Asia Business Media: December 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

TAITRA looks to expand its trade fairs in China

News this week: According to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the five trade fairs in China organised by the government-backed trade promotion bureau during 2013 attracted 1.2 million visitors and generated US$1.65 billion of new business for companies in Taiwan.

These mainland China-held trade fairs are part of a wider trade promotion initiative TAITRA launched in 2009, through which TAITRA has hosted 27 fairs on the mainland covering 16 cities from Guangzhou to Shenyang. TAITRA is now planning to launch more fairs further inland in locations such as Guizhou, Yunnan and Inner Mongolia to help Taiwanese companies to sell their products in the mainland market.

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Alibaba seeks more time for group IPO

News this week: The Alibaba Group, one of China’s leading e-commerce companies, is currently seeking to extend the drawdown period for its US$8 billion loan from next month to 31^st December 2014, a move that will reportedly buy the company more time to arrange a potential IPO. The extension requires the approval of all 22 lenders involved with the loan – which was approved in July 2013. As of December 2013, Alibaba has reportedly already drawn-down US$5 billion of the US$8 billion loan.

No time frame or location has been set for an IPO by the company – although Alibaba does have incentives to complete an IPO before December 2015 under the terms of its deal with one of its major shareholders, Yahoo Inc. Market analysts expect the IPO will raise about US$15 billion.

SIGN CHINA expects an impressive edition in 2014

News this week: The leading sign event in China, SIGN CHINA, is scheduled to open its 12^th edition in February 2014. The event will occupy more than 130,000 m² of exhibition space at the China Import and Export Fair Complex. Organised by UBM Trust, a Guangzhou-based joint venture company of UBM Asia, the event will be held from 23^rd to 26^th February 2014.

According to the organiser, over 90% of the 7,000 allocated booths have already been reserved by 1,470 exhibitors and brands. The event’s product categories will cover various parts of the sign supply chain, from signage, printing materials and components, to LED-related categories including displays and lighting. The 2014 edition of SIGN CHINA will also feature a new LED China Conference.

David Tang, managing director of UBM Trust, was quoted, “Sign industry is developing and stepping into its ‘golden age’, while the global economy is gradually recovering. It is no doubt that SIGN CHINA 2014, as an international platform, is looking to move with the industry striving to play an important role in supporting business matching and assisting our participants to seize opportunities.”

Plastics & Rubber Indonesia attracts 700 exhibiting companies

News this week: The 26^th edition of Plastics & Rubber Indonesia attracted 12,228 trade visitors over four days at the Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran (JIExpo). The show was held from 20^th to 23^rd November 2013 and featured record buyer attendance from 38 countries and regions.

Plastics & Rubber Indonesia, organised by PT Pamerindo Indonesia (PTP), a member of Allworld Exhibitions, was co-located with ProPak Indonesia. The events combined to occupy 21,800 m² of space in total and featured 700 exhibiting companies from 38 countries and regions.

Ms Wiwiek Roberto, senior project manager of PT Pamerindo Indonesia, said, “Through monitoring and adapting to market developments, Plastics & Rubber Indonesia has achieved its goal of bringing hundreds of senior level industry trade professional visitors to the show and presenting them with a wide range of networking platforms included engineers, manufacturers, decision makers and other professionals in the industries.”

Tarsus’ Labelexpo Asia records 10% growth

News this week: Earlier this month, U.K.-listed Tarsus Group concluded a record-breaking 10^th edition of Labelexpo Asia at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The four-day show grew 10% compared with the previous edition in 2011 reaching 8,500 m² of net exhibition space sold.

According to Tarsus, Labelexpo Asia welcomed over 21,000 visitors from 87 countries and regions – up 19% compared with just over 18,000 in 2011. Nearly 300 exhibitors were featured at the show from 3^rd to 6^th December 2013, where a two-day conference programme was held alongside the exhibition.

John Davy, show director of Labelexpo Asia, commented, “We’ve had fantastic footfall with exhibitors reporting plentiful and strong sales leads while the exhibition floor and conference sessions have been packed for the duration of the event. We’ve also managed our highest ever rebook with 50% of space already confirmed for 2015 which is highly unusual for Asian exhibitions.”

UBM Sinoexpo acquires majority stake in Tiansheng shows

News this week: UBM Asia’s joint venture company in China, Shanghai-based UBM Sinoexpo, has announced the acquisition of two trade shows and their co-located events from Shanghai Tiansheng Exhibition Service Co., Ltd – the China Vending & Kiosk Show, the Shanghai Digital Signage Show. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mr Zhang Xinyuan, owner and general manager of Tiansheng, will continue to lead the show teams working alongside UBM’s Hotelex and Expo Shop teams.

The previous edition of the concurrent shows were held from 4^th to 6^th September 2013 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center and occupied more than 17,000 m² of gross exhibition space. UBM Sinoexpo will officially begin to organise the shows from 2014 onwards.

