Mission Statement: To provide a meeting forum and participatory access to Medica, the world’s largest medical exhibition, to small and medium sized companies who would otherwise not be able to exhibit.
Event Description:
The US & Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) Düsseldorf, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) Export Assistance Center regional team coordinators, is organizing the major annual Corporate Executive Office (CEO) at Medica ‘99, the world’s largest and most prestigious medical equipment and diagnostics show in the world, with over 2,000 exhibitors and over 100,000 visitors from 63 countries. Medica attracts thousands of visitors from Central and Eastern Europe and from Asia. This Medica CEO is the Tier One event in Europe for the strategic medical sector under the Showcase Europe program. As the only effective alternative to exhibiting or simply visiting Medica for US exporters, the CEO program targets new-to-market US companies, which have not previously exhibited at Medica. The CEO program affords lower cost access to Medica allowing small and medium-sized businesses to participate in the world’s largest medical exposition where they would not have otherwise the opportunity to participate because of price and cost. The Medica CEO is intended as an alternative to exhibiting. We envision that current CEO participants will exhibit in the USA Pavilion or in the industry-specific location on the exhibition floor in the future. Participation is not intended for multiple-year participants in past Medica CEOs. This CEO consists of a package of services including: pre-show counseling; access to buyer delegations organized by medical specialists throughout US&FCS posts in Europe; presence and base of operations on show premises with shared office suite, equipment and services; market research and formal briefing in-country by the US&FCS medical sector specialist; exposure through entry into show catalogue and electronic search system; assignment of a multi-lingual personal assistant/escort; scheduling of meetings with potential partners, agents and buyers; and post-show assistance and follow-up with contacts. The CEO operation at Medica will be staffed by US&FCS Düsseldorf personnel and contract assistants and regional USDOC Export Assistance Center coordinators (identified below), who may accompany participating companies from their respective areas.
Commercial Setting
The Medica trade show is the single most important commercial and information exchange for US exporters in the medical equipment and diagnostics field. It offers not only the unsurpassed forum for access to the German market but also an excellent means to explore and penetrate virtually all European markets as well as other foreign markets. The German market for medical products in total is estimated at $20 billion. For medical equipment alone the US captures around 30% of a market worth over $8 billion in Germany. The EU market for medical products exceeds $47 billion, while the world market (excluding the US) is estimated at $90 billion.
Despite recent efforts to reform the public health care system in Germany and to slow the rapid increase in public health care expenditures, demographic trends, the aging German population and advances in medical technology are predicted to maintain the largest and fastest growing market in all of Europe. The German market is very receptive to high quality advanced medical equipment, technology, and diagnostic products from the US. Similar trends may be observed in other parts of the EU and Western Europe. The newer democratic markets of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the former republics of the Soviet Union, offer long term potential for US exporters as those regions strive to achieve comparable standards of health and medical care enjoyed in the West. Medica is also the showplace for US medical equipment and technology for these markets.
Because Medica attracts buyers and experts in the field from all ends of the globe, it serves as a barometer of trends, an indispensable source of market information, and the most efficient available tool for establishing contacts and selling or preparing for sales to all world markets.
In the future, U.S. medical device manufacturers will be allowed to submit a joint certification that their medical device meets U.S. and European Union standards under the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) signed in mid 1997. This should somewhat ease the bureaucratic burden that manufacturers face in the overseas marketing and sales of medical devices.
Mission Goals:
The goal of the Medica CEO is to facilitate a productive presence for companies that would not otherwise be able to participate in Medica 99. The Medica CEO program enables US medical companies to familiarize themselves with this important trade fair, conduct market research, and explore export opportunities through pre-arranged meetings with potential partners and investigation of market conditions and discussions conducted at the show without the high costs of first time exhibition. Importantly, the CEO allows US companies to have a presence at the show - providing them with an enhanced image and level of engagement, an office infrastructure environment, and the knowledgeable support of US&FCS staff and personal assistants focused on furthering company-specific objectives. Access to German, European, and other international markets and business partners is made possible through the CEO in a manner which cannot be matched by simply attending the show as a visitor.
Mission Scenario:
Participants will be counseled by Export Assistance Center trade specialists. Company information and literature will be forwarded by the companies to US&FCS Düsseldorf and distributed for familiarization to assigned assistants in advance. Participants will arrive in Düsseldorf on their own schedule but report at the CEO office in Medica at the start of the show. At this time they will be briefed by US&FCS staff on program features, personally introduced to assigned assistants and greeted by fair officials. Company literature and promotional material will either be shipped to the U.S. Consulate in Dusseldorf or brought by participants. No exhibition or larger demonstration items are permitted or appropriate. US&FCS staff will be available for information and assistance throughout the duration of Medica. Buyer groups for CEO participants organized by third-country US&FCS posts will be received and desired meetings held. US&FCS information booths in the USA Pavilions will promote and refer interested parties to CEO participants. One evening during the show, a reception will be organized for CEO participants. Prior to participants’ departure, US&FCS staff will advise and counsel on appropriate follow up actions to be taken.
Timetable:
Participants arrive according to their own schedules but all assemble at Düsseldorf Trade Fair in the Medica CEO at beginning of the show, November 17, 1998. Participation will end after four p.m. on November 20.
Medica CEO participation promotion will be conducted by US&FCS Düsseldorf and by US&FCS regional coordinators in Export Assistance Centers and will include, but not be limited to, publication in trade publications, association newsletters, and local German press; domestic, mailings from internal and purchased mailing lists; and publication in the Federal Register and ITA’s home page. Recruitment will close by October 1, 1998.
Conditions for CEO participation:
Acceptability of product area/sector for exhibition in Medica according to trade fair rules.
Timeliness of company’s completed application and payment of participation fees.
Timely and adequate provision of company and product/service information and literature in order to be able to enable communication of company’s objectives and scheduling of appointments.
Certification that the company meets Departmental guidelines for participation.
The company is seeking to export goods with at least 51% U.S. content.
Submission of the $2,900 participation fee, the participation agreement, and certifications.
Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.
Contact information: