As we head towards our show in New Orleans, Informex takes a moment to talk with SAFC about what they have planned at the show and why they continue to return to Informex year after year. The top ten chemicals manufacturer has been an exhibitor at Informex for many years and has expanded this presence to include a sponsorship for 2012.

Here, SAFC Marketing Manager, Nick Johnson tells us what SAFC is bringing to the "Big Easy" and why participating at Informex is key to their business.

What products/services will SAFC be showcasing at Informex this year?

We will continue to promote our niche technologies and our specialized capabilities such as High Potency, viral vaccines and anti-body drug conjugates. These areas have performed well relative to the general market and our strategy of investment in differentiating business specialties, to complement our more general capabilities, has enabled us to sustain performance in what have been difficult market conditions.

We have a particularly hectic schedule throughout the week in New Orleans, starting with our participation in ‘Habitat for Humanity’ on the Tuesday, which will see us join other Rx-360 members in a home-building project to support the concept of "doing well while doing good" in New Orleans.

Also on Tuesday, at 2:40pm in Room 260 Director of SAFC Life Science Sales, Grant Boldt, will present  a Technology Showcase titled “FEEL EMPOWERED: Experience SAFC unique Life Science product and service solutions”. The presentation will center on stringent segregation and containment design for biohazard fermentation and high potent API manufacturing.

On Wednesday our Vice President of Quality & Regulatory Affairs and Rx-360 Board Member Tom Beil will take part in a breakfast briefing panel discussion from 7:30am to 8:50pm in Room 261 titled "Risks to the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: Can Rx-360 Help?" The Worldwide Pharmaceutical Supply Chain continues to face threats as a result of counterfeiting, adulteration, theft and diversion which reduce the safety and efficacy of the drugs in the consumer’s medicine cabinet. The panel will discuss supply chain risks, the severity of the problem, and steps being taken by regulators and industry to mitigate these risks.

On the Thursday of the show Prof. Chris Frampton, Chief Scientific Officer of SAFC Pharmorphix will present as part of the Elsevier ‘Tech Talks’ series, hosted in Booth 950, on the "Structure & Property Optimization of Cocrystal Phases." Chris' presentation will be held at 2:30pm.

Additionally, SAFC is the official sponsor of the Informex Networking Lounge this year. The lounge, located at Booth 1743, will feature educational sessions on how to maximize social media for business, as well as a Speed Networking Session on Wednesday and Thursday featuring speed meet and greets within targeted groups for the pharma and chemicals industry.

What are you most looking forward to at the show?

As always, I am looking forward to engaging with customers, catching up with industry acquaintances and meeting new contacts. The relative intimacy of the Informex show and its emphasis on networking and interaction directly lends itself to the SAFC approach of acute customer focus and service. We have a strong story to tell in terms of our product offering, our problem solving capabilities and the fact that quality underpins all our activities and I look forward to communicating that message to the Informex audience.

What trends have you seen change in the industry since the last Informex?

There definitely seems to be more of a buzz around the industry at the moment and we have seen a significant increase in outsourcing activity, and we are forecasting much higher occupancy for a number of facilities relative to this time last year. There are a greater number of new products coming into the pipeline and we have seen our key customers and accounts increasingly refocusing through innovation. As a business we also see an ever increasing need for quality and transparency throughout the supply chain and we are well positioned to meet these market demands.

Do you typically exhibit? Why do you come to the show?

We exhibit at Informex every year. We view it as one of the key events in our calendar and it is undoubtedly the premier show for outsourcing in North America, which is one of our key markets. Meeting with many customers over the space of four days in a single location is both time and cost efficient, and provides an ideal platform for us to convey our latest technologies and quality initiatives to both existing and new contacts. The scale and format of the event allows for a great deal of quality interaction.

Is there any other information you would like the Informex audience to know about SAFC?

Simply that we are looking forward to meeting up in New Orleans and to working with our customers in 2012. The outlook for this year is certainly more positive than the past couple of years which have seen difficult market conditions globally. Let’s hope we all have a constructive, profitable week in New Orleans and beyond!

To read more about SAFC and their products, please click here.