TRADE SHOWS
recycling. This means we are ideally placed to support overseas customers when they come to us with questions.
A reciprocal relationship
It is certainly not all about what we can offer overseas customers - dealing with a huge variety and diversity of markets and expectations has brought a lot to the company, too. We have had to adapt to the way other countries do things, which has kept us nimble.
Flexibility is an absolutely integral element of the way we operate and we are always pragmatic in the way we approach work, but this is particularly important when dealing with overseas clients, where we have had to learn and adapt to different ways of doing things. In Germany, for example, local cabinet makers build hospital furniture, so we supply the important components; in Japan, they like metal frames but in America it’s aluminium. We also set up distributorships and agreements in different ways - we supply a leading Italian furniture manufacturer and a Japanese company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial furniture, with the polymers that go into their products. We appreciate that to succeed, we have to be able to dovetail into local requirements and practices.
Answering the question
To come back to where I started, yes, I believe trade shows are most definitely still worth the investment To survive, it is essential to look beyond UK markets, and trade shows are a really effective way to do this. I firmly believe there is still nothing better than to actually get out there and meet people and show them examples of what you have to offer - being able to talk to someone and demonstrate physical examples from our huge range of materials management solutions, including the latest innovations, is far more effective than an email and a photo. Our distributors are also vital to our success
Expanding into export markets and making the most of every opportunity that came our way has enabled us to cope with fluctuations in the UK market and keep all our offices, production facilities and, most importantly, our 170 staff.
because it is they who have the contacts and specific market knowledge, and the investment we make in trade show stands is key to building these relationships. It is 25 years since Medstor first exhibited in Europe at Interhospital, which as some of you will remember joined with Medica to become the huge event we know now – the world’s largest event for the Medical sector. Yes, the planning and the travelling and the cost can be hard work, and I appreciate is prohibitive for many, but if you can afford to exhibit or at the very least attend these trade
shows, the possible benefits are enormous. Healthcare Estates attracts around 4500 attendees, many of them key influencers in hospital estates departments; Arab Health welcomes 55,000 visitors and 4250 companies from over 150 countries; Medica hosts more than 5000 exhibitors from 66 nations in 17 packed halls and an astonishing 123,000 visitors. The opportunities are mind-boggling. If you are going to Medica this year, come over and say hello - it could be the start of something special.
About the author
Allison Seabourne is sales director of Stamford Products, a specialist polymer processing company and the parent company of Medstor, which provides healthcare materials management storage and logistics systems. Allison has been with Stamford Products for over 34 years, and has more than 25 years’ experience in running multiple OJEC/OJUE contracts throughout the UK and Europe. With a background in marketing and international business, her career covers sales, marketing, strategy planning and market penetration. Based in Manchester, Allison travels extensively to support global Medstor trading partnerships as well as Medstor area managers located throughout the UK.
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