11th April 2018
Focus on medical devices sector and opportunities to increase trade between Ireland and Italy in the context of Brexit.
Pat Breen TD, Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection commences a two-day trade mission to Italy today, 11th April 2018.
The focus of the first day of the mission is on the medtech sector in Mirandola, the centre of the Italian medical devices industry, moving to Rome tomorrow (12th April) where Minister Breen will address members of Adaci, the Italian Procurement Association.
Speaking on his arrival in Italy, Minister Breen said, “This trade mission will build on the already strong relationship between Ireland and Italy, and bring innovative Irish products and services to the attention of senior decision makers in Italian industry. As the 4th largest market in the Eurozone for Irish exports, Italian companies are significant consumers of Irish goods. In 2016 Enterprise Ireland client company exports to Italy were in excess of €409m’.
‘Bringing 15* Irish companies to a dedicated medtech event in the heart of Italy’s medical devices cluster provides the perfect platform for them to engage in one-to-one negotiations, encouraging Italian buyers to rely on Irish innovative products and services as a source of advantage. This helps to further improve Ireland’s position internationally as a source of innovation”.
Accompanying Minister Breen, Deirdre Glenn, Lifesciences Director, Enterprise Ireland said; “Ireland is now globally recognised as a major centre of excellence in the medical technologies sector. Ireland’s value proposition is based on the skills and technical ability our people offer as well as our regulatory track record. A key driver of growth in this sector is sub-supply, that is, the supply of components, production aids and services to multinational companies which incorporate these elements in finished products for sale on global markets.
Over the last four years, Enterprise Ireland medical technology clients have recorded approx 8% year-on-year sales growth to Italy. Building on this growth, today’s visit to Mirandola, Italy’s medical devices hub with its high concentration of multinationals, is a significant business development opportunity for the participating Enterprise Ireland clients.”
On 12th April the Minister will travel to Rome to address members of ADACI, the Italian Procurement Agency at the CPO meeting (Chief Procurement Officers) about the implications of Brexit and strategic reconfiguration of Irish supply chain, organized by Enterprise Ireland at the Embassy of Ireland in Italy.
ENDS
Note to the Editors
*18 Irish companies will participate in the Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Italy – 15 will participate in the medical devices element in Mirandola and 3 in the procurement conference in Rome.
Life science and Medtech in Italy
This is a broad sector in Italy, covering pharmaceutical production, facility building or renovation, and medical device manufacturing and sales. Italy is the second largest producer of pharmaceutical products in Europe after Germany, and the sixth largest worldwide.
The total value of Italy’s pharma market was more than € 25.2 billion in 2012
Close to 10 % of this value is for investment, giving Irish companies a potential addressable market of more than €2 billion. Around 61 % of domestic pharmaceutical production is for export. Italy has a well-developed manufacturing base in the medical device market, comprising of a small number of large companies (eg, Sorin Livanova, Gambro Baxter, CID Vascular Alvimedica) and a large number of SMEs.
Italy’s medical device cluster is mostly located near Modena in the Mirandola district.
There are more than 100 medical companies in the Modena region with a total revenue of €400 million.
For more information contact:
Grace Labanyi, Corporate Communications, Enterprise Ireland grace.labanyi@enterprise-ireland.com Tel: +353(0)17272820 or Conor O’Donovan, Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing, Enterprise Ireland conor.odonovan@enterprise-ireland.com Tel: +353(0)87 9671342
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