Biotechnica, Interphex to Collocate

By Michael Hart -- Tradeshow Week, 5/7/2007

A version of Biotechnica, Deutsche Messe's major annual biotechnology trade fair, will collocate in 2008 with Interphex, Reed Exhibitions' major pharmaceuticals show. The collocation, scheduled March 26-28 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, means the largest biotech event in Europe and the largest pharmaceutical show in North America will combine forces.

"They approached us because we are the largest in the Americas," said Kevin Richards, group vice president of Reed Life Sciences.

He said the collaboration was a response to the changing nature of the pharmaceuticals industry. More and more new drugs and medicines entering the pipeline are being developed by biotech firms, and fewer and fewer are coming by way of traditional chemical-based development.

"This is really for the industry," Richards said. "It is asking for more and more biotech."

And that's not all. Along with Biotechnica, Reed Exhibitions will next year organize the second PharmaMedDevice, a show and conference focusing on medical devices, at the same time, providing a marketplace for pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices. PharmaMedDevice debuted this year alongside Interphex.

Richards said the the convergence and overlap of the industries increases every year: "The industry is pushing this way, so we're pushing that way too."

While Reed Exhibitions' motive appears to be providing one-stop service for the pharmaceuticals industry, Deutsche Messe is anxious to spread its Biotechnica brand throughout the world as the biotech industry grows and begins to move more and more products into the pipeline.

In 2005, in Hannover, Germany, the biennial event drew 581 exhibitors and 9,105 attendees to a 9,426 square meter (101,000 square foot) showfloor. This year's show, scheduled Oct. 9-11, is expected to draw 600 exhibitors and 9,500 attendees to a 9,500 sq. m. (102,000 sq. ft.) showfloor. Perhaps because growth for the 15-year-old show in Hannover has flattened, Deutsche Messe is working to expand the brand geographically.

The second edition of Biotechnica Asia will take place July 4-6 in Shanghai, after being held last year in Singapore.

With the U.S. version, "the Biotechnica product family will now be represented on three important continents," said Jurgen Furstenberg-Brock, Deutsche Messe director.

At the same time, Reed Exhibitions continues to develop its Interphex brand as well. The flagship U.S. show rotates, but only in the Northeastern U.S. health care corridor, having been held most recently in late April at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York. There are now eight other versions around the world, including shows in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Tokyo; Singapore; and Mumbai, India. A new Interphex opens next month in Mexico City.

This year's U.S. Interphex, held April 24-26, spanned 260,000 sq. ft. According to Richards, it attracted more than 15,000 attendees. Interphex had 950 exhibitors, and PharmaMedDevice had 100. Richards pointed out that those were unofficial figures, pending an official audit.

He expects Biotechnica to account for an additional 10,000 to 15,000 sq. ft. of showfloor space, 100 exhibitors and 1,000 attendees.

The point though, Richards emphasized, is not to develop the biggest showfloor possible, but to provide as many opportunities as possible to the pharmaceutical industry.

The 2006 Interphex, No. 121 on the most recent Tradeshow Week 200, spanned 220,429 sq. ft. and attracted 952 exhibitors and 5,868 attendees.

It is possible, he said, that there will one day also be a version of Interphex at the Hannover Biotechnica.

"But it's really too preliminary to say right now," Richards added. "We've got a one-year agreement, and we'll go from there."

At the same time Reed Exhibitions announced the Biotechnica collocation, it also said it had renewed its contract with Interphex sponsor Intl. Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering. After working on the show together for the past 10 years, the association and show organizer agreed to a three-year extension. Next year's show in Philadelphia will be the 29th year the show has been held.