Plastic fantastic: Newcomer Pentagon Plastics will show its capabilities in injection moulding
Small wonder: A component for use in microsurgery, moulded by TML
Med-Tech Expo Innovation 2015 takes place at the Ricoh Arena Coventry April 29-30 and is set to feature more plastics-based medical technology suppliers than ever before.
Part of the reason for the rising attraction is the fact that MTI Expo is exclusively focused on the UK and Ireland and the show itself includes the movers and shakers within these markets, organisations such as Medilink, STFC, Innovate UK, SBRI Healthcare (NHS) and others.
These National groups are exhibiting at the Ricoh Arena alongside the med-tech manufacturing sector. The Medilink National Awards, Gala Dinner and Conference are being held alongside the exhibition - and all at the show are offered a growing community experience of networking and business opportunities within the growing med-tech industry.
Another good reason for exhibiting here is simply the fact that plastics expertise is in demand. At the same time the med-tech sector’s appeal is rising, and offering a value-added market for enterprising trade/contract moulders.
First time exhibitor Pentagon Plastics, for example, is showing its wares at MTI Expo for that reason. The Horsham based company estimates that med-tech applications currently deliver some 35% of its repeat business and its Expo showing is designed to strengthen and boost that figure.
Similar thinking applies in the case of Sirane, a Telford-based innovator in polymer-based packaging products. Food and drink currently constitute the lion’s share of Sirane’s output but the firm’s medical division has been longstanding and it currently accounts for some 15% of turnover. Sirane has a new med-tech proprietary product line on the horizon and is set to expand its medical and healthcare marketing through this year. Expo 2015 will provide a ready boost.
Another MTI Expo newcomer, Bristol-based P3 Medical, will use the exhibition to show its contract manufacturing services; making its cleanroom extrusion and moulding lines available to visiting buyers and specifiers.
Meantime, show stalwarts such as Carville Plastics, Europlaz Technologies, Coda Plastics and Sovrin Plastics will all be showing their latest capabilities. All of these report recent growth and expansion.
Europlaz, based in Southminster Essex, is in the middle of expansion and a recruitment drive. Coda has just launched its new website, Carville is adding awards and accolades to its track record and Sovrin Plastics is getting set to move its headquarters into a new bespoke £4.5 million facility adjacent to its existing site in Slough.
Make It In Plastics, a new services and networking venture has picked its moment to exhibit at MTI Expo for the first time. The new company aims to help busy contract moulders with a number of services; including promotion and marketing into a variety of end-use sectors. MIIP founder and director Adrian Lunney says that, “We’re here to help plastics processors who simply don’t have the time for some functions such as marketing: MIIP can take that work on for businesses and can help profile and steer their capabilities into customer zones such as med-tech, automotive building products, packaging and others.”
On the materials supply side MTI Expo exhibitor Distrupol is leading the way. Part of the unique Distrupol signature is its status as official distributor for the DuPont range of polymers, also Ineos, Lucite (Acrylic), Versalis and many others. Distrupol claims that it has ‘probably the largest range of plastics and expertise for the medical industry’ and visitors to the company stand at Expo will be able to find out for themselves. At Expo 2015 Distrupol will be showing a range of medical plastics that comply with USP Class VI, Drug Master File (FDA) and ISO 10993.
On show: Colin Martin, founder and director of Med-Tech Expo
Expo show director Colin Martin says that plastics based companies enjoy a number of facets and benefits at Expo 2015 like no other. “Firstly, Expo 2015 is more accurately four events in one – exhibitions, awards, conference, seminar programme – with the exhibition set to be some 15% larger than last year. There’s a lot to learn about the marketplace – and Expo gives plastics based companies a very efficient way of doing that,” he says.
He adds: "Just visiting with the Medilink network for example - which representing over 1500 med-tech manufacturers in the UK regions - gives businesses an unparalled way to get closer to all that is happening in the sector.”
MTI Expo’s overarching aim is to create synergies, contacts and bridge building within med-tech; strengthen the UK and Irish supply chains, and thus help the creation of value-added and innovation – both for consumption in home markets and in export sales.
The MTI Expo conference and seminars are all intended to support that aim and to provide helpful topics and resources to manufacturers on the subjects of; internationalisation and exporting, NHS adoption, supply chain management, raising finance, skills and training; working with AHSNs, research, development, design and manufacturing.
All the major industry sectors will be covered at Expo 2015 including cardiovascular devices, drug delivery, orthopaedic devices, medical electronics, dental sector, surgical and hospital hardware, imaging technology, wound care, in vitro diagnostics, plastics manufacturing, radio therapy equipment and much more.