INTERPHEX 2014 Datebook: Baby, It's Cold Outside, but the Pharmaceutical Industry is Hot!

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Reported by Annette Kreuger, Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry manufacturing conference and exhibition INTERPHEX 2014 has opened its doors for its annual run in New York City (March 18-20, 2014) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Despite the chill of unseasonably cold weather, industry professionals streamed in from around the world. Attendance seems up this year, for both exhibitors and attendees, all displaying a more confident and upbeat attitude.

Confidence is apparently the key, as the Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry remains in a state of flux as it consolidates and redefines itself. For all the uncertainty that shadows this beguiling industry, there is no denying its ability to turn out solid numbers in capital investment. According to a survey of reported North American projects in the PECWeb Pharmaceutical & Biotech Tracker - Online Database, there are more than 1,200 active capital and maintenance projects representing a total investment value (TIV) of more than $55 billion in various stages of planning, engineering and construction.

Of this total, 834 projects, carrying a TIV of more than $33 billion, have a future kickoff date. It is proof that the domestic front still offers a number of opportunities for suppliers and vendors. While a global attitude is essential in today's market, it is obvious from those in attendance that interest is high in capturing a piece of the action both domestically and internationally.

Again, the prevailing mood of the crowd is decidedly more upbeat and optimistic than in recent years. But perhaps the confidence is not misplaced, for the industry and all of its suppliers are proving to be adaptable, with the survivors emerging as a result of innovation and flexibility.

If those manning the myriad booths on the show floor are any indication, it appears that for every job shed by the industry, those who remain are the best and brightest. Business development, marketing and sales teams are buoyant and confident, eager to display new or improved product lines and services.

The CRB (Kansas City, Missouri) team (Booth #1960) has an inviting display set up to discuss its expertise in providing front-end consulting, engineering, architectural, construction management and related services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. While CRB enjoys stunning success within the industry, the company is not one to rest upon its many laurels; instead, it is constantly striving to remain at the top by consistently delivering the facilities demanded by today's marketplace.

The booth at Nilfisk-Advance (Morgantown, Pennsylvania) (Booth #2436) was filled with the company's vast array of vacuum solutions for the industry. In an industry where "clean" is essential, Nilfisk helps manufacturers meet their cleaning requirements with an extensive range of high-performance, HEPA filter industrial vacuum cleaners. The vacuums are equipped with industry-specific features for combustible dust, general maintenance, overhead cleaning, process integration and cleanroom contamination control.

Cryogenics and industrial gases are in the spotlight at the Air Products (NYSE:APD) (Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania) display (Booth #2675). A top supplier to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, Air Products offers a range of advanced technology solutions that help manufacturers improve process efficiency and safety, and lower their overall costs.

Tomorrow, we'll report on others displaying at Interphex. Be sure to stop by Industrial Info's Booth 2267 and take a test run of the popular annual 2014 North American Pharmaceutical-Biotech Outlook. Take a look at our plant and project database and find out how you can be an "industry" insider.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and nine international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.