Even amidst the economic downturn the global consumption of medical devices has continued to rise. Growing at an average rate of 9% per annum and driven by the changing demographic of a globally ageing population, medical device manufacturers continue to invest in manufacturing that serves an increasingly diverse market.

Nowhere has the search for medical device manufacturing excellence become more apparent than in Ireland. The Emerald Isle's aggressive package to attract inward investment has resulted in the
establishment of manufacturing facilities for 15 of the world's top 20 medical device manufacturers.

During the past few years the emphasis in Ireland has changed from a low-cost manufacturing base to a centre of R&D excellence for the medical device industry. The requirement for up-to-date knowledge and learning in the fields of materials, technology and manufacturing has never been greater.

To effectively address this, the MEDTEC Ireland exhibition and conference announces the Medical Device Innovation and Technology (MDIT) Forum. This new meeting will take place alongside the MEDTEC Ireland exhibition and conference.

The MDIT Forum will focus on addressing technical and academic developments in a format that provides short applicable presentations for both engineering and R&D personnel, allowing them to be updated in business critical technologies and methods of design and manufacturing.

Key Areas of Focus for the MDIT Forum:
• New Materials
• New Manufacturing Technologies and Techniques
• Commercial Opportunities
• Clinical and Academic Research