(June 17, 2009) Canon Communications today announced that more than 24,000 buyers attended its B-to-B event for advanced technology manufacturing, 9-11 June in New York’s Javits Convention Center – an increase of almost 3% over 2008. The annual co-location of the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East, EastPack, Atlantic Design & Manufacturing, ATX (Automation Technology Expo) East, and Green Manufacturing Expo shows, is the largest event of its kind on the East Coast.

“A number of our exhibitors expected that attendance would be down because of the current state of the economy,” said Canon Communications CEO Charles G, McCurdy. “Instead, the success of this event has generated codgnsiderable optimism among them about the enduring business vitality of key advanced manufacturing segments, most notably medical devices.”

This optimism was a major factor in the strong renewal activity for next year, by which almost two-thirds of the event’s 1,000 exhibitors have already contracted for space in its next edition, scheduled for 8-10 June, 2010.

“The MD&M East Show allowed us to land more than 90 leads, of which 75% or more have immediate needs for our products and services,” said Ken Jenkins, President of Ohio-based moldmaker Pleasant Precision, Inc. (Team PPI). “I have displayed at more than 15 trade shows in the past ten years and the MDM East Show provided more substantial leads than all of the other shows together. The interaction gave me a revitalised outlook on manufacturing within the US economy and I look forward to the results helping our organisation with continued growth and success.”