Pharmabiz
 

CPhI mirrors changing nature of markets

Thursday, September 30, 2010, 08:00 Hrs  [IST]

As CPhI Worldwide 2010,world's most awaited event of the pharma universe is unfolding in Paris, Annemieke Timmers, Brand Director of CPhI in an e-mail interview with AD Pradeep Kumar talks about the novel features of the event and the prospects of the future events.

How different would be CPhI Worldwide this time compared to previous years?
As with any industry-leading event, CPhI Worldwide is continually evolving, mirroring the changing nature of the markets it serves and providing not just a place to do business, but also an educational forum designed to help further add value to the overall event experience. For 2010, CPhI is introducing zoning and, for the first time, the show floor will be divided into six different zones, designed to make navigation easier.

The zones - APIs, custom manufacturing, intermediates, fine chemicals, excipients and general - were introduced as a result of extensive exhibitor and visitor research and will help visitors find exactly what they are looking for, which equates to 'more talking, less walking' and a more focused show experience. In addition, a number of features introduced in 2009 will once again feature, including a pre-show seminar series, taking place on the afternoon of October 4, which this year focuses on 'Global Sourcing and Contracting Strategies.'

Designed to stimulate lively debate around current sourcing issues from a wide range of industry perspectives, the first ever Pharma Outsourcing Round table will run on October 6 at ICSE, and features representatives from major pharma, the legal profession, custom manufacturing, excipient producers and formulators and CROs. Topics will include re-making R&D processes, streamlining manufacturing networks, and exploiting the untapped opportunities offered by the growing economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The panel will consist of very senior, highly experienced supply chain and outsourcing professionals from some of the world's largest bio/pharmaceutical companies.

Another first for CPhI Worldwide is the launch of a new mobile website, which is accessible through www.cphi.com, www.icsexpo.com, www.p-mec.com and www.bioph-online.com. The website will allow exhibitors and attendees to easily access event information including floor plans, exhibitor information and schedules directly from their Smart phones. The popular Breakfast Briefings will return on all three mornings of the event, while other highlights will include the seventh annual CPhI Innovation Awards, which received a record thirty entries this year, and the 'Speaker's Corner' taking place at CPhI and ICSE.

What is the expected participation in the event compared to last year?
Four years ago, when the show was last in Paris, attendances topped 22,000, while the 2009 Madrid events attracted more than 25,000 people. Based on the pre-registration numbers seen so far, which are six per cent up on 2009 levels at this time, we fully expect the 2010 attendance to top all previous years. Exhibitor numbers are also up, currently standing at 1,934, a significant jump from the 1,808 we had last year. This steady increase in attendance underlines the recognition of CPhI, ICSE, BioPh and P-MEC as the industry's premier annual meeting place.

Please brief us on the visitors profile and how it would be beneficial for them?
CPhI Worldwide, along with P-MEC, ICSE and BioPh create a unique environment where delegates can meet, learn, network and share ideas with each other. The comprehensive range of exhibitors allows visitors to renew existing associations as well as establish new commercial relationships.

The events include a pre-show conference with a choice of six modules, speakers' corner, the Innovation Awards presentation and the co-located specialist events, focusing on the sub-sectors of outsourcing, machinery and equipment and biotechnology, representing the widest range of pharma services events possible in a single location.

Every year, over 95 per cent of visitors make new business contacts. With both established businesses and new participants exhibiting, visitors have access to key pharma ingredients professionals from around the globe, representing developed as well as fast-moving and emerging new markets.

Visitors to the events will meet decision makers and executives from a wide range of job functions including: marketing & sales, purchasing, production, general management, quality control, engineering and R&D.

These decision makers come from throughout the fine chemicals and pharmaceutical industries, and feature representatives from, among others: cosmetic producers, custom synthesis producers, educational institutions, engineering companies, generic producers, government, intermediates producers, original molecule designers, OTC producers, regulatory institutions and research institutions.

What are your views on the Indian participation in CPhI Worldwide?
Indian participation at CPhI, both visitor and exhibitor, has long been an important aspect of the show. Pharmexcil has organised our India Pavilion for the past six years, while the Indian pharma majors continue to view the events as key to their marketing efforts as witnessed by the on-going participation of Dr Reddy's, Ranbaxy, Mylan and Aurobindo.

How was the event last year and the outcome?
Last year's events in Madrid attracted 25,147 attendees and saw a 7.5 per cent increase in visitors over the previous year, with more than 1800 companies exhibiting and 114 companies making their debut. In a domestic survey, 74 per cent of questioned exhibitors rated the quality of CPhI WW/ICSE/P-MEC/BioPh as either 'very good' or 'excellent'.

How do you see the future of the CPhI Worldwide events?
We will continue to evolve the events in line with market trends and industry feedback. For 2011, CPhI Worldwide will return to Frankfurt, and, along with P-MEC , ICSE and BioPh will be held at Messe Frankfurt, from Tuesday 25 to Thursday 27 October.

We anticipate that the 2011 events will build on the momentum that CPhI Worldwide has generated to date and continue to attract record levels of attendees, as it has done year on year since its 1990 inception. Full details of the 2011 events - the 22 CPhI Worldwide - will be announced later this year. However, some highlights will include the popular Breakfast Briefing seminars, which return for the fourth consecutive year, in addition to the CPhI Innovation Awards and the Speakers' Corner which will provide an extra meeting place between exhibitors and visitors.

CPhI Worldwide in Frankfurt will again feature the new, zoned layout which is being introduced at this year's Paris events, and will see the introduction of two new zones, dedicated to 'Generic APIs' and 'Finished Dosage.'

In response to market demand, ICSE Europe 2011 will also see the introduction of a North American Pavilion.

 
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