Industry News
Messe Düsseldorf reaches the first milestones in reshaping its Asian business
2024-09-12
MEDICARE ASIA unites seven healthcare trade shows under one roof
Following the integration of Messe Düsseldorf's five Asian subsidiaries into the “Messe Düsseldorf for Asia” network, the company is now taking the next step and showcasing initial successes: At MEDICAL FAIR ASIA in Singapore, Marius Berlemann, new Managing Director for Operations, announced the unification of the company’s seven Asian healthcare trade fairs under the umbrella of MEDICARE ASIA headquartered in Singapore. A first success of the Asia-wide trade fair collaboration is the new partnership KAOUN, organizer of GITEX, the world’s largest tech and start-up show in Dubai. In the future, “GITEX Digi-Health 5.0 Asia” will be held alongside MEDICAL FAIR ASIA, MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND and, prospectively, additional Messe Düsseldorf trade fairs in Asia, enriching them with fresh and inspiring content. This move reflects the main mission of MEDICARE ASIA: Opening up promising new markets for the healthcare industry, creating even stronger marketplaces in Asia and attracting more Asian companies to the global leading trade fairs MEDICA, COMPAMED, and REHACARE in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Singapore, September 11th, 2024 – With MEDICARE ASIA, Messe Düsseldorf is creating an Asia-wide platform for the continent's growing medical technology and rehabilitation market, comprising seven trade shows in India, Singapore, Thailand and China. Marius Berlemann announced this milestone in strengthening Messe Düsseldorf's Asian business during today's joint opening ceremony of MEDICAL FAIR ASIA and MEDICAL MANUFACTURING ASIA, Southeast Asia's largest healthcare trade shows of its kind, attended by Singapore`s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong.
Since April, Singapore serves as the headquarters of the “Messe Düsseldorf for Asia” network (MDfA), which is gradually integrating Messe Düsseldorf's Asian business. The success and leading position of Messe Düsseldorf in Asia are evident at MEDICAL FAIR ASIA: With 1,000 exhibitors and an international share of 91%, Messe Düsseldorf is organizing its largest edition ever, providing the perfect stage for this announcement. MEDICARE ASIA includes, in addition to MEDICAL FAIR ASIA (Singapore), also MEDICAL MANUFACTURING ASIA (Singapore), MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND (Bangkok), MEDICAL FAIR CHINA (Suzhou), REHACARE CHINA (Suzhou), MEDICAL FAIR INDIA (Mumbai, New Delhi) and FAMDENT Show (Mumbai, Hyderabad).
Driving the Change
Marius Berlemann, Managing Director for Operations of Messe Düsseldorf Group, emphasizes the necessity of a strong position in Asia: “MEDICARE ASIA reinforces our global and strategic leadership in healthcare trade fairs. Building on the success of internationally renowned exhibitions like MEDICA, COMPAMED, and REHACARE in Düsseldorf, Germany, we are now leveraging our expertise in Asia to establish a strong trade show network in the region. With this step, we address the needs of the market and our customers, and secure Messe Düsseldorf's international pole position for the benefit of both our partners and our shareholders.”
Messe Düsseldorf has actively shaped the development of the Asian trade fair landscape for decades. Of its current 81 trade fairs outside Düsseldorf, 53 take place in Asia – and this number is growing. Additionally, Messe Düsseldorf operates five Asian subsidiaries in four of the world's largest economies: China, India, Japan and ASEAN/Southeast Asia. All these markets are characterized by high double-digit growth: According to the International Monetary Fund, India will grow by 81% between 2023 and 2030, Indonesia by 66%, China and Thailand by 46% each, Singapore by 36%, and Japan by 29%.
Focus on Healthcare
In particular, the healthcare market holds significant potential: Asia represents nearly half of the world's population, with increasing wealth and demands for healthcare services. In India, healthcare expenditures are expected to rise by 182.3% between 2022 and 2030, in Indonesia by 71%, in China by 52.4%, and in Japan by 35%. For this reason, "Messe Düsseldorf for Asia" has focused on healthcare exhibitions from the beginning. A team of highly specialized exhibition experts, guided by Shirley Lim, Portfolio Director of MEDICARE ASIA, centrally coordinates sales and visitor marketing from Singapore – for both the MEDICARE ASIA portfolio and the MEDICA, COMPAMED, and REHACARE exhibitions in Düsseldorf.
