Asia Business Media: February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

TCEB reports MICE arrivals up 5% in Q1

News this week: The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently released 2014 first quarter results of Thailand’s MICE industry. Covering the period from October to December 2013, the country received 186,864 MICE visitors who contributed US$491.8 million to the local economy – that is up 5% and 6% respectively compared with the same quarter in 2013.

Highlighting the Oceania market, TCEB revealed a growth of 13% and 14% respectively in the number of MICE visitor arrivals and revenues generated during the quarter. In particular, TCEB noted visitor arrivals from China recorded significant growth during quarter – up 177% over the same period in 2013.

According to TCEB, the international convention business accounted for the largest share of Thailand’s MICE market, measured by both visitor arrivals (58,682) and revenues generated (US$178 million). Looking ahead, TCEB projects an overall 5% growth in visitor arrivals and a 10% growth in revenues for the full year in 2014.

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UBM to launch beauty trade show in Thailand

News this week: UBM Asia has recently announced plans to launch a new health and beauty trade show, ASEANbeauty, in Thailand in 2015. The three-day show is supported by the Thai Cosmetics Manufacturers Association, and will serve the South East Asia region. ASEANbeauty will take place from 8^th to 10^th April 2015 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC).

Exhibitor product categories at the show will include perfumery, cosmetics and toiletries, professional care products, natural health products, health food & beverages amongst others.

M. Gandhi, managing director of UBM ASEAN Business, said, “Visitors can expect to meet over 200 leading suppliers covering personal care, skin care, hair care, nail care including cosmetics, fragrances, raw ingredients, salon supplies, natural heath products, hair products, nails and accessories from Asia and countries around the world in a truly global marketplace.”

Glebe Island receives mostly positive reviews after inaugural fair

News this week: According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald, Glebe Island Expo’s inaugural event, the Reed Gift Fair Sydney February, which took place at the 25,000 m² interim venue in Sydney has successfully concluded – with only some minor complaints received from attendees’ feedback.

The most common issue attendees faced at the five-day trade show, held from 15^th to 19^th February 2014, centred on delays caused by transportation. The main modes of transportation to the venue consist of the free shuttle bus and ferry services, as well as limited paid parking on-site. According to some reports, visitors had to wait up to 90 minutes for the bus service.

Debbie Evans, managing director of Reed Exhibitions Australia, acknowledged issues such as the scheduling of buses and ferries were to be expected, but was pleased with the new site overall, adding, “…we jumped onto them really quickly. The feedback we got from Tuesday onwards was really very positive.”

Baidu’s revenues up 43% in 2013

News this week: NASDAQ-listed Baidu, the leading Chinese-language Internet search provider, reported its results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year in 2013. Revenues in the year were US$5.3 billion – a year-on-year growth of 43%. The company posted a net income in 2013 of US$1.7 billion, flat with the previous year. Diluted earnings per share in the period were RMB 29.93 (US$4.94).

Most of Baidu’s revenues were generated from its online marketing services. In 2013, the company had about 753,000 active online marketing customers, up 26% compared with 2012. Revenue per customer was US$6,971 in 2013 – a year-on-year growth of 13%.

For the quarter ended 31^st December, revenues were up 50% reaching US$1.6 billion, while net income attributable to shareholders was flat compared with last year, at US$460 million. Baidu’s management expects revenues in the first quarter of 2014 to be between US$1.53 billion and US$1.57 billion, representing an increase of between 54.8% and 59.5% year-on-year.

CEIR: 3% growth in U.S. exhibition industry in Q4

News this week: Earlier this week, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released its index measuring the performance of the exhibition industry in the U.S. In the fourth quarter of 2013, the U.S. exhibition industry posted a 3% growth year-on-year – marking the 14^th consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth.

The CEIR Index consists of four key metrics: net square feet sold, professional visitors, number of exhibiting companies, and gross revenue. Three of the four figures recorded growth in Q4. The largest growth was recorded in professional visitors, jumping 5.8% year-on-year, followed by gross revenue which grew by 3.6%. The number of exhibiting companies increased by 3.0%, while net square feet sold dropped slightly falling by 0.5%.

CEIR’s economist Allen Shaw, Ph.D., chief economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates, Inc. was quoted, “With the fourth quarter’s results and 14 consecutive quarters of growth, and our predictions closely matching outcomes, we are confident in the continued growth and progress of the industry. The exhibition industry has survived and emerged from the Great Recession and we are confident that the upswing will continue.”

UBM concludes largest ever SIGN CHINA

News this week: Concurrent events, SIGN CHINA and LED CHINA, concluded earlier this week at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. The four-day events were held from 23^rd to 26^th February and were organised by UBM Trust, one of UBM Asia’s joint ventures in China.

