The global medical device industry has grown significantly during the last five years and is projected to reach approximately $302 billion by 2017, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.1 percent.

To serve this growing industry, Pharma EXPO 2014, on tap Nov, 2-5 at Chicago’s McCormick Place and collocated with PACK EXPO International, will provide solutions medical device manufacturers can use to enhance efficiency, speed and time to market, and to ensure regulatory compliance.

“The U.S. medical device market is currently a $110 billion industry – the largest in the world. There are more than 6,500 medical device companies in the U.S., and Pharma EXPO will provide these companies access to leading market suppliers,” said Jim Pittas, vice president, Trade Shows, PMMI.

Pharma EXPO, produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, in collaboration with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), will draw more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 50,000 attendees.

Side-by-side, the events will be the largest resource for processing and packaging innovation in North America this year, according to show officials.

Along with being the largest resource for pharmaceutical processing and packaging technologies, Pharma EXPO will serve as a destination for educational programming and a cross-pollination of ideas between the pharmaceutical and other manufacturing industries.

“One of the challenges for pharmaceutical manufacturers is implementing energy-efficient systems that not only support sustainability goals, but improve competitiveness by reducing costs,” said Nancy S. Berg, president and CEO, ISPE.

She added, “As energy costs continue to increase, the challenge of maintaining high product quality while simultaneously reducing production costs can often be met through adopting many of the energy efficient systems and solutions used in the food processing industry.”

Among the medical device technologies represented at Pharma EXPO, manufacturers will find the following innovations:

·  Automated packing slip systems

·  Heavy-duty industrial sealers to meet 11607 packaging requirements

·  GS1 bar code compliance marking systems

·  Thermoforming molds and trim tooling

·  Automated product transport systems

In addition to the technological innovations, ISPE will offer a world-class series of educational sessions covering topics such as operational excellence, quality, risk management, commissioning and qualification and automation design.

“The educational framework provided by ISPE will give medical device manufacturers a leg up on the competition — technologically and operationally,” Pittas said.