Successful Moscow Forum on Orthopaedic Technology Ends with Record Number of Visitors
The Russian Forum on Prosthetics & Orthotics RFPO 2019 came to a successful close on Thursday as part of the "Integration" international trade fair for rehabilitation technology. A total of 3,090 visitors (2017: 2,350) took in the offerings of more than 100 exhibitors from 11 countries. Germany attended the trade fair with 23 exhibitors and drew particular attention with an official collective stand. Exhibitors praised the professionalism of trade fair visitors. Many came to the trade fair with specific questions and showed great interest in the new developments. The state sector, which represents roughly 90 per cent of the Russian market, saw full representation at the forum.
"The international strategy of Leipziger Messe is paying off," says Markus Geisenberger, Chief Executive Officer of Leipziger Messe. "The Forum proved that it is worthwhile for our trade fairs at home if we go abroad with our most successful projects. At the last OTWorld in Leipzig the number of visitors from Russia almost doubled. During the forum here in Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade announced its intention to organise a collective stand at OTWorld 2020. Our regular customers from Leipzig also applauded the fact that we now provide them with competent support and are at their side in Russia too."
"We have arrived in Russia", summarised Matthias Rose, General Manager of Leipziger Messe International, which organised the RFPO and Integration trade fair duo together with the Düsseldorf-Moscow trade fair. "The forum is highly regarded in the industry. For the first time, we also received many regional representatives from Russian health insurance companies and MSE consultant services along with their federal director. Among the most prominent industry representatives were Deputy Russian Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Grigorij Lekarev, Deputy Moscow Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Oleg Dudkin, Head of the Russian Disability Organisation, Michail Terentiev, and Chairwoman of the Russian Rehabilitologist Association, Galina Ivanova.
The RFPO is Russia's most important continuous education platform for orthopaedic technology. 60 presentations, round tables, seminars and presentations with over 160 presenters and discussion participants from 6 countries took place in RFPO and Integration's mutual conference programme. One of the highlights was German Day, with a seminar from the Federal Academy for Orthopaedic technology, organised by the German Association of Orthopaedic Technology and Confairmed Gmbh. "German know-how is highly valued in Russia. This not only relates to the technology but also to matters of market design and the continuous development of training structures, in which there is a desire to use German experiences as a guide," says Georg Blome, Managing Director of the German Association of Orthopaedic Technology. "We are glad that the German health aid industry is continuing to take root in Russia."
"The fair is becoming established“, says Oliver Jakobi, Managing Director Ottobock Russland. The trade visitors were very interested in the various activities. Furthermore, it was encouraging that more patients came to the fair, including wheelchair users. New faces were also to be seen, which speaks in favour of a higher degree of awareness. We were pleased because we had the impression that many industry players were working on the same page - like the health insurance companies, MProP and us." Top class athlete Heinrich Popow also expressed delight with RFPO: "I met a lot of friends at the fair. I like the fact that so many prosthetic technicians from all over the world came to this trade fair."
Prof. Irina Gurieva from Consultant Service MSE summed up: “There were about 80 participants from all over Russia and a nice team of speakers.The organisation was excellent and I am convinced that it is an important step forward in interdisciplinary collaboration.”
Furthermore, two operations from St. Elisabeth-Krankenhaus Leipzig were broadcasted live to the trade fair in Moscow during the congress. In addition to prosthetics and orthotics, key topics included compression therapy, children's rehabilitation, orthopaedic footwear technology, and training matters. Russian podiatrists met for their first congress during the trade fair.
For the second time, Russia's best prosthetics technicians were elected at a live competition at the trade fair. 12 of the 53 participants from all over Russia had qualified for the final. One technician travelled more than 6,000 kilometres in order to participate.
"The trade fair results underscore the fact that the forum is becoming a crucial venue for orthopaedic technology", summarised Matthias Rose.
The next RFPO and integration will take place in Moscow in June 2021.
More information: www.rf-po.de
About Leipziger Messe International GmbH (LMI)
Leipziger Messe International (LMI) is part of the Leipziger Messe Group of Companies. It specialises in developing, implementing, and supervising trade fair and event concepts in international markets. LMI organises German joint participations abroad on behalf of the federal government and states, public institutions, and the private economy. They supervise their customers, from market analysis and design to consulting on funding options and entry requirements, and even on-site organisation and execution. With a focus in the regions of Eastern Europe, Russia, China and Southeast Asia, LMI organises its own trade fairs and cooperates with organisers from established industry trade fairs.