A record number of regional businesses are currently flying the flag for Yorkshire’s healthcare sector at the largest and most prestigious healthcare technologies fair in Latin America.
The region’s Healthcare Technologies association, Medilink (Y&H), which works alongside UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to support regional and national companies wanting to export internationally, is currently hosting the British Pavilion at Hospitalar 2009, taking place in Brazil.
Despite the current financial climate the number of companies attending the show this year has tripled; with a high number from the Yorkshire region. These include Surgical Innovations (Leeds), Tissuemed (Leeds), Kapitex (Wetherby), Anetic Aid (Leeds), Principle Healthcare (Skipton), BR Pharmaceuticals (Leeds), Medezine (Sheffield) and Wardray Premise (Halifax).
The level of healthcare innovation has also been raised this year with some of the world’s leading technologies being showcased at the event by the Yorkshire firms. One example is the world’s first surgical ‘cling film’, which acts as a barrier to air, blood and other fluids encountered in surgery. Designed and manufactured by Leeds based Tissuemed Ltd, the TissuePatch product family has the potential to revolutionise many surgical procedures worldwide.
Another regional company, Leeds-based Surgical Innovations, a renowned specialist in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), is using the event to establish the specific needs of Latin American laparoscopic surgeons. The company is keen to access the Latin American market and is in Brazil to talk to surgeons personally.
Graham Bowland, managing director of Surgical Innovations Ltd said: “We are committed to exceeding our customers expectations so are looking forward to meeting surgeons in Brazil and seeing how our in-house design and manufacturing facilities in Yorkshire can help drive international healthcare sectors forward. It’s an exciting opportunity and hopefully the start of some exciting business opportunities.”
Speaking from the exhibition, Charlotte Fraser, international manager at Medilink Y&H and regional sector specialist for UKTI, said: “Hospitalar is the leading trading point for new technologies and represents a great opportunity for Yorkshire companies to promote the wide range of cutting edge innovations and pioneering technologies that are being developed and manufactured in Yorkshire.
“We have been attending the show, on behalf of UKTI and Yorkshire, for over five years now and each year it has been a greater success. Our region is renowned for cutting edge innovations and high quality products and this is an exciting opportunity for the Latin American healthcare industry to partner with the UK and in particular the Yorkshire region.”
