A practical guide to attending Medica

Next month, over 130,000 people will descend on Düsseldorf, Germany to attend the largest health and laboratory related trade show in the world: Medica. Although other similar trade shows such as Arab Lab and Arab Health are indeed catching up, Medica remains the foremost exhibition for anyone interested in laboratory technology.

Medica, at a glance

Medica takes place every November, for four days at the Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany. This year, Medica will start on the 14^th November and finish on the 17^th November. Last year, over 130,000 delegates attended, of which 56% come from outside Germany. Even though Medica is a European trade show, a large proportion of the non-German visitors actually come from outside the EU (38%). Around 43% of the total number of visitors is classed as ‘trade and industry’. These are usually distributors looking for suppliers to add to his or her portfolio. Only 18% of visitors are hospital or clinical staff, making this very much a B2B trade show.

The actual Messe Düsseldorf site is huge and the Medica trade show is spread over nearly 20 halls. Walking around the Messe Düsseldorf is a bit like walking from one gate to the next at Heathrow airport. Even though you may have been walking for nearly 30 minutes, you will still find yourself in the same building!

Medica acts as a meeting point for suppliers and distributors of laboratory equipment, consumables, orthopaedic devices and a range of other healthcare related products. However, there are also some educational talks with interesting keynote speakers throughout the show.

Book flights and accommodation early

If you haven’t already booked your accommodation and flights, then it is probably too late for this year. Typically, you need to be booking accommodation around ten to eleven months in advance if you want to be staying in a central location. The price of Düsseldorf hotels increases exponentially during the time of Medica. It is not unusual for hotels to charge at least €350 a night or more. Many people decide to stay in nearby Cologne, Essen or Duisburg and then commute into Düsseldorf for the show each day. Although this is cost effective, it’s not very practical if you wish you meet up with a client in the evening.

An alternative is to stay on one of the hotel ships that moor up on the Rhine for the duration of the show. These are often a lot less expensive than a traditional hotel but with the added advantage of being centrally located. Many of these hotel ships are located not too far from the Altstadt (literally meaning ‘old town’ in German), where you will find a plethora of restaurants, bars and night clubs.

Many people fly into Düsseldorf to attend Medica. This is very practical because the airport is only a 10 minute drive to the exhibition centre. However, do bear in mind the time of year that you will be visiting. It is not uncommon for flights to be delayed or even cancelled because of fog or snow. For this reason, you may want to consider driving your own car to the trade show. It is true that when you walk through the car park, you will see number plates from all different European countries including Great Britain. People do drive to Medica, especially exhibitors who have to bring their products with them. Parking in Düsseldorf can be an issue, but you can buy parking passes in advance from the organisers.

Book online for cheaper tickets

Planning really is crucial when deciding to attend Medica. Not only should you book your flights, accommodation and parking passes (if required) well in advance, but delegates should also purchase their admission tickets well before the show starts. Tickets on the day can be purchased for €60. This is three times the cost of a ticket bought online before the show starts. All admission tickets, whether purchased online or on the day, will entitle the holder to free public transport around Düsseldorf (trains, trams and buses).

We will see you there!

Henderson Biomedical’s sister company MSE will be exhibiting at this year’s Medica trade show in hall 1, stand E06. MSE will be showcasing their latest products including the cutting edge Blue Force 12L R blood bank centrifuge.