Asia Business Media: June 2014

Friday, June 27, 2014

CommuniCast Myanmar to launch at new exhibition venue

News this week: Bangkok Exhibition Services Ltd, a member company of the Allworld Exhibition Alliance, will launch its new CommuniCast Myanmar at a new larger venue, Myanmar Event Park, from 18^th to 20^th November 2014.

Myanmar Event Park, located at the West central side of Yangon, will offer 6,000 m² of exhibition space, which can accommodate more exhibitors as well as hosting concurrent associated industry events. Themed “Building Networks, Expanding Communities”, the inaugural CommuniCast Myanmar will also include a number of conferences and seminars.

Rupert Owen, event director of CommuniCast Myanmar, commented, “Plans are now coming together tremendously well for CommuniCast Myanmar. The new venue enables us to expand our exhibition space and also to co-locate with other new events that are relevant to the industry. We are delighted with the expanded range of topics and participants we are able to offer visitors to the event.”

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Walmart launches Indian B2B e-commerce platform

News this week: According to media reports, U.S.-based retailer Walmart has launched a new B2B e-commerce website to serve India’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new online service is currently being trialled in Hyderabad and Lucknow, and is scheduled to run nationwide by early 2015.

The platform currently serves Walmart’s existing users of its cash-and-carry stores in India, which is a limited service to registered members. It will also help to take orders from small business owners that are located more than 20 kilometres away from Walmart’s retail outlets.

Krish Iyer, Walmart’s chief executive for India, was quoted saying, “The mandate from Wal-Mart for me is to focus on the cash-and-carry business. We are into cash-and-carry for the long-haul and the prize is big. The small mom-and-pop shops is where the challenge lies in terms of converting them into e-shoppers. A deliberate effort is required to educate them in the whole process.”

Global Sources concludes 4th China Sourcing Fairs in Miami

News this week: NASDAQ-listed Global Sources recently concluded its fourth edition China Sourcing Fairs in Miami. The sourcing show took place from 19^th to 21^st June 2014 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The five co-located events covered Electronics, Gifts & Premiums, Home Products, Fashion Accessories, and Garment & Textile.

The three-day show was supported by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Dongguan Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, Shenzhen Promotion Association for Small and Medium Enterprises, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai Pudong Sub-council and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Suzhou Branch.

Tommy Wong, president of Global Sources Exhibitions, said, “The majority of exhibitors at this year’s Fairs have strong existing ties to American buyers and will present product portfolios that meet consumer demand in both Latin and North America. Over half of the exhibitors are planning to launch brand-new products at the show giving buyers the opportunity to attract consumer interest with products not seen before.”

Adelaide Convention Centre holds new exhibitions after expansion

News this week: Two new exhibitions will be added to the event calendar of the Adelaide Convention Centre in earlier 2015 after the first stage of its US$323 million expansion is complete.

The first new addition will be Best Day Ever, a wedding festival, to run from 30^th January to 1^st February next year. It is expected to attract about 7,000 visitors over the three-day period. The second, Enlighten Adelaide, will be held from 14^th to 15^th February showcasing health, wellbeing and natural therapies available in South Australia. Enlighten Adelaide will be part of the official Fringe Festival program and which is expected to attract more than 2,000 visitors.

Adelaide Convention Centre’s chief executive, Alec Gilbert, is looking to attract more business from local and national exhibition organisers as a result of the venue’s expansion. The venue also offers tailored exhibition services to its clients to develop, host and promote their exhibitions.

100+ exhibitors at UBM’s inaugural beauty trade show in Philippines

News this week: The inaugural edition of Philbeauty, billed as the first international beauty trade show in the Philippines, showcased beauty products and services from more than 100 companies from 22 countries and regions.

Philbeauty is organised by UBM Asia, a subsidiary of UBM plc, and was held at SMX Convention Centre from 18^th to 20^th June. The event was supported by the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP), the Filipino Hairdressers Cooperative, the Thai Cosmetic Manufacturers Association and the Spa & Wellness Association.

M Gandhi, managing director of UBM Asia (ASEAN Business), said, “UBM’s focus has always been to meet and exceed the expectations of our exhibitors and buyers and deliver the best organised shows. We are very proud to be serving the Philippines beauty industry and with such strong interest from international companies this clearly demonstrated that the Philippines have many business opportunities.”

TAITRA inks partnership agreement with Amazon

News this week: Earlier this month, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and NASDAQ-listed e-commerce company, Amazon.com Inc., signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to partner on expanding the international reach of companies listed on TAITRA’s e-commerce platform.