This edition of SIGN CHINA occupied 13 halls at the venue covering more than 130,000 m² of exhibition space. UBM reported the participation of some 1,800 exhibitors at the event. Product categories showcased at the event included signage, sign materials, acrylic panels, POP items, printing materials & consumables, cutting machines, engravers, bending machines and LED displays.

LED CHINA, now in its 10^th edition, attracted over 1,200 exhibitors and featured more than 80,000 m² of space across eight halls. Product categories at the event included LED lighting, displays, packaging, chips and LED equipment.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Alibaba to establish e-commerce association in Taiwan

News this week: China’s largest e-commerce company, the Alibaba Group, will establish an e-commerce network association in Taiwan to help local small- and medium-sized companies to trade more effectively in the global market.

After opening its office in Taiwan in 2008, Alibaba has been assisting local companies to make better use of the Internet in their trading activities. The company also aims to Taiwanese SMEs to promote their products internationally. More than 20 Taiwanese companies have come together to form this e-commerce association.

According to Bryan Fu, general manager of Alibaba’s Taiwan branch, the local manufacturing sector is in the midst of a transition. The older generation is not adept in using digital technology, while the younger generation, although born in the age of the Internet, still has limited knowledge about trading with merchants in western countries using e-commerce. The association aims to ease the SMEs transition into the world of e-commerce.

Informa expands MEDLAB series to Singapore

News this week: Informa Exhibitions’ subsidiary, Informa Life Science Exhibitions, expanded its MEDLAB series to Singapore. The inaugural show, MEDLAB Asia Pacific, was held from 18^th to 20^th February 2014 at the Marina Bay Sands venue.

According to the organiser, the new show covered 3,000 m² of exhibition space featuring exhibitors from the medical laboratory technology industry. Products categories at the show included: disposable items, diagnostic equipment, hospital management, laboratory equipment and biotechnology. The show also provides the industry with a platform to obtain the latest information on innovations and technology in the market.

Simon Page, managing director, Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, was quoted, “MEDLAB Asia Pacific is organised in association with Scherago International and is an innovative laboratory exhibition and congress. We are confident that it will provide an opportunity for industry professionals practicing in the Asia Pacific region to learn about the latest advances in their applications in laboratory medicine as well as current and future industry trends.”

BOL’s revenues and profits rise in 2013

News this week: Earlier this week, Bangkok-listed business information provider, Business Online (BOL), announced its financial results for the year ended 31^st December 2013. The company reported revenues of US$12 million, up 6.1% year-on-year. Net income in 2013 was US$2.8 million, representing growth of 4.1% compared with 2012. Diluted earnings per share in 2013 were Baht 0.11 (US$0.0034).

Approximately 63% of BOL’s revenues were generated through its flagship online information service – amounting to US$7.8 million. This figure results a 9.2% increase over 2012. According to the company’s annual report, the remaining revenues were categorized by BOL as “other service income” and “other income”. The company did not supply details regarding these revenue categories.

VNU Exhibitions to cooperate with veterinary association

News this week: VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, a joint venture between VNU Exhibitions Europe and the TCC Exhibition & Convention Centre, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federation of Asian Veterinary Associations (FAVA) to improve content and management of livestock industry trade fairs.

Under the terms of the MOU, VNU Exhibitions will support FAVA with scholarship programmes in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. FAVA will support knowledge sharing and analysis of new trends at industry trade fairs including VIV Asia in Thailand and ILDEX Exhibitions in Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia over the coming three years.

KLCC hosts record number of events in 2013

News this week: The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) hosted 1,565 events in 2013, up 9% from 2012’s 1,442. This represents a new record for the venue.

According to KLCC, seven new exhibitions were held at KLCC covering a wide range of industries – rail, security, fire & security, skin care, glass manufacturing and baby products. In the same period, 33 conventions – all new to KLCC – were held at the venue. Of those, 29 were international conferences.

During the year, KLCC welcomed about two million visitors and they generated an economic impact of US$212 million to Malaysia, up from the 1.6 million visitors which generated an economic impact of US$179 million in 2012.

1,000+ exhibitors participate in the Singapore Airshow

News this week: This year’s Singapore Airshow concluded with more than 1,000 exhibitors from 47 countries and regions gathered at the Changi Exhibition Centre. The six-day aerospace and defence exhibition took place from 11^th to 16^th February 2014, with the first three days reserved exclusive for trade buyers.

Organised by Experia Events, the show reportedly attracted more than 40,000 trade visitors from 125 countries and regions – up from the 38,000 recorded in 2012. This year’s show featured 22 country and group pavilions, with an announced deal value of US$32 billion. The U.S. was the most represented country at the exhibition this year with the participation from 163 companies – of which 111 were in the U.S. pavilion.

