MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 10, 2008

Contact: Stacey Swank

Pinellas County Economic Development

(727) 464-7425 or sswank@pinellascounty.org

Medical Technologies Trade Mission to Scotland Planned for April 2008

CLEARWATER, Florida – January 10, 2008 – Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED) in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), Medical Devices in Scotland, Enterprise Florida and the Tampa Bay Partnership would like to plan a trade mission to Scotland and London in April 2008.  The mission would focus on leads for medical device manufacturers and related medical technology companies, with a goal of opening new markets to increase sales for participating businesses.  To make this proposed outbound mission a success, PCED needs to gather at least ten local companies interested in making the trip by January 18, 2008.

Scotland hosts a significant multi-national medical technology presence in research and development, and in manufacturing with particular strengths in diagnostics, wound care, implants, disposables, ophthalmics and imaging.  The nation’s growing medical technology cluster is supported by over 150-strong supplier network crucial to the effective operation of the sector. Scotland’s 13 universities are involved in groundbreaking medical technology research.  Hotspots are in imaging, ophthalmics, orthopedics, cardiovascular instrumentation and implants. 

More details regarding this mission and an interest form for potential business participants are available at http://www.pced.org/stats_forms/document.asp?id=98240

If opening new international markets and exploring opportunities in Scotland should be a part of your 2008 business plan, please contact Kathleen Good at kgood@pinellascounty.org or (727) 464-7423.