Jimé Essink, president & CEO of UBM Asia, commented, “China is a big potential market for these two industries. We aim to bring in more overseas participation with our international network and large database to take these two leading and professional events to a new level. The China Vending & Kiosk Show and Shanghai Digital Signage Show also complement the annual Hotelex Shanghai and the co-located Expo Shop China show organised by Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo.”

Friday, December 13, 2013

Global Sources opens China Sourcing Fairs in New Delhi

News this week: Earlier this week, NASDAQ-listed Global Sources opened its China Sourcing Fairs: Electronics & Components, Home Products and Hardware & Building Materials at the Pragati Maidan venue in New Delhi. The fair was held for the first time in New Delhi after its previous five year run in Mumbai.

The three co-located China Sourcing Fairs in India are managed by Pico Event Management under license from Global Sources. The three-day event ran from 12^th to 14^th December featuring exhibitors from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

Tommy Wong, president of Global Sources Exhibitions, was quoted saying, “Bilateral trade between China and India is forecast to increase significantly with China exports growing 20% a year from 2013 to 2015 and 17% thereafter to 2020. The China Sourcing Fairs are the ideal trade platform for buyers in both India and nearby South Asian countries to capitalise on this increasing demand for China-made products.”

Pico Thailand revenue and profit drop

News this week: Earlier this week, Pico Thailand, the Thai-listed subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Pico Far East Holdings, released its results for the financial year ended 31^st October 2013. The company posted revenues of US$33 million, a year-on-year decrease of 19%. Pico Thailand recorded a net profit of US$1.3 million this year, declining 40% compared with the previous year. Earnings per share in the financial year were Baht 0.174 (US$0.0056).

Pico Thailand claimed that the decrease in revenue and net profit was due to a lack of large-scale projects during the financial year. In the previous year, Pico Thailand generated higher revenues from its knowledge communication business and BOI Fair 2012.

UBM India launches security website

News this week: Recently, UBM India, a subsidiary of UBM plc, has launched a security community website, India Security World. The website provides online resources for the security and fire industries.

India Security World aims to bring all industry players on a common platform and users can discuss on the platform, as well as share information on it. According to UBM India, the Indian security market is expected to grow at 30%-35%. In addition, the Indian Government has increased its security budget by 35% to US$1 billion on police modernisation and arranging coordinated intelligence gathering.

Joji George, managing director, UBM India said, “A trend that has emerged is that the security industry is moving towards a ‘one-stop shop’ model in the commercial and industrial markets as customers seek to decrease their systems integration costs. The India Security World will cater to the industry and closely follow IP-based systems gaining ground and also the convergence of IT and physical security.”

Record exhibitor and visitor numbers at Yarn Expo Autumn

News this week: Yarn Expo Autumn concluded with new records this year for both exhibitors and visitors. Nearly 150 suppliers from 13 countries and regions exhibited their products at the event, which was up by 50%. While the number of buyers increased by 25% to more than 6,000 buyers attending during the three-day event.

Yarn Expo Autumn was held from 21^st to 23^rd October 2013 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) and organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT, China Cotton Textile Association, China Wool Textile Association, China Chemical Fiber Association, China Bast & Leaf Fibres Textiles Association, and China Textile Information Centre. The organisers noted the increase in exhibitors was not only due to the new suppliers from Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Sri Lanka and Turkey, but also the increase in Indian and Pakistani suppliers.

The next edition of the event, spring edition of Yarn Expo, will be held in Shanghai, instead of Beijing, and it will be located within Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, renamed to Yarn Expo Zone. The event will take place at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center from 3^rd to 5^th March 2014.

Koelnmesse debuts kitchen and bath event in Shanghai

News this week: Koelnmesse’s Germany-based kitchen trade fair, LivingKitchen, debuted in China in collaboration with the China International Kitchen and Bathroom Expo (CIKB). The show ran from 26^th to 28^th November 2013 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC).

The revamped show featured 100 local and international brands, including leading brands such as Midea, Haier, Schüller, Blanco, Bosch and Siemens. This edition marks the beginning of a new partnership between co-organisers Koelnmesse and the China National Hardware Association (CNHA).

Zhang Dongli, chairman of CNHA, was quoted saying, “2013 marks the beginning of our cooperation with Koelnmesse’s LivingKitchen, and CIKB has improved substantially in scale and level compared to previous years.”

Alibaba invests US$364 million in Haier to boost China logistics

News this week: Alibaba Group and white-goods and electronics manufacturer Haier Group announced this week that the two companies have formed a strategic partnership. They will jointly offer online sales and delivery of household appliances in China.

Under the terms of the deal, Alibaba Group will also invest US$364 million in Haier Electronics. Of that amount, US$240 million will be invested into one of Haier’s logistics-focused subsidiaries. Alibaba will also acquire a 2% stake in Haier Electronics.

Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, commented, “We will create value for our customers and as a result create value for Alibaba Group and Haier Group. The new economy is not the digital economy, but rather one that combines the real economy and digital economy, a true blending of ‘virtual’ and ‘real.’”

