The ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK trade fair is on track to break all its previous exhibition and attendance records, according to the Leipzig Trade Fair company, Germany. Approximately 500 international companies-12 percent more than in 2008-will display their products and services at the Leipzig trade fair from May 12-15. According to the Leipzig Trade Fair, the exhibition space will occupy a total area of 40,000 square meters, which is 30 percent larger than last year.
“The fact that the world-leading trade show and the ISPO [International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics] World Congress will take place in parallel for the first time in their history has a positive effect on the registration status for the exhibition and congress,” explained Martin Buhl-Wagner, CEO of the Leipzig Trade Fair. “Many companies are substantially increasing their exhibition area. Others are exhibiting for the first time in Leipzig.” Scheduled to exhibit for the first time are groups from Japan and Taiwan.
Exhibitors
In the area of orthopedic technology and orthopedic shoe technology, companies represented will include Ortho Europe (Great Britain), Pacific Supply (Japan), and Distribuidora KJ SA DE CV (Mexico), as well Spinal Technology and STS Company (United States). New participants will include the Dutch Fisher Group and the German companies Delcam and Orthopädie Kall.
Exhibitors in the field of compression therapy will substantially increase over last year. Bauerfeind, Ofa Bamberg, and Thuasne will be returning, and new exhibitors such as medi and compressana (Germany), Pani Teresa Medica (Poland), and Salzmann MEDICO/VENOSAN and Sigvaris (Switzerland) will be presenting themselves. The main areas of focus at the exhibition are technical rehabilitation, research and development, medical and healthcare supply shops, medical technology, and workshop and shop fitting. Included among new exhibitors in this segment are the German companies Mobilis, RUSSKA Ludwig Bertram, and Sorg Rollstuhltechnik.
International Cooperation
Large joint stands from France, Spain, and the United States will again be available at the show, and will be joined by new exhibitors from China. For the first time, manufacturers and service providers from Japan and Taiwan will present themselves at cooperative shared stands from their countries. This year, the largest exhibitor participations are scheduled to be those from the United States, France, and Spain. Equally international may be the visitor attendees-China, Japan, and Russia have already announced large delegations. The speakers at the exhibitor workshops will also be arriving from all over the world to present at the scheduled 20 expert forums and 100 exhibitor workshops.
Speakers from Around the World
In addition, 1,000 experts from 50 countries will be speaking at the congress and training program. The program will bring together ten keynote speakers, 25 instructional courses, 40 symposia, 200 free papers, 50 reports in open forum, and 200 poster presentations at the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL). The congress language will be English, with German translation.