The organizer of Medical Design & Manufacturing West — the world's largest medical design and manufacturing event — is pushing back the dates for the 36th annual trade show by six months to August 2021.
MD&M West and its related trade shows — Plastec West, West Pack, Pacific Design and Manufacturing, and Automation Technology Expo (ATX) — are collectively known as Informa plc's Advanced Manufacturing West. The co-located annual shows regularly draw about 20,000 attendees and 1,900 exhibitors to the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
The 2020 show, held Feb. 11-13, was one of the last major North American plastics events held before travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders from COVID-19 impacted the trade show business.
When Informa officials gave their last online update in May, they pointed to how the events, travel and hospitality industries are mobilizing around enhanced safety regarding outbreak prevention, response and recovery. They said they were working diligently with their venues to adhere to health and government guidelines that ensure organized gatherings continue to be as safe as possible.
However, on Sept. 30, Hayley Haggerty, the event director, told prospective attendees in an email: "After consultation with key stakeholders and partners, we have decided that it's in the best interest of our exhibitors and attendees to reschedule the 2021 event from Feb. 9-11 to Aug. 10-12."
Earlier this year, Informa canceled its 2020 Advanced Manufacturing East and Minneapolis shows, which are smaller than the Anaheim event but also typically draw plastics company exhibitors and attendees, largely from the medical sector.
The East event was originally scheduled for June in New York, then rescheduled to August in Philadelphia, and then to December, before ultimately being canceled. It is now scheduled for June 8-10 in New York.
The Minneapolis show was originally scheduled for Oct. 28-29, 2020. Now it is scheduled for Nov. 3-4, 2021.
MD&M West and its related shows will continue to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, Haggerty said.
Informa is also planning a Virtual Engineering Week from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4, 2020.