Mission Statement

TASBI Healthcare Technologies Matchmaker

United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Greece, February 12-24, 1998

Mission Description:

This Matchmaker is part of the Trans Atlantic Small Business Initiative Program (TASBI). The TASBI Program represents a joint effort between American and European governments and businesses to facilitate communication and commerce. TASBI supports efforts to create and enhance partnerships and strategic alliances. The program is designed to bring together small and medium sized U.S. and European Union (E.U.) businesses and provide them with an opportunity to learn more about markets and establish key business contacts. TASBI consists of a two-pronged effort that includes a series of high-profile trade and partnering venues for SMEs in Europe and in the United States, and ongoing discussions to identify suitable transatlantic databases for matching U.S. and European SMEs' business interests. Mary Fran Kirchner, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Export Promotion Services will lead the TASBI Healthcare Technologies delegation.

As part of the TASBI, Export Promotion Services Matchmaker Program will lead a Matchmaker Trade Delegation to the E.U. countries of United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Greece, February 12-24, 1998. The TASBI Matchmaker will target the healthcare technologies industries, including medical and dental equipment and supplies; pharmaceuticals; and healthcare services sectors. The focus of the delegation will be to match participating U.S. companies with qualified agents, distributors, representatives, licensees, and joint venture partners in these markets.

Commercial Setting:

Healthcare Technologies has been targeted by the Commercial Service as a key ShowCase Europe industrial sector. The emphasis on this sector in Europe is strong and the four country markets chosen for this TASBI Matchmaker all exhibit promising opportunities for U.S. healthcare technologies SMEs.

The market for medical equipment in the United Kingdom (UK) is projected to reach $2.2 billion by the end of 1997. Imports will account for $1.4 billion of this market. For 1997 it is projected that nearly half of the imports, approximately $690 million, will come from the United States, demonstrating the solid position the American industry has in the U.K. marketplace. The UK market for pharmaceuticals and medicinal products is the 6th largest in the world. Imports in this sector are expected to reach $5 billion in 1997, of which imports from the U.S. are projected to account for $570 million.

The Italian healthcare products and medical equipment market is projected to reach $2.8 billion in 1998. Imports account for 70 percent of the total market. In the Italian medical market the United States has an established reputation as a leader in advanced innovative technology and holds a substantial portion of the import market.

Spain's growth prospects for medical equipment and supplies are the best for all of the European Union (EU). The United States is in a good position to benefit from this expected growth as it enjoys an excellent reputation for quality and innovation in medical/hospital products. The United States is the number one exporter to Spain of medical equipment and supplies with 25 percent of the import market. The import market represents 70 percent of the total market, which is estimated to reach $2 billion in 1997.

The Greek market for healthcare products is dominated by imports. Imports supply approximately 90 percent of the Greek market. Imports are estimated to increase to $440 million in 1997, with a real growth rate of 8-10 percent annually over the next 3 years. The U.S. holds 17.6 percent of the import market. The demand for advanced and sophisticated medical equipment is high. U.S. manufacturers enjoy an excellent reputation for quality and in 1996 imported over $57 million.

Mission Goals:

The TASBI Matchmaker's goal is to gain first-hand market information and provide access to key government officials and potential business partners for new-to-market or new-to-export, small to mid-sized U.S. healthcare technologies firms desiring to enter the British, Italian, Spanish, and Greek markets. The mission will also explore key TASBI and E.U. issues in round table sessions.

Mission Scenario:

The TASBI mission will begin in London, United Kingdom, where the delegation will participate in key TASBI round table meetings. The mission will then travel to Italy and Spain, and conclude in Greece. At each stop, the Commercial Service will provide an extensive market briefing highlighting opportunities in the healthcare industry, schedule one-on-one appointments with potential business partners for each participant, and arrange hospitality events to introduce participants to key business, industry, and government officials. Participants can expect on an average to meet with 8-12 pre-screened business partners per stop.

Timetable:

Mission participants will arrive in the U.K. on Wednesday, February 11th. The U.K. portion of the mission with be held on February 12th -l3th. The mission will then travel to Milan for meetings on the 16th and 17th, and continue on to Madrid for two days of meetings on the 19th and 20th. The delegation will conclude in Greece with meetings on February 23rd and 24th.

Matchmaker promotion will include but not be limited to the following venues: the District Office and Teams; Business America Magazine; relevant trade publications; relevant trade associations; past Matchmaker and Commerce trade mission participants; various in-house and purchased industry lists. The TASBI Matchmaker will also be listed on ITA's Matchmaker home page (www.ita.doc.gov/uscs/uscs.html) and on ShowCase Europe's homepage (www.sce.doc.gov.) which links to the TABD and TABD/SBI homepages.

Recruitment will begin September 22nd, and will close on December 19th, eight weeks prior to the start of the mission.

Criteria for Participation:

• Relevance of the company's business line to mission goals
• Potential for business in the selected markets
• Timeliness of the company's completed application and payment of the mission participation fee
• Provision of adequate information on the company's products and/or services and communication of the company's primary objectives to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners
• Certification that the company meets Departmental guidelines for participation including certification that the company's products and/or services are manufactured or produced in the United States or if manufactured/produced outside of the United States, the product/service must be marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have U.S. content representing at least 51% of the value of the finished good or service.

Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Contact Information:

Yvonne Jackson, Project Manager

Matchmaker Trade Delegations Program

U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2012

Washington, D.C. 20230

Tel: (202) 482-2675

Fax: (202) 482-0178