Humber News

PRESS RELEASE  (Source – Yorkshire Forward)

The best of Yorkshire and Humber’s Healthcare Technologies industry has been put on show to a delegation of global trade advisors this week to help raise the region’s profile for inward investment.

The delegation of 14 UK Trade and Investment advisors from the United States, Japan, Europe and the Middle East were in the region last week as part of a fact finding tour of the North.  As part of their tour the delegates visited Hull, the regional hub of Smith and Nephew, the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham and the University of Leeds, home to leading experts in healthcare innovation. These advisors work in international markets, advising businesses who are looking to invest in the UK of the different opportunities on offer in the regions.

One of the delegates, Nadeem Ali-Khan from the United States commented; It has been extremely impressive to see Yorkshire and Humberside’s capabilities within the healthcare sector and obtain a first hand view of how these translate into opportunities for organisations in our market.’’

The group were given an overview of the assets and investment opportunities in the region’s healthcare technologies sector by Yorkshire Forward’s healthcare technologies sector manager Andrea Scully. She explains; “The regional industry is one of the strongest in the UK with major players including Smith and Nephew and Johnson and Johnson DePuy based locally.

“We have particular commercial and research strengths in orthopaedics and wound care, and as the market for new technologies is remaining relatively strong in the current downturn, there are some excellent opportunities for international companies to develop links with the regional industry base.”

Delegates were also given an introduction to the opportunities for overseas investors to develop links into the NHS through Yorkshire and Humber, as well as the opportunity to find out more about the growing regional market for assistive technologies that can support the increasingly aging UK population.

Theresa Lindsay, Assistant Director of Marketing and Business Development for Yorkshire Forward comments; “In the current global economic situation it is critical that we showcase the investment opportunities in our leading regional markets so that Yorkshire and Humber can continue to attract its share of overseas investment.

“We have shown them firsthand the excellent work being done by our region’s businesses in conjunction with our world class universities. This will enable them to advise overseas companies looking to expand into Europe.”