DEDICATED medical device design and manufacturing technology event, Med-Tech Innovation Expo, is back for 2019 and will be setting up shop in Birmingham for the first time.
The free-to-attend expo is making the move to the NEC this year to improve accessibility and accommodate a growing number of exhibitors and visitors. Billed as “the only medtech event you have to attend”, it serves the entire £27 billion UK and Irish medical technology sector, encompassing the whole supply chain.
Taking place on 15-16 May, Med-Tech Innovation Expo will bring designers, engineers, innovators and manufacturers from the medical and healthcare sectors together under one roof. Over 200 exhibitors are lined up for this year’s event, with upwards of 4,000 attendees expected across the two days.
The packaging industry will be well represented, with Sean Eagan, director of global marketing at Nelipak Healthcare Packaging, presenting on the development of simulation for thermoformed custom packaging, design and product integrity testing, predicted behaviour and performance, and first prototype samples.
Nelipak supplies custom designed plastic packaging to the medical device and pharmaceutical markets, which provide product protection to the point of use.
Donal Harrington, director of life sciences at Anglo Production Process (APP), is set to discuss packaging integrity testing, USP 1207 and regulatory shifts to come, while Christopher Smith, principal engineer at Wilde Analysis, will lead a session on a holistic approach to simulation of an injection-moulded drug-delivery system.
Other packaging companies in attendance will include Oliver Healthcare Packaging, a supplier of pouches, lidding, roll stock and mounting cards for the global healthcare industry; Bemis Healthcare Packaging, which provides engineered packaging solutions for the protection of medical devices, sensitive drugs and sophisticated diagnostics systems; MPH Packaging, suppliers and manufacturers of printed flexible packaging and labels, including sachets, pouches, flow wrap, top and base web constructions for the pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare sectors; Riverside Medical Packaging, a supplier of machinery and complete packaging line solutions; and IPP, a technical distributor of manufacturing equipment to the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, specialising in packaging equipment, packaging inspection and testing equipment, automation and manufacturing equipment and serialisation equipment.
“It’s all about showcasing new ideas, emerging technologies and giving people that attend the opportunity to network,” Jane Hughes, group marketing director at event organiser Rapid News Group, told Packaging Scotland.
Jane explained that the event has moved to Birmingham in a bid to generate more visitors and international exhibitors, given its central location and strong transport links. “We’ve moved to the NEC because we’re growing and because we wanted to make it more accessible. We’ve looked to get a better position for ourselves and accommodate the growing numbers that we’ve got in terms of both visitors and exhibitors.”
The Medilink UK Healthcare Awards, in association with Med-Tech Innovation, will be held on the first night of the expo. The awards seek to recognise the business achievements, international successes and innovative breakthroughs made across the life science and healthcare technology sectors over the last year. The Med-Tech Innovation strand of the awards includes five categories, designed to reflect sector areas where manufacturers are breaking new ground: Connected Health, Engineering, Materials, Design, and Industry 4.0.
New for 2019 is the Med-Tech Introducing Stage where exhibitors will deliver quick-fire presentations introducing the latest news, innovations, applications and materials from across the industry. Speakers confirmed for the stage include injection moulding specialist Boddingtons Plastics and Bemis Healthcare Packaging.
The new stage brings the total number of stages to three for this year, with the Med-Tech Innovation Stage and HealthTech Stage both returning. The Innovation Stage will feature a host of presentations from the likes of Boston Scientific, Roche Diagnostics and NHS England, while the HealthTech Stage will deliver the latest news on hardware, software, materials and services and will feature presentations from Innovate UK, the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
The Medilink UK Pavilion will also be back this year, hosting a new group of member businesses. Medilink provides specialised support to manufacturers, service providers, designer and suppliers of medical technology.
Another new addition for 2019 is the Acceleration Zone, which Jane described as a “hive of innovation” that links in well with the Introducing Stage. It will feature exhibitors from across medical technology, medical plastics, pharmaceutical manufacturing technology and beyond, showcasing the ‘next big thing’.
Dave Gray, group editor at Med-Tech Innovation News added, “There is a lot to be gained from attending any one of the three conference stages. You’ll find world class experts offering insights on everything from implantable devices, the impact of Brexit on the medtech industry and digital start-ups to women in medical plastics, the recycling of medical devices and efficient design for patients and organisations.”
