Biomedical companies collaborate with Gulf Countries

Latvia was well represented by 13 companies at the Arab Health exhibition and the biomedical and healthcare trade mission Expo 2020.

During the week dedicated to health, our companies not only met with potential partners from all over the world, but also took part in several television programs, introducing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) audience to Latvia’s offer in sectors such as biomedicine, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals.

“In Dubai, we were able to see that Latvian biomedical companies are globally competitive with their offer. Our companies have managed to establish a wide range of contacts and have also concluded several deals for the supply of goods or the implementation of technology solutions,” says Director of the Latvian Pavilion at Expo 2020 Inga Ulmane.

Record of 120 New Contacts

On average, each company participating in Arab Health established more than 30 contacts with potential buyers. The record belongs to NordePlast, a manufacturer of medical plasters, whose representatives met with 120 potential purchasers.

“We negotiated with several buyers on the supply of products and also concluded a deal with a company from Saudi Arabia, where we have already delivered the first shipment of kinesiology tapes,” said Romāns Gramiko, member of the board of NordePlast.

The biomedical and healthcare seminar at the Latvian Pavilion was also widely attended by more than 50 guests from the UAE, Chile, Italy, Romania, Estonia, and other countries.

Open for Cooperation and Ready to Invest

Emīls Sjundjukovs of the medical technology company Longenesis says Arab Health is the largest event of its kind in the region. Held alongside Expo 2020 Health Week, it brought together major regional and international players in healthcare and biomedicine.

“The biotech and healthcare sectors are highly valued in the Middle East region, so customers are very open to collaboration and ready to invest,” said Sjundjukovs.

Longenesis has been providing digital tools for clinical research and patient engagement to the largest biotech player in the UAE for more than two years. The event was therefore not only an opportunity for the company to meet with existing customers, but also to expand its new partners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

National Image Is Important for Partners

Latvian pharmaceutical companies have been working in the UAE and other countries in the region for several years. Business Development and Sales Manager at Pharmidea Ilze Prikule emphasizes that the company has participated in the fair several times already and it is an excellent platform to meet both existing business partners and potential customers.

“We have been operating in the Middle East market for eight years and have gained reliable, professional partners in the region. It is also very important for customers to see the image of the country of origin of the manufacturer and supplier and technological developments that meet European standards. Therefore, it is important for us to be represented at the Latvian national stand,” says Prikule.

Forging Long-Term Cooperation Plans

Auseklis Sarkans, the founder of DoctoWell, a medical facility management systems company, emphasizes that during the fair he was able to establish valuable contacts with potential partners from Brazil, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Middle Eastern countries. The Expo 2020 trade mission helped to expand the range of contacts even further. DoctoWell took part in the Latvian companies’ presentation event during Health & Wellness Week and also appeared on a local TV program to present its medical technology solutions to audiences in the UAE and the region.

“Participation in Expo 2020 gives us a significant added value in boosting our export capacity in the Middle East region, which could be the basis for long-term cooperation,” says Sarkans.

At the World Expo 2020 in Dubai, 15 Latvian companies participated in the Health & Wellness Week, which included the Arab Health exhibition and a trade mission: PharmIdea, Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, Medon, L.E.V. (Ekstraktu rūpnīca), DoctoWell, Lauma Medical, 10x Capital (UFOLife), Spodra (MidoPharm), Longenesis, teen and youth psychotherapy center Virtual Therapy Laboratory, Smart Clast, Riga Technical University Baltic Biomaterials Centre of Excellence and NordePlast.

Source: labsoflatvia.com