packed out both halls for COMPAMED 2019, with 800 exhibitors from almost 40 different countries heading to Düsseldorf from 18 - 21 November. “Companies are showing up at COMPAMED to prove that they are innovative forces to be reckoned with and to stand their ground in this market environment, which is becoming increasingly demanding,” says Wolfram Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. 

Although economic growth is generally predicted to slow both globally and in most European countries, the market for medical technology and medical products remains stubbornly robust and growth-oriented. German medical technology companies have just broken an annual turnover totalling over 30 billion Euros for the first time ever, produced with an annual growth rate of 5%. The suppliers also stand to benefit from this. However, despite this positive initial outlook, there are still many challenges that the industry needs to master.

“More stringent trade restrictions, time-consuming approval procedures, increased pressure on margins and Brexit all mean that the market situation is forcing us to consolidate our power. Future-oriented solutions and close cooperation between suppliers, medical technology and users are the biggest elements required here. COMPAMED and MEDICA, who have come together to create the only union of this kind in the world, have produced an ideal platform for creating partnerships and developing business together”, highlights Wolfram Diener, stating the biggest factors that contributed to the high booking numbers.

Expertise and skills from small companies and big groups alike

The registered exhibitors comprise both small and middle-sized companies as well as renowned groups such as Covestro, Evonik, Mitsubishi Chemical and Panasonic. “COMPAMED provides the perfect opportunity to link up with all of the significant stakeholders in medical technology personally. It’s our opportunity to speak to a lot of decision makers throughout the entire value chain in a relatively short time. For us, COMPAMED is therefore a very efficient way to build up new business relationships and strengthen existing customer contacts”, states Dr. Philip Engel, a Business Development Manager in the Medical Devices & Systems Segment at Evonik. Visitors can look forward to seeing a multitude of innovations, according to Dr. Engel: “As a speciality chemical company, we offer a broad palette of high-performance plastics for medical technology. At this year’s COMPAMED,we’re most excited about presenting the world’s first implant-grade PEEK filament for use in 3D printers. We will also present resorbable materials and specialist plastics for short-term or long-term body contact. PEEK, a high-performance material, can be used in fused filament fabrication technology and is intended to enable additive manufacturing of 3D plastic parts for human implants.”

Mitsubishi Chemical is also looking forward to COMPAMED 2019. “We offer products, services and solutions with high added value. Medical and healthcare is a focal topic here. We think COMPAMED is perfect for presenting our diverse product portfolio from a variety of affiliated companies in order to reach the correct target groups for these elements”, says Dick C. Hoogerdijk, the Director of Marketing & New Business Development at Mitsubishi Chemical Europe.

Power play in microtechnology

Exhibitors from the microtechnology sector will put their best foot forward once again at COMPAMED 2019. According to a current industry survey from the IVAM Microtechnology Network, over half of all European microtechnology companies are working in the market for medical technology and the health industry. One in five companies believes that this is their most important target market.

Based on this, it’s no surprise that the “High Tech for Medical Devices” product market from the IVAM Microtechnology Network, located in hall 8a, is the biggest joint stand at COMPAMED at 700 square metres and with over 50 participating parties. It looks at innovations in the microtechnology, nanotechnology, photonic and new material key sectors. 

The microtechnology sector is definitely benefitting from the current trends of miniaturisation and digitalisation. Medical technology devices, instruments and products are becoming smaller and lighter to use while retaining their high performance and including technical data networking options.  Medical technology suppliers therefore demand high-tech components in the smallest formats possible from their suppliers. These include actuators, chips, cameras, sensors, wireless modules and the batteries and data storage to keep them running. Examples of applications for these include micro endoscopes, lab-on-a-chip applications for fast diagnosis and various implants.

Huge range and an attractive supporting program

The diverse range of products and events on offer at COMPAMED 2019 in Halls 8a and 8b of the Düsseldorf trade fair centre centres around: Components for medical technology (electronics, components, hoses, filters, pumps, and valves, among other items), materials/ substances, micro- and nanotechnology, made-to-order manufacturing, electronic manufacturing services (EMS), complex manufacturing and equipment partnerships (e.g. OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturers) as well as packaging and services.

The attractive supporting program is packed with expert knowledge. The COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM brought to you by the DeviceMed journal (in Hall 8b) looks at trending topics throughout the entire medical technology manufacturing process chain. Mechanical and electronic components will also be a topic dealt with during the expert lectures on topics such as innovative materials and all types of made-to-order production.

The COMPAMED HIGH-TECH FORUM (Hall 8a) presented by the IVAM Microtechnology Network places great emphasis on microsystem technology, nanotechnology and production technology and process control.

The main target groups at COMPAMED are predominantly technical buyers, specialists in research, development and packaging, production managers, construction engineers and process engineers. Of last year’s total of over 120,000 professional visitors to MEDICA and COMPAMED, almost 20,000 were specifically interested in the topics addressed at COMPAMED.