Jimmy Lau, managing director of Experia Events, said, “We are delighted that the US$32 billion of deals announced at Singapore Airshow 2014 represents an increase in the value of deals from 2012. We have also recorded strong visitor figures from an even larger number of countries, underscoring Singapore Airshow’s standing as the preferred platform for high-level government delegations and industry leaders to come together, network, address challenges facing the aerospace industry and do business, all in one convenient location.”

Friday, February 14, 2014

UBM to launch largest ever furniture exhibition in Indonesia

News this week: Organised by UBM Asia’s Indonesian subsidiary, PT Pameran Niaga Indonesia, the Indonesia International Furniture Expo (IFEX) will launch at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) running from 11^th to 14^th March 2014. According to UBM, IFEX will fill up all seven indoor halls at JIExpo, as well as three additional temporary outdoor structures for extra exhibition space and themed pavilions.

IFEX is hosted by the Indonesia Furniture Association, AMKRI, and will feature a total of 700 exhibiting companies showcasing furniture, furnishings and furniture materials. The organiser expects more than 5,000 international buyers to attend the four-day show.

Christopher Eve, senior vice president of UBM Asia, commented, “Indonesia’s strong economic growth, vast population and enormous furniture industry make it a very exciting market for both buyers and sellers of furniture, fittings and equipment. IFEX is strategically timed in the spring cycle of furniture exhibitions in the Southeast Asian region that commences with UBM’s MIFF exhibition in Kuala Lumpur in early March. We expect a large number of international buyers to visit IFEX and source high quality and original products that they will not find anywhere else.”

Alibaba to launch marketplace in U.S.

News this week: China’s largest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group, will launch a new marketplace in the U.S. named 11Main.com. The consumer-focused platform will be launched through Alibaba’s subsidiaries, Auctiva and Vendio, which the company purchased in 2010.

11Main.com will charge sellers a commission fee of 3.5%, with the maximum capped at US$50. There will be no charge levied on the selling of printed books, DVDs and music. There will also be a 5% listing fee per month for sellers in certain categories, which will be waived if they use the platform’s selling tools.

Currently, listing on 11Main.com is by invitation only. Categories listed on the marketplace include Fashion, Home, Jewelry, Baby, Collecting, Tech, Sporting Goods, Toys and Entertainment.

CES expands preview events to Shanghai

News this week: The Consumer Electronic Association, organiser of the Las Vegas-held International CES (CES), has announced the expansion of its International CES Unveiled event series to include new editions in Shanghai, Warsaw and Sao Paulo.

The CES Unveiled event series showcases new products and trends, and gathers innovative technology companies, top media, buyers, analysts and key industry influencers as a lead up to the main CES show held each January. Each Unveiled event will be tailored to their respective local audience and will feature research, CES-related news, as well as curated products and technologies.

The line-up of International CES Unveiled event series currently includes editions in Paris, New York and Las Vegas. CES Unveiled Shanghai will take place on 8^th April 2014.

Informa launches new beauty show in Thailand

News this week: International exhibition organiser, Informa Exhibitions, has announced a strategic partnership with the Health & Beauty Cluster, Federation of Thai Industries to launch a new exhibition and conference under the brand of Beyond Beauty Events – Beyond Beauty ASEAN – Bangkok 2014.

The inaugural event will be held from 18^th to 20^th September 2014 at IMPACT Exhibition & Convention Centre, and is expected to attract more than 400 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors. Products showcased at the event will include four key segments: Beauty & Cosmetics, Spa & Wellness, Herbal & Health and Hair & Nail.

Beyond Beauty Events is a series of events in the beauty and spa industries, which includes Cosmeeting Paris, Creative Beauty Paris, China Beauty Expo, Beyond Beauty Asean, Cosmeeting Business Meetings, Spameeting Business Meetings, and Beyond Color.

CyberMedia’s profit jumps 268% in Q3

News this week: Indian specialty publisher, CyberMedia, released its financial results for the quarter ended 31^st December 2013. Revenues in the quarter were US$2.4 million, a year-on-year 13% decrease. However, the company posted a significant growth in net profit of 268%, amounting to US$143,000 in the quarter.

In the quarter, more than half of CyberMedia’s revenues were generated from its media business, which were US$1.3 million – a year-on-year decrease of 17%. The remaining revenues were generated from media services business which dropped 2.8% to US$1.2 million.

CyberMedia also reported its results for the nine months ended 31^st December. Revenues in the nine-month period were US$7.3 million, slipping 20% from the same period of 2012. Net profit in the period dropped 75%, down to US$53,000. Dilute earnings per share were Rs. 0.31 (US$0.0050) in the period.

Alibaba to buy remaining shares of AutoNavi

News this week: The leading Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba Group, has announced plans to complete the buy-out of Beijing-based digital mapping firm, AutoNavi. Alibaba paid US$294 million for a 28% stake in the company in May 2013. Alibaba is expected to pay between US$1.13 billion and US$1.17 billion for the remaining shares of NASDAQ-listed AutoNavi.

