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13th ISPO World Congress and ORTHOPAEDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010
The ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010 ended with both exhibitors’ and visitors’ overwhelming resonance
ISPO2010_Abstracts_eng.pdf (3.2 MB)
The globally leading trade fair ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010 ended and was a great success. From 12 May to 15 May, 21,200 visitors from 108 countries attended the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK trade fair, which is equivalent to a growth of 17 % compared to the last time in 2008 (18,100 visitors from 83 countries). For the first time ever, the ISPO World Congress with some 2,600 visitors took place in the Congress Center Leipzig (CCL) at the same time from 10 May to 15 May. Thus, the two most important events in orthopaedics technology around the globe – trade fair and the congress – were combined in Leipzig.
On the globally leading trade fair, 554 exhibitors from 45 countries presented aids for maintaining mobility from the fields of orthopaedics technology, rehabilitation technology, orthopaedic footwear technology and medical foot care as well as well as compression therapy on 40,000 square metres exhibition area. “I am extraordinarily happy about how the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010 went. This trade fair is a highlight in our programme”, said Martin Buhl-Wagner, Leipzig Trade Fair’s CEO.
For Frank Jüttner, President of the Bundesinnungsverband für Orthopädie-Technik (German Association of Orthopaedic Technology), intensive cooperation with the ISPO is a key to success. “The level of expertise and the congress visitors’ internationality has impressed all of us very much,” says Jüttner.
The ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK 2010 has not only attracted more visitors, but also broadened the range of issues dealt with. The exhibition field “Podology” was new and – like the associated experts’ forums – also boasted a lot of visitors. This time, the exhibition focused on how medical and healthcare supplies shops will develop in the future. A special exhibition displayed nine shop windows and presented the latest shop-in-shop systems. In the management forum, the presentation of the “Healthcare Market Barometer 2010” was met with lively interest . Amongst other findings, the study revealed that medical and healthcare supplies shops might appeal even more to the target group of people who want to do something preventive for their health. Project Director Ronald Beyer explains: “The increased interest confirms how
important the subject we have elaborated on is. About 55% of the visitors attended the special exhibition.”
Large attendance at World Congress
On the ISPO World Congress with the slogan "Research and Innovation for Human Technology", 630 speakers from 55 countries presented the latest developments and research results in the fields orthopaedics technology, orthopaedic footwear technology and compression treatment. Besides the core issues orthotics and prosthetics, the congress participants showed much interest in the subject bioneurology. Almost one out of five participants was strongly interested in that subject.
“It was our most successful Congress ever. In some keynote presentations, all seats were taken,” said Dan Blocka, President of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO).
Many visitors from abroad
The number of visitors from abroad increased significantly at this year’s ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK. Area Manager Klaus Ernst remarks: “With visitors from 108 nations (2008: 83), the international expansion of the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHATECHNIK has progressed very much”.
Visitors from all over the world travelled to Leipzig. Three quarters of them travelled more than 300 kilometres. The unambiguously largest group were orthopaedic technicians, who made up about 42 percent of the visitors. Many participants have become regular visitors to Leipzig. About 40 % stated that they visited on a regular basis. 90 % of all visitors said they wanted to come back in 2012.
Exhibitors give good reviews
For 80 % of the exhibiting companies, the ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK is very important as part of the global marketing strategies. The overwhelming majority of the exhibitors were very happy about how the trade fair went. Almost 90 % reported good to very good success at the trade fair. Just like the visitors, 90 % of the exhibitors said they recommended the trade fair to other people – a very high rate.
Global market leader Otto Bock also considered the trade fair a very great success. Professor Hans Georg Näder, CEO of the Otto Bock company group: “This was the best ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK we have ever seen. Combining the ISPO Congress and Trade Fair is a model for the future. The world comes together in Leipzig – experts are enthusiastic about world firsts such as the artificial leg system Genium Bionic and the Michelangelo hand prosthesis.”
Reception of Paralympic Day very good
As a tradition, the trade fair gates opened for the audience on the last day of the fair. Affected patients, their relatives and interested people used the trade fair and the exhibition in hall 5, which had been organised especially for this day. 85 exhibitors directly addressed consumers there and presented products for car conversion and for barrier-free building and lodging, mobility, tourism or communication aids and handicap-accessible living and working.
For the first time, the Paralympic Day took place, organised by the Leipzig Trade Fair with its subsidiary FAIRNET and the Federal Trade Association for Orthopaedics. In a unique way, this day brought together paralympic top-class and recreational sports in one event. Visitors had the opportunity to try out and test some disciplines for themselves. Among the top class athletes who performed on 15 May were sprinter and long jumper Heinrich Popow, dressage competitor Steffen Zeibig and Daniel Arnold, table tennis world champion in his classification.
The next ORTHOPÄDIE + REHA-TECHNIK will be taking place from 16 May to 19 May 2012.
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