Same show, new look - The CPhI has established itself as the definitive trade show for the pharma ingredients industry over the last 21 years; the show has grown from 250 delegates at the first show in 1990 to a mega-event that covers 50,000 m2 and hosts more than 1,400 exhibitors. While many in the industry complain that the show has gotten too large, its organizers, UBM Live, say it reflects the growth seen in the sector over the last two decades. In addition to the CPhI, the parallel shows P-MEC, ICSE and BioPh help break the three-day event into manageable dimensions. Brand new this year are the six exhibitor zones within the CPhI, which are hoped to give delegates more time for fruitful conversation and less achy feet from unnecessary walking. Brandi Schuster asked UBM Live brand directors Annemieke Timmers (CPhI) and Haf Cennydd (ICSE, P-MEC & BioPh) about the trends in the industry and their expectations for the show Paris show, Oct. 5-7.

CHEManager Europe: What have been the most significant trends you've witnessed since last year's CPhI? What are the exhibitor numbers looking like compared to 2009?

A. Timmers: The predominant trend that we have witnessed in the pharma ingredients sector over the past 12 months has definitely been the market shift to generics as result of healthcare legislation changes in both the EU and U.S. As we have had generics companies exhibiting at our events for many years, this trend doesn't necessarily have any immediate effect on our exhibitor profile.
Last year, the events hosted 1,808 exhibitors from over 125 countries and regions and the show has grown further since then, suggesting that pharma companies have a sense of renewed optimism and confidence regarding the future business outlook and state of the global economy.

H. Cennydd: Both visitor pre registrations and exhibitor numbers are looking good for the 2010 events. Typically, outsourcing thrives during tough economic times, as companies take steps to rationalize their production and R&D assets, and we estimate that the ICSE event will be around 10% larger than last year with visitor pre-registrations also running at around 10% higher than 2009. Within pharmaceutical contract services, two of the fastest expanding areas of outsourcing are undoubtedly Packaging and Contract Research, and as a result we have introduced dedicated zones to cater for exhibitors and visitors in these sectors at this year's event.
P-MEC will also see around 10% growth in exhibitors this year and a notable shift in exhibitor demographics, with the event now featuring instrumental analysis, measuring and testing technologies, materials testing, quality control and laboratory equipment, as well as "traditional" large-scale capital machinery with which P-MEC has become associated.
With BioPh, we again expect the event to continue to grow as the convergence trend between bio and major pharma shows no signs of abating.

The economy is finally starting to pick up again, and most of the big chemical players have seen significant improvements in their balance sheets. What have you been hearing from your end?

H. Cennydd: The feedback that we have been getting is cautiously optimistic and this is reflected in the continued growth of the events.

CPhI is divided into six different product zones. What was the impetus behind this? How did the exhibitors respond?

A. Timmers: The zones - APIs, Custom Manufacturing, Intermediates, Fine Chemicals, Excipients and General - were introduced as a result of extensive exhibitor and visitor research. They have been introduced to facilitate navigation of the event, and help visitors to easily find exactly what they are looking for, leaving them with "more talking, less walking" time.
The exhibitor feedback has been great, and they have been universally pleased to have a choice of exhibition space which more accurately reflects their company profile. The Initial zones reflect basic ingredient product areas, and we will be looking to further refine them for 2011.

Will this also be reflected within the parallel shows at the CPhI`?

H. Cennydd: Again, as a result of visitor and exhibitor surveys, we have also introduced zones within our ICSE event. The Packaging zone features companies that provide packaging solutions within various stages of pharmaceutical processing, from bioprocess vessels to anti-static film. The CT & CRO zone will not only cover clinical trials, but also pre-clinical, clinical research, phase 1-4 clinical trials and contract research organisations.

The CPhI has gotten into hot water in previous years when dubious companies were allowed to exhibit. Are there any measures in place to insure the quality of exhibitors doing business on the floor? How can visitors protect themselves from such companies?

A. Timmers: UBM Live has specific terms and conditions for exhibitors across our global portfolio of CPhI, ICSE, BioPh and P-MEC events. We stress to all exhibitors their need to verify their specific entitlement to display goods in the host country and to seek appropriate legal advice if they are unsure
We take worldwide trends in protecting patents very seriously and support all appropriate industry efforts to maximize product certification, regulatory and IP compliance and enforcement, which are in turn key to the integrity of our event brands. Additionally, exhibitors need to keep in mind that even if they did not make or do not own the goods, they may still be legally responsible for their import, display and promotion.
UBM's general conditions covering goods display specifically exclude: "...any counterfeit goods... or goods which infringe any third party's intellectual property rights". Also excluded are any goods: "Prohibited or restricted by local laws or regulations where the exhibition takes place."
Under our general conditions, we reserve the option to remove displayed goods which the company or relevant authority, such as a government agency or inspector, deem to be in breach of relevant IP rights, or which are prohibited or restricted under the hosting country's national or local laws.
Responsible and ethical trading is vital for the industry. While UBM has no regulatory function, we are acutely aware that our exhibitors and visitors expect the reassurance that comes from taking a very clear position and response should exhibits raise IP or compliance issues.

How do you respond to criticism that the show has gotten too large?

A. Timmers: Our events precisely mirror growth in the industry sectors that we serve and represent. By breaking the events out into the separate brands- CPhI Worldwide for Pharmaceutical Ingredients, P-MEC Europe for equipment, machinery and technology; ICSE for contract services and packaging; and BioPh Europe for the biopharma sector - then further breaking CPhI and ICSE into specific product zones, we are responding directly to such market feedback. We hope that the introduction of these measures will enable visitors to plan their attendance in advance and maximize the use of their time during their week in Paris.