TAITRA’s B2B e-commerce platform, Taiwantrade, currently has about 67,000 company and 330,000 product listings. Sellers from Taiwantrade will be vetted before their products will be listed through Amazon’s platforms. As part of the agreement, Amazon will reportedly waive its sales fee for approved listings on Amazon.uk.

According to TAITRA, the bureau has previously signed similar partnership agreements with other U.S.-based companies including eBay Inc. and Newegg.com Inc., as well as Japan’s IPROS Corp.

Friday, June 20, 2014

UBM plans new gem stone exhibition in Hong Kong

News this week: UBM Asia, a subsidiary of UBM plc, will launch a new trade show, Mineral & Gem Asia, next year. Supported by The Munich Show, the inaugural edition of Mineral & Gem Asia will run from 27^th to 30^th June at the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) in Hong Kong.

Exhibitor products at the four-day show will cover a range of rough and polished gemstones, fossils, decorative and ancient stones, art pieces and various mineral products. A special preview of the show was held in conjunction with this year’s June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

Wolfram Diener, senior vice president of UBM Asia, commented, “We feel that the time is ripe for a new truly international event in Asia exclusively on minerals, fossils, rough gemstones and decorative stones. In Europe, there is The Munich Show, and in the U.S., there’s the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. We will launch what’s destined to be one of the premier mineral and gemstone shows in the region – Mineral & Gem Asia in June next year.”

Metal + Metallurgy China to alternate between two cities

News this week: Billed as Asia’s largest and the world’s second largest expo serving the metal and metallurgical industry, Metal + Metallurgy China will alternative between Shanghai and Beijing each year from 2015. The biennial event was last held in Beijing earlier in 2014. It will next be held in Shanghai in 2015. The decision was taken due to the fast developing industry in both eastern and northern China.

Metal + Metallurgy China, jointly organised by China Iron and Steel Association, China Foundry Association, Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES), Metallurgical Council of CCPIT, Industrial Furnace Institution of CMES and Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai Ltd., includes four expos: China International Foundry Expo, China International Metallurgical Industry Expo, China International Industrial Furnaces Exhibition, China International Refractories and Industrial Ceramics Exhibition.

The 2015 Shanghai event will be held from 31^st March to 3^rd April at the new China Expo Complex in Hongqiao covering over 80,000 m². The 2014 Beijing edition was held at New China International Exhibition Center (NCIEC) from 19^th to 22^nd May, covering 108,000 m² of space. It attracted 1,335 exhibitors and 81,623 visitors.

HKCEC attracted 428,000 visitors in May

News this week: The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) attracted some 428,000 visitors from around the world to events held in May. A total of 76 events were held at the HKCEC venue during the month.

The 76 events held in May included major international conferences, exhibitions, concerts, corporate annual dinners wedding banquets and seminars. According to the HKCEC, the exhibitions and conferences in the period covered various themes, like horse racing, trademarks, building technology, lighting and security, antiques and wines.

Monica Lee-Müller, managing director of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Ltd, said, “Just considering Art Basel in Hong Kong and Vinexpo Asia Pacific, the total visitor number rose markedly by 9.4%. The high-spending visitors of these two exhibitions came from around the world… This again affirms that the convention and exhibition industries are the mainstay of Hong Kong’s business travel industry and underlines HKCEC’s leading role in bringing economic benefits to Hong Kong through its convention and exhibition events.”

Alibaba Group’s first quarter revenue up 38%

News this week: The Alibaba Group, China’s largest e-commerce company, reported first quarter results which ended 31^st March 2014. The company posted a net profit of US$893 million, an increase of 32% over the same period last year. Revenue was up 38% to US$1.9 billion. This represents a slowing of the growth rate which was 62% in the first quarter of 2013.

The company also revealed the composition of its 27-member “Partnership” in an amended IPO filing. The “Partnership” will have exclusive right to nominate a majority of the company’s nine-member board post-IPO. Consisting primarily of members of Alibaba’s current management team, the “Partnership” includes company founder and executive chairman Jack Ma, executive vice chairman, Joseph Tsai, and CEO, Jonathan Lu.

Ma, Tsai, and Lu, will also be a part of Alibaba’s board of directors post-IPO. They will be joined by SoftBank’s chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son. The company also named four independent directors. They include Hong Kong’s former Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa, Yahoo Inc’s co-founder Jerry Yang, J. Michael Evans