Friday, December 06, 2013

Messe Frankfurt to launch consumer goods show in India

News this week: International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, announced the launch of an Indian edition of its consumer goods trade fair, Ambiente India, in 2014. The show is launched in partnership with the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), and will cover the interior décor and home accessories market.

The three-day trade fair will run from 19^th to 21^st June concurrently with Messe Frankfurt’s Heimtextil India at the Pragati Maidan. Ambiente India will be segmented into the three product categories of Dining, Giving and Living. The Dining section will cover table, kitchen and household wares. While the Giving and Living sections will cover gifts, stationery and decorations, as well as furnishing ideas, designs, and home accessories.

Raj Manek, managing director of Messe Frankfurt India, commented, “Ambiente India 2014 will represent an ideal platform for showcasing products, developing contacts and uncovering a wide range of innovations in home décor and interior accessories. Coupled with Heimtextil India, the trade fair will provide the domestic market with a comprehensive arena for business, networking, and inspiration.”

Reed launches new event in India

News this week: Reed’s joint venture in India, Reed Manch Exhibitions, has announced plans to launch the Commercial Transport Show (CTS). The exhibition will include a conference serving the commercial transport community.

CTS will feature categories such as trucks and delivery vans, trailers, semi-trailers and platform trailers, truck-tractors, dump-trucks, special purpose vehicles and the equipment solution providers. The inaugural CTS will be held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 8^th to 10^th July 2014.

Mike Rusbridege, CEO of Reed Exhibitions, is optimistic about the Indian exhibitions market. He recently commented, “We expect to see tripling of business in India in the next three years, from organising 8 exhibitions at present to over 20 exhibitions. We're aiming to build a network of partners.”

ITE Group reports strong revenue growth

News this week: Earlier this week, the ITE Group reported its results in the first nine months of 2013. Revenues were £192.3 million. That is a 12% increase compared with the same period in 2012 when the Group’s revenues were £172.3 million.

Profit before tax increased from £40.5 million to £43.9 million in the same nine-month period. Additionally, cash on-hand jumped from £13.0 million last year to £23.5 million as of 30^th September 2013.

ITE Group’s CEO, Russell Taylor commented, “We have now firmly established ITE in the Asian exhibition markets through investments in ABEC in India, Tradelink and ECMI in Malaysia and SinoStar in China. When we acquired 50% of ECMI Trade Fairs earlier this year, we wanted to develop new exhibitions in the ASEAN region, so we are using this as a launch engine particularly in the emerging Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar markets.”

HC International forms JV to provide financing services

News this week: Earlier this week, Beijing-based B2B media company HC International announced the formation of a joint venture (JV) with another Hong Kong-listed company, Digital China, to provide micro-credit internet financing services.

Subject to the approval and the obtaining of necessary permissions from relevant Chinese authorities, the JV will be 60% owned by Digital China and 40% by HC International. The JV will have a total registered capital of 1 billion yuan (US$164 million).

HC’s e-commerce competitor in China, Alibaba Group, obtained its license to provide small business loans to companies on mainland China in April 2010.

Malaysian Motor Show attracts 300,000 visitors

News this week: Last month, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) held the 8^th edition of its Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS). The exhibition attracted more than 300,000 visitors and featured more than 100 cars and 150 exhibitors.

Organised once every three year, KLIMS was held at the Putra World Trade Centre over a ten-day period (15^th to 24^th November) and covered 30,000 m². Auto brands in the show included Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Infiniti, Peugeot, Citroen, Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen, Perodua, Isuzu, Subaru and Daihatsu.

Malaysia continues to be one the most dynamic exhibition markets in Asia. For the third year in a row, in 2012, the industry in Malaysia was the fastest growing market in Asia - expanding by 8.2% as nearly 300,000 m² were sold at local trade fairs. More of the same can be expected to continue in the coming two to three years as the ASEAN markets are forecast to perform well and as new venue capacity comes online in Kuala Lumpur.

88 events lined-up for Suntec in 2014

News this week: The Suntec Singapore Convention Exhibition Centre has announced a schedule of 88 events for its 2014 calendar. According to Suntec’s management, the venue will host 88 key events in 2014, including 16 major medical events, 16 trade shows, 19 consumer events and 37 international conferences and special events.

Suntec recently reopened in June this year, following its US$147 million upgrade. Suntec reports its team served 196 events and a total of 780,000 visitors since reopening, which included 56 exhibitions and 124 conferences and meetings. First time events to be held in 2014 will include Blueprint - Asia’s Fashion Gateway, Singapore Art Fair, AAMA-TEX, UROFAIR, and Trans Asia.

Arun Madhok, CEO of Suntec, was quoted saying, “Our event list is a testimony to the confidence in the Suntec Singapore team and the value of the facilities and services that we offer. With so many key events already contracted, and considering how well we’ve traditionally done with corporate events, I fully expect 2014 to be a very successful and busy year.”

Asia Business Media