The Medical Mart would work similarly to other Mart properties throughout the country. It would be a permanent showroom facility for medical manufacturers who currently travel to several medical tradeshows each year and can afford to purchase a permanent space in the showroom. This would allow these major manufacturers the ability to build out state-of-the-art exhibits, beyond what they are able to do affordably when traveling to various tradeshows throughout the country. The idea would then be to bring various medical meetings and tradeshows to Cleveland. While medical manufacturers would still be required to travel to other tradeshows throughout the year, this would allow them to show off their best state-of-the-art exhibits to a rotating group of meeting attendees annually while saving money on travel, set-up and tear-down of their exhibits. Additionally, each medical meeting would have the opportunity to utilize temporary exhibit space within the exhibit hall of the new Convention Center. For the many smaller manufacturers of medical devices, biotechnology and biomedical products located regionally and in Northeast Ohio, this would allow them exposure to a national marketplace by setting up temporary exhibits at meetings as they relate to each product’s niche or specialty. With this set-up, exhibits can range in size and scope from the smallest of catheters to full operating rooms or MRI’s.
Based on MMPI’s presentation, “In analyzing the 571 tradeshows, we recognized the important role that the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve and other major medical assets in Cleveland can play through personal leadership.
It is fairly easy to quickly identify 15 tradeshows in which Cleveland Clinic executives sit on the board of directors of associations, and are therefore in a great position to influence the location decisions for these associations’ annual tradeshow.”
The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, SUMMA and Metrohealth will all play an important role in the success of this project, both by driving medical meetings to Cleveland with whom they have an existing relationship, in addition to providing a level of input and expertise regarding the high-tech equipment displayed in the Medical Mart showrooms. People from around the world already visit the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital to see beta-test versions of the latest equipment in action.
Expoweb’s article State of the Exhibition Industry: Medical and Healthcare states “The forecast for this sector continues to look positive. There’s currently an increase in biomedical research generating a plethora of new drugs and medical devices — all of which are ideally suited to be marketed at exhibitions. There’s also a healthy demand for educational sessions in which doctors and scientists can learn the latest techniques and exchange ideas.”
The Medical Mart, in conjunction with a new Convention Center, would take advantage of the existing strengths of the Medical and Healthcare meetings sector.
Lorelei Sugano
CVB of Greater Cleveland