Shirley Lim explains the benefits of this network: “The demand for healthcare is increasing across Asia, and at the same time, the topics of care and inclusion are gaining relevance. We provide the marketplaces to meet this demand and advance these important issues. With MEDICARE ASIA, we will continuously enhance and expand this portfolio. Customers will benefit from harmonized offerings in Asia that are tailored to regional needs, central points of contact and even stronger business platforms – both in Asia and Düsseldorf.”
Initial Successes
An example of an initial cross-trade fair activity within the MEDICARE ASIA network is the collaboration between GITEX, the world’s largest tech and start-up show in Dubai, MEDICAL FAIR ASIA and MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND. The new partnership will see the “GITEX Digi-Health 5.0 Asia” conference being held in co-location with MEDICAL FAIR THAILAND in 2025 and MEDICAL FAIR ASIA in 2026. This collaboration fosters synergies: GITEX participants can explore medical innovations, while healthcare attendees gain insights into tech. This represents the future-oriented approach of MDfA: Opening up promising new markets for the healthcare industry, unexpected partnerships and synergies with tech/digital companies, exciting discoveries and inspiration.
All parties benefit from "Messe Düsseldorf for Asia" and MEDICARE ASIA. For local and national companies, the Asian trade shows are essential business and growth platforms. International companies get an opportunity to present themselves to targeted regional markets. Düsseldorf’s world leading trade fairs offer both groups a chance to meet the international industry. These diverse opportunities make Messe Düsseldorf's exhibitions particularly attractive and ensure their leading position in the future.
Positive impact on Messe Düsseldorf in China
With offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Hongkong, China represents Messe Düsseldorf’s largest subsidiary in terms of workforce. By streamlining the decision-making processes and enhancing synergies within the MDfA structure, the team can respond more swiftly to market demands and customer needs. This agility allows the company to capitalize on emerging opportunities and strengthen the competitive edge in the Chinese market.
Evian Gu, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., stated: " Messe Düsseldorf in China extends beyond local trade show excellence; it spans across Asia, offering our customers a robust portfolio of trade shows. By leveraging the centrally coordinated network of MEDICARE ASIA, we are now able to access Asian and global markets with a more strategic focus. In addition, we also offer our customers from the world an even stronger trade fair network in the future market of China. "
The Messe Düsseldorf Group
Messe Düsseldorf is among the most successful trade show organizers worldwide. It hosts around 40 trade shows, including 20 leading international ones, at its 613,000-m² exhibition center in Düsseldorf, Germany. Across 18 halls, international market leaders and top decision-makers of various sectors get together every year in order to present and discover innovations, to exchange ideas and to network. Messe Düsseldorf’s sectors of expertise include: “Machinery, Plants and Equipment,” including metallurgy and foundry technology (inter alia drupa, K, interpack, glasstec, wire and Tube); “Retail, Trades and Services” (EuroShop, EuroCIS, ProWein); “Health and Medical Technology” (MEDICA, COMPAMED, REHACARE, A+A); “Lifestyle and Beauty” (BEAUTY, TOP HAIR); “Leisure” (boot, CARAVAN SALON); and “Mobility” (XPONENTIAL, Flotte!). Completing this lineup are numerous conventions, corporate events, conferences and meetings by subsidiary Düsseldorf Congress. Abroad, Messe Düsseldorf organizes more than 70 events. The corporate group’s global network encompasses 77 foreign representatives for 142 countries – including seven international subsidiaries.
Messe Düsseldorf for Asia
As one of the world's top exhibition organizers, the Messe Düsseldorf Group is excellently positioned in the growth region of Asia: This includes five subsidiaries in four of the world's largest economies: China, India, Japan and ASEAN/Southeast Asia. The regional hub “Messe Düsseldorf for Asia” (MDfA) unites the subsidiaries in one centrally coordinated network. This efficient structure is designed to promote even more growth in Asia and leverage feedback effects for the world-leading trade shows in Düsseldorf. Customers will benefit from offerings in Asia that are tailored to regional needs, central points of contact and even stronger business platforms - both in Asia and Düsseldorf, Germany. For more information about MDfA, please visit www.md-for-asia.com.
