Informex 2012 will take place in New Orleans from 14 – 17 February. Marketing manager Caitlin Devlin discusses the event’s progress and highlights some of this year’s new features.
The entire US pharmaceutical and fine chemical sectors are in a state of flux. But Informex marketing manager Caitlin Devlin believes that much of the change is for the better: healthcare reform, globalisation, patent expirations and large scale health and safety failures across the industry have caused everyone to take a step back and re-evaluate the way business is done.
Specifically, the blockbuster drug patent expirations have forced the industry to rethink its approach to drug manufacture. This opens up new opportunities for the API market as companies are looking at developing generic drugs to compete against the big name brands. End users are demanding the same, or better, quality in a more cost-effective manner and the industry is responding to that rather effectively.
‘Each company wants to be successful on its own, but to find success individually there has to be a standard to work from. What you are seeing now is that companies are completely redeveloping the way they do business to operate in this new economy. The end user has become the true focus, which is refreshing,’ says Devlin.
‘We have seen a rise in interest in the biologics and biosimilars sector. There is also a shift towards specialisation as companies realise that outsourcing and partnering can be more effective ways to get ahead in the industry. An event such as Informex Global offers a platform for companies across the chemical and pharma industry to come together and create partnerships for success in this changed market.’
Despite world economic problems, the Informex brand has maintained steady growth. As of December 2011, attendee registration was up 11% and 30 new exhibitors had booked space. Globally, the show has also maintained strength with 24 countries currently represented. Devlin attributes this to a solid customer base that is very interactive with the organisers. ‘The feedback we get from visitors and exhibitors allows Informex to shape the show around specific needs for the industry today and looking into the future. Our customer-centric approach has been, and continues to be, a cornerstone of our success,’ she suggests.
This year the event returns to New Orleans, a location that is often considered the show’s ‘spiritual home’. The next two shows will be held in Anaheim, California and Miami, Florida, respectively, as part of the planned rotation between the East, Middle and West of the US that began last year with Charlotte. ‘The idea is to tap into local markets and new industries, giving exhibitors the opportunity to meet potential business partners in new areas of the country,’ Devlin explains.
The 2012 show will again kick off with the welcome reception hosted by Dixie, and many of the most popular features from previous years will also return. The breakfast briefings this year will focus on the most popular buyer markets, while the Speed Networking Sessions will return in an expanded format in 2012. New features include an exclusive Buyer’s Reception on Wednesday, 15 February that will allow buyers to network with one another, and a culinary walking tour on Monday, 14 February.
But for those who cannot make New Orleans this year, there are other ways of staying in the loop. Online events are playing an increasing part in the Informex offering. ‘Perhaps the biggest influencing factor is the global nature of the industry. It is not always possible for companies to send employees across the globe to attend meetings and events whether because of time or budgetary constraints. The online events facilitate a unique opportunity to learn, network and make new business connections from anywhere in the world,’ says Devlin.
‘The resounding attendee feedback from the webinar series has been that these events offer the best of both worlds. We definitely have plans to continue moving forward with this format. However, it is important to ensure that we are hosting valuable events that target the areas our customers express a need for support in. Just as with planning the physical events, we will spend time researching where to place our efforts and what will bring most value to our audience.’
A Conference Programme aims to provide educational content across the various sectors that Informex serves on a year-round basis. Each event is able to home in on a more targeted sector within the fine, speciality chemicals and pharma sectors. Most recently, Informex partnered with CPhI to hold the Global Pharma Sourcing conference in early December in Philadelphia, which was both well supported and well received. In June, the Specialty Chemicals Conference will return to Houston, Texas for the third year and has already had positive feedback and strong attendance tracking.
‘Informex has always operated with a global perspective, but as we move into 2012, we are targeting the global market more directly. The goal is to continue to broaden the platform of our events as a unique forum for buyers and sellers in diverse chemical markets,’ Devlin emphasises. ‘The continued expansion of the Informex portfolio offers attendees the opportunity to meet and do business throughout the year while also providing a direct view of what is happening in the chemical industry both on local and international levels.’
