Insights: EBME 2025

Recurring Theme: Material Compatibility

Having attended the 2024 EBME Expo in Coventry as delegates, we left feeling impressed by the calibre of exhibitors and conversations we had and knew this was an event for us!

For those less familiar, EBME Expo is one of the UK’s leading medical engineering conferences. It brings together healthcare professionals, clinical engineers, and suppliers of medical equipment. The audience is a healthy mix of theatre staff, procurement teams, biomedical engineers, which on the surface may not be our target audience for the testing services, what it did enable us to do, is have some fantastic conversations with our clients’ clients.

A recurring theme across both days was material compatibility, something that’s been pushed into the spotlight since COVID-19 changed cleaning protocols forever. With rigorous disinfection now the norm, we’re seeing medical devices – many not originally designed for this level of chemical exposure – begin to wear, degrade, and in some cases… melt. Yes, you read that right. Melt.

We heard directly from users who are witnessing this damage first-hand, and procurement teams who are being asked to buy durable, long-lasting devices—without always having the technical knowledge or tools to assess long-term performance. The result? Lots of nods when we talked about standards, test data, and ways to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

Day 1: Outlook, Education, and Enthusiasm

From the moment the doors opened, footfall was steady throughout the day. Our Outlook resource proved to be a hit – many delegates were looking not just for the latest technology, but for educational content on regulations, innovation and what’s coming next in the world of medical technology. If you haven’t seen Outlook yet, it’s worth a look: Medical Device Resources | Test Labs .

Training was another major talking point. We were genuinely encouraged by how many healthcare professionals told us they’re eager to build their knowledge in a more formal way. There’s clearly a growing appetite for CPD-accredited medical device training – and that’s something we’re excited to explore more of in the coming months. Watch this space!

In between those conversations, we also had the chance to catch up with clients who were exhibiting, compare notes on industry trends, and exchange a few stories, which are always better face to face !

Day 2: Still Learning

While Day 2 is usually a bit quieter at these events, we were pleasantly surprised to still be meeting new faces and diving into meaningful discussions. We spoke with several consultants who work closely with manufacturers to help navigate the often complex world of regulatory submissions and market entry strategies. There were some great debates over the best routes to market and the challenges of aligning product design with regional compliance demands and of course, no industry event would be complete without a few catch-ups with familiar faces. Always good to know it’s not just us facing certain hurdles, and sharing experiences helped us feel part of something bigger.

Final Thoughts: Why We’ll Be Back

In short, EBME 2025 was absolutely worth our time. The blend of user feedback, understanding challenges on the ground, and genuine curiosity from attendees made it a fantastic learning experience for us.

Next year, we plan to return with a sharper focus on education and supporting medical device users in understanding how to make better, safer choices. Whether it’s through standards, training, or just having the right conversation, we’re excited to be part of the solution.