The Medical Design & Manufacturing show earlier this month at the Anaheim Convention Center drew 44,000 people,17% more than 2005.
Projected attendance for the show was 40,000.
“It reflects the fact that Corporate America is spending money again,” said Charles Ahlers, president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The event is billed as the largest medical device trade show by organizer Canon Communications LLC of Los Angeles. It’s Anaheim’s second largest show after January’s NAMM for musical instrument makers and retailers.
The medical convention, actually six shows under one roof, generated an estimated $600 million in sales for the 2,045 exhibitors.
About 100 companies with Orange County operations took part in the show.
The largest local exhibitors:
Texas-based Avail Medical Products, a contract device maker with operations in Santa Ana.
Codan U.S. Corp., a Santa Ana maker of intravenous sets and other products that’s part of Germany’s Codan Group.
Costa Mesa-based Ceradyne Inc., a maker of industrial ceramics for the medical industry.
MSC.Software Corp. of Santa Ana, a maker of product development software.
Newport Corp., an Irvine maker of automated assembly and testing gear.
Pro-Dex Inc., a Santa Ana maker of small industrial motors.
In all, OC exhibitors came from 17 cities. Irvine counted 20 companies, followed by 14 from Santa Ana and 13 each from Anaheim and Huntington Beach.
The presence of big medical device companies in Southern California make Anaheim a good location for the show, said Diane O’Connor, director of trade shows for Canon.
“It’s the heart of the market,” she said.
The show has been in Anaheim for 22 years. O’Connor said there are no plans to relocate.
Exhibitors tend to be companies that serve big names in the medical device world.
Dianne Vanover, marketing coordinator for Thoro Packaging in Corona, said this year’s show generated better leads than in the past.
“Even during typically slow times, our booth was jammed,” she said.
About 80% of the exhibit space for the 2007 show already is booked, according to Canon spokesman Dan Cutrone.
