(July 9, 2009) Canon Communications today announced plans to introduce two new events in 2010 that are dedicated to the rapidly expanding orthopaedic manufacturing sector, which is currently valued at $40 billion worldwide. OrthoTec Conference & Exhibition (www.OrthoTec.com) will debut 12-13 May in the US at the Orthopædic Capital Center in Warsaw, Indiana; and in Europe (www.OrthoTecEU.com) 29-30 September at the Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Regensdorf in Switzerland.

Following the company’s well established model, Canon is positioning its new events in the geographic centres of the markets they serve. The acknowledged “orthopaedic manufacturing capital” of the US is Warsaw, Indiana, home to some of the world’s largest orthopaedic OEMs–among them Zimmer Holdings, Biomet, and DePuy. Together these three companies produce some 70% of all orthopaedic products in the US. Similarly, Switzerland is the ideal location to attract design and manufacturing professionals from the European facilities of the world’s top manufacturers, including Zimmer, Aesculap, Synthes, Medtronic Spine, Stryker, DePuy, and Smith & Nephew.

“The OrthoTec conferences in the US and Europe will focus on design and collaborative product development between leading orthopaedic surgeons and R&D directors from the largest orthopaedic device manufacturers, as well as technical sessions on best manufacturing and quality practices,” said Kevin O’Keefe, senior vice president of Canon’s Events Division. “The events’ exhibitions will feature the world’s top suppliers to the orthopaedic manufacturing sector.”

The growth of the orthopaedic market is illustrated by the fact that the number of hip and knee replacements has doubled in recent years and is expected to double again by 2016, according to a recent report by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The spinal implant and fracture repair devices sectors are expected to continue to expand steadily at more than 15% annually.

“The strong growth of the orthopaedic sector, and for that matter the entire medical device market, comes as no surprise considering the demand statistics,” notes Canon CEO Charles McCurdy. “For example, 41% of all Americans are now over the age of 45, and in the EU people over 65 years old number more than 90 million. Companies supplying products and services for the orthopaedic sector and the overall medical device manufacturing market certainly have bright prospects.”