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Trade fair biz remains robust

By Qian Yanfeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-08 09:41

Major international trade fair companies are increasingly looking to China to tap into the fast-growing exhibition business in the country.

Deutsche Messe and Fiera Milano SpA. (Societ per azioni), the world's two leading European trade fair groups, have reached an agreement on a joint program for future foreign expansion by combining their resources in a holding company to expand business activities in China.

According to Dr Andreas Gruchow, a Member of the Board of Deutsche Messe, China is already the largest overseas market for Deutsche Messe. The firm also has its biggest subsidiary abroad in China, Hannover Fairs China Ltd, in Shanghai.

Gruchow said he was convinced that Asia, especially China, would be less affected by the financial crisis.

"That's why we are investing in these regions. We are going to do more shows, have more staff here, and cover more topics and more cities. I expect huge growth here."

James Fu, general manager of Hannover Fairs China Ltd, said Chinese companies have proved themselves internationally competitive in manufacturing high standard products in the past decade. The ongoing PTC Asia and CeMAT Asia fairs in Shanghai, which showcase the latest technology in power transmission and control as well as logistics equipment is a perfect example, he calimed.

"Visitors would hardly find any difference between foreign and domestic products (at the fairs)," said Fu.