"The MEDICA is the most important trade fair for us", explains Catherine Pappert who is responsible for marketing at Schaerer Medical. The Swiss company invited all its distributors from 75 countries to Düsseldorf and welcomed many of them. "Particularly the new operating table for heavy weight people is our highlight", she states, "and I suppose that this year will be even more successful than the last."

The Turkish company üzümcü is exhibitor at MEDICA for the eleventh time. "All of our customers are viting this fair. And accordingly it is very convinient to meet them here. This is very important for us," states Tugrul Karagülle, Marketing Manager. The manufacturer of aspiration units and other medical systems exports its products into 82 countries – and everytime in Düsseldorf new customers can be added.

Marketing Manager Michael Lärmann is contented: "The whole day through there are talks in our conference room. The main advantage of the MEDICA is that there are so many corner booths. This lowers the inhibition threshold to have a look at our products." On this occasion, he gives practical support and shows the prospective customer - for example how the label tapes of the Precision Dynamics corporation (pdc) are put on.

"The MEDICA is the foundation for our export business," Christine Meyer-Haake sums up. As a founder and name giver of the company Meyer-Haake could ascertain a positive development: "Meanwhile distributors from all over the world visit us on the MEDICA. This is what we need."

For 15 years, Merck has been exhibitor of the MEDICA now. "Next year we will change a bit. We will present us as Merck Millipore with a new and much bigger booth," explains the account manager Hugues de Crémiers. He is very satisfied with the contacts at this year's fair and sees the biggest advantage of MEDICA in meeting customers directly.

"Every year our innovations and our new product catalogue appear in time for the MEDICA," says Christine Kugler of Soehnle professional. Their colleagues from the export department are especially contented. The visitors even want to buy the exhibition pieces directly from the stand. "The MEDICA is the most important fair for us because it is international."

Finding distributors is Simona Vianzino's main target. As a member of Coremec's export department she got an advice by a colleague: If you do not visit the MEDICA you are off the market. "There are many competitors at the fair. Due to this reason it is even more important to us to show that we exist", she stresses.

"The trader's contacts are the most important for us on the MEDICA", explains Ingo Knifka who is responsible for the marketing at 3B Scientific, "but also end users order at the booth directly." In the two-storey exhibition stand is well-attended. "The models of the body parts are crowd pullers and invite the visitors to touch and feel them. And this is for what they are intended for", said to Knifka.

"I am really suprised about this rush," notes Managing Director Andreas Schenkenbach, a MEDICA novice. His colleagues confirm this impression: Not only the number of the visitor's at the Derungs Licht AG booth is higher than the year before, also the quality of the talks is very satisfactory. "It is absolute worthwile for us to be here and to make international contacts."

Finding distributors is Simona Vianzino's main target. As a member of Coremec's export department she got an advice by a colleague: If you do not visit the MEDICA you are off the market. "There are many competitors at the fair. Due to this reason it is even more important to us to show that we exist", she stresses.