Invacare Pulls Out of Medtrade in 2008

ELYRIA, Ohio–Invacare will be absent from both Medtrade shows
next year, instead switching its focus to specialized trade shows
and “more customer-oriented training activities,” the company said
last week.

The announcement put to rest the rumors swirling around the
Medtrade halls in October that the nation’s largest home medical
equipment manufacturer was pulling out of the largest HME trade
show in the U.S. Medtrade Spring is scheduled to be held May 7-8 in
Long Beach, Calif., while Medtrade Fall is set for Oct. 28-30 in
Atlanta.

“Over the past several years, the HME industry has changed and
so have the needs of our customers,” said Carl Will, Invacare group
vice president, HME division. “We have had to evolve our product
selections and services to better meet those needs, and now our
trade show plans for 2008 reflect the new business model as
well.”

The Elyria, Ohio-based company, which has stepped up its
presence in Washington, plans to beef up its support of state and
regional HME associations in hopes of getting more providers
involved in the legislative and regulatory processes.

“All politics is local and more providers need to get out there
and start talking with their own representatives and senators,”
said Mal Mixon, Invacare chairman and CEO. “This is a critical time
in our industry, and we need the participation of everyone
involved.”

The company’s HME division will also participate in specialized
shows, such as rehab- and respiratory-focused trade shows. In
addition, the division is working to improve education for
customers in the areas of training and development on new products
and services, competitive bidding and improving operational
costs.

Invacare is the latest manufacturer to pull out of Medtrade,
joining Drive Medical, absent from this year’s fall show, and
Permobil. The day before the October Medtrade opened, Permobil
announced its intent to forego Medtrade Spring and Fall 2008 and
instead host a rehab summit in the spring for its provider
network.

“This isn’t a battle between Medtrade and Invacare,” said Kevin
Bird, group show director, health care, for Medtrade producer
Nielsen Business Media. “Invacare is a pioneer in the industry, and
they have never tied their support of the industry to their
presence at Medtrade. However, this is a business decision they
made that is up to them.”

Bird said all other large manufacturers remain committed to the
show, including the majority of Invacare’s subsidiaries. “At this
point I’ve talked to them all, and at this time they will all be
represented,” he said.

Bird also said he plans to form an attendee panel to suggest
improvements for the 28-year-old trade show, with panel members
announced after Medtrade Spring.

“Medtrade continues to be the best place to learn how to survive
in today’s climate,” said Bird. “Medtrade is still the meeting
place for the HME community. It is a gathering of people trying to
learn how to move their businesses forward.”