I have just returned from the supposedly re-invigorated new dynamic Lab Week at Excel in London. Remembering the heady days of the early eighties when lab week really meant something, where companies had to attend to maintain their public profiles and the show filled the Olympia exhibition site from top to bottom I was expecting great things. After all we spend more per capita on biological research than almost any other country in the world right? We are the leading centre for cancer research anywhere in the world right? Our academic prowess has made us the envy of all right thinking countries across the globe right? So why the hell can’t we organise a decent trade show!
It was a disgrace, occupying less than half of one of the smaller exhibition spaces at excel a dispirited looking bunch of sales people huddled into their uninspiring and small exhibition spaces seemingly desperate for someone to talk to. Where were the hordes of fresh faced academics looking for inspiration from the innovation on display, where were the seasoned purchasers re-establishing productive relationships with key suppliers. where was the competition seeking ideas from the stands of their competitors?
I guess they must have all gone to Germany or America where these things still mean something. Analytica still manges to excite the imagination along with Biotechnica, Achema, Medica.... and America is full of buzzing trade shows. But not the UK!
Sure we all access far more information via the web nowadays; that happens in Germany too and in America. But they still seem to find a fascination and interest in face to face contact. May be we are just to lazy, after all Excel is at least half an hour from the centre of London!
Surely there is room in the UK for a serious international standard laboratory trade show. One that the industry and academia alike could be proud of and one that would attract the best academic and business minds from across the globe to unite in celebrating our business; life science research. Or should we just leave it to the USA and Germany?
It was a disgrace, occupying less than half of one of the smaller exhibition spaces at excel a dispirited looking bunch of sales people huddled into their uninspiring and small exhibition spaces seemingly desperate for someone to talk to. Where were the hordes of fresh faced academics looking for inspiration from the innovation on display, where were the seasoned purchasers re-establishing productive relationships with key suppliers. where was the competition seeking ideas from the stands of their competitors?
I guess they must have all gone to Germany or America where these things still mean something. Analytica still manges to excite the imagination along with Biotechnica, Achema, Medica.... and America is full of buzzing trade shows. But not the UK!
Sure we all access far more information via the web nowadays; that happens in Germany too and in America. But they still seem to find a fascination and interest in face to face contact. May be we are just to lazy, after all Excel is at least half an hour from the centre of London!
Surely there is room in the UK for a serious international standard laboratory trade show. One that the industry and academia alike could be proud of and one that would attract the best academic and business minds from across the globe to unite in celebrating our business; life science research. Or should we just leave it to the USA and Germany?
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