Alibaba will reportedly offer US$21 per ADR, which is a 27% premium over the closing price of AutoNavi on NASDAQ on 7^th February, at US$16.54. The deal values the company at US$1.58 billion. According to media reports, revenues for the company for the first three quarters in 2013 were US$110 million.

As of the third quarter of 2013, AutoNavi had about 77 million active users of its free mobile map apps and had more than 31% market share of the mobile app market in China, followed by Baidu’s 27% and Google’s 7.6%.

Friday, February 07, 2014

Comexposium partners Diversified to launch Shanghai retail show

News this week: France-based Comexposium Group and Diversified Communications Hong Kong have announced the launch of a new retail technology and equipment exhibition in Shanghai this year. The inaugural edition of Equipmag Retail Expo China will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from 15^th to 17^th October 2014.

The organisers are expecting to attract some 160 exhibitors covering 5,400 m² of exhibition space and more than 8,000 trade visitors. The exhibition will cover a wide range of retail industry segments including fitting equipment, hardware equipment, logistics, marketing, consultant services, technology, and e-commerce service providers.

Comexposium’s original Equipmag show is a biennial event held in Paris, currently in its 29^th edition this year.

Foxconn launches B2B e-commerce platform

News this week: Leading contract electronics manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. which trades under the name Foxconn Technology Group, will reportedly launch a new B2B trading platform in March.

According to media reports, the company’s B2B e-commerce platform will be named “B2B Foxconn.com” and will focus on the trade of semi-finished electronics products. The manufacturer’s diversification into e-commerce is reportedly part of its strategy to provide more value-added services to clients.

Foxconn’s revenues in the fourth quarter of 2013 grew 45% over the previous quarter to reach US$43.9 billion (NT$1.33 trillion). The company’s major client, Apple Inc., accounts for more than 40% of its total sales.

ITE posts Q1 revenues of over US$60 million

News this week: Last week, London-listed exhibition organiser, ITE Group, released its interim financial statement for the quarter ending 31^st December 2013. The group’s revenue for the three month period were £36.3 million (US$60.1 million), up from £28.7 million (US$47.5 million) recorded in the same period in 2012.

Described by the company as its smallest quarter in revenue terms, like-for-like revenues were up 10% (and 15% on a constant currency basis), with the strongest growth observed in its Central Asia business, followed by Russia. ITE’s management reported trading conditions in its core markets remain positive and it has already contracted £121 million (US$197.5 million) of revenues for the 2014 financial year.

ITE completed two acquisitions during the quarter. In October, the company paid €8 million (US$10.9 million) for Beauty Eurasia in Turkey. This was followed by the £33 million (US$53.9 million) acquisition of a 50% stake in November for the surface and finishings exhibition, ChinaCoat / SF China, in China from Sinostar International.

Alibaba’s profits, revenues up in fourth quarter

News this week: China’s largest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group, posted a fourth quarterly profit for the three-month ended 30^th September 2013. Net income attributable to shareholders in the period was US$792 million – that is a 12% increase compared to the previous quarter.

Alibaba’s revenues in the quarter jumped 51% year-on-year to reach US$1.78 billion. Compared with the previous quarters however, this represents a slowdown from the growth of 61% and 71% recorded in Q2 and Q1 respectively. However, Alibaba outperformed its key industry peers as Tencent posted revenue growth of 34% in their most recent financial quarter.

Cao Lei, director at Hangzhou-based China e-Business Research Center, said, “The results are pretty steady but bear no surprises. In terms of growth speed it’s lower than expected. Fourth quarter earnings should post an uptick as transaction volumes and advertising fees increase during the November 11 (Singles’ Day) sales promotion.”

dmg events buys back its coatings business

News this week: dmg events, a subsidiary of the London-listed Daily Mail and General Trust plc, has acquired a significant share in Quartz Coatings Ltd, a B2B media specialist in paint and coatings exhibitions and publications. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Quartz will retain its business media and chemical operations. These appear to be largely the same events that dmg events sold to Quartz in August 2009.

U.K.-based Quartz Coatings owns and organises five international coating events located in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico and Morocco. The company also manages the Middle East Coatings Show on behalf of dmg events. Quartz also publishes two industry titles, the monthly Polymers Paint Colour Journal, and the Asia Pacific Coatings Journal which is published every two months.

Geoff Dickinson, CEO of dmg events, commented, “The coatings sector is a fast growing specialist market that complements our Big 5 construction events. It allows us to develop our existing Middle East Coatings Show and is in line with our desire to build our presence in the South East Asia and Latin America through geo-cloning and strategic acquisitions.”

Asia Business Media