A new tradeshow for the HME industry is planned for April 21-23, 2009, in Baltimore, says parent company Access Business Media.
The show has been named the HME Exposition & Conference, and at its helm are names familiar to the industry: Art Ellis (VP business development), Grayson Lutz (VP operations), Kevin Bird (VP sales) and Cory Smith (VP marketing).
All four have worked for VNU Expositions, which is now known as Nielsen Business Media and which owns Medtrade and Medtrade Spring. All four also worked directly on the Medtrade portfolio of events.
In announcing the new event, a press release from Access Business Media said, “For years, there has only been one national tradeshow to service the $25 billion home medical equipment industry, but not anymore.”
Said Smith in the press statement, “National competitive bidding and dwindling reimbursement for power wheelchairs, oxygen and other core home medical products have put the industry at a crossroads. We recognize the value of producing an event that will address the industry’s need to conduct business in a cost-contained environment, to have sessions that provide business strategies/solutions for a changing marketplace and to promote/influence industry change through advocacy.”
The HME Expo’s parent company, Access Business Media, promised to “create advisory councils of industry professionals focused on all facets of the events to make decisions on issues such as event location and timing, show format, content and other important issues as they relate to the needs of HME providers, manufacturers and other stakeholders.”
Added Bird: “This will be a true industry event rather than just an industry tradeshow.” The event’s location at the Baltimore Convention Center is directly related to the event’s goal of advocating for the HME industry.
“Our mission is to serve the needs of the HME industry by connecting buyers with sellers, creating networking opportunities, providing relevant business information in a well thought-out conference program and promoting the HME industry to decision-makers in Washington, D.C.,” the press statement said.
Medtrade Spring 2008 , May 7-8, will go forward without several major mobility/rehab exhibitors, including Drive Medical, Invacare Corp. and Permobil. Permobil launched its own rehab conference for clinicians and suppliers, called Power Surge, this month in Nashville. Invacare is hosting an invitation-only rehab conference for clinicians in Cleveland, May 8-10.
Invacare and Permobil have also said they will skip Medtrade 2008 in the fall, but have stopped short of discussing their intent beyond this year’s schedule.
For more information on the HME Exposition & Conference, go to www.hmeexpo.com.
