Event Description
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service (CS) office in Dusseldorf, Germany, together with the International Trade Administration's (ITA) Health Care Technology Team, is organizing the major annual Corporate Executive Office (CEO) at Medica ‘02, the world’s largest and most prestigious medical equipment and diagnostics show, with over 3,600 exhibitors and over 127,000 visitors from 80 countries. Medica attracts thousands of visitors from Central and Eastern Europe and from Asia. As the only effective alternative to exhibiting at or simply visiting Medica for U.S. exporters, the CEO program is focused on new-to-market U.S. companies in this sector that 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 trade show where they would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate due to the high cost. The Medica CEO is intended as an alternative to exhibiting. The U.S. Commercial Service envisions that CEO participants will eventually exhibit in the U.S.A. Pavilion or in the industry-specific location on the exhibition floor. Thus, preference will be given to businesses who are not multiple-year participants in past Medica CEOs.
This CEO consists of a package of services including: pre-show counseling; presence and base of operations on show premises with shared office suite, equipment, and services; market research and formal briefing in-country by the CS medical sector specialist; exposure through entry into show catalog, the Medica Internet portal, and the on-site electronic search system; assignment of a multi-lingual personal assistant/escort; on-site scheduling of meetings with potential partners, agents, and buyers; and post-show assistance and follow-up with contacts.
Commercial Setting
The Medica trade show is the single most important commercial and information exchange for U.S. 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 $26 billion, while the German market for medical equipment alone exceeds $10 billion, of which the U.S. has about 30 percent share. The EU market for medical products exceeds $50 billion and the world market (excluding the US) is estimated at $95 billion.
Despite recent efforts to reform the public health care system in Germany to moderate the rapid increase in public health care expenditures, demographic trends, the aging German population, and advances in medical technology are predicted to sustain the German market as 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 Newly Independent States offer long term potential for U.S. exporters as those regions strive to achieve comparable standards of health and medical care enjoyed in the West. Medica is the showplace for U.S. 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.
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 ‘02. The Medica CEO program enables U.S. medical companies to familiarize themselves with this important trade fair, conduct market research, and explore export opportunities through pre-arranged meetings with potential partners, investigation of market conditions, and discussions conducted at the show without the high costs of first-time exhibition. Importantly, the CEO allows U.S. companies to have a presence at the show, thereby providing them with an enhanced image and level of engagement, an office infrastructure environment, and knowledgeable support of U.S. Commercial Service 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 that cannot be matched by simply attending the show as a visitor.
Mission Scenario
Participants may request counseling by their nearest U.S. Export Assistance Center. Company information and literature will be forwarded by the companies to CS Dusseldorf and distributed in advance to assigned assistants, so that they may familiarize themselves with the company. Participants will arrive in Dusseldorf on their own schedule but report to the CEO office in Medica at the start of the show. At this time, participants will be briefed by CS staff on program features, personally introduced to their assigned assistants, and greeted by trade 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. CS staff will be available for information and assistance throughout the duration of Medica. CS information booths in the U.S.A. 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, CS staff will advise and counsel participants on appropriate follow-up actions to be taken after the show.
Timetable
Participants arrive according to their own schedules but all assemble at the Dusseldorf Trade Fair in the Medica CEO at the beginning of the show Wednesday, November 20, 2002.
Medica CEO participation promotion will be conducted by CS Dusseldorf and by CS regional coordinators in U.S. Export Assistance Centers and include, but not be limited to, publication in local German, as well as domestic trade publications, trade association newsletters, mailings from internal and purchased mailing lists, publication of a notice in the Federal Register, and posting on ITA’s homepage at http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html. The target number of companies for participation will be 18, and the participation fee is $3,600 (this fee does not include airfare or lodging). Recruitment will begin immediately and will close by Friday, September 20, 2002. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.
Conditions for CEO participation
Contact information:
National Team George Martinez, Director
Lead Medica: Linda Turner, Assistant
Clearwater U.S. Export Assistance Center
U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
1130 Cleveland Street
Clearwater, FL 37550
Tel.: 727-893-3738
Fax: 727-893-3839
e-mail: George.Martinez@mail.doc.gov
Overseas Post Anette Salama
Lead: U.S. Commercial Service
U.S. Consulate General
Willi-Becker-Allee 10
40227 Dusseldorf
Germany
Tel.: +49-211-737-767-60
Fax: +49-211-737-767-67
e-mail: Anette.Salama@mail.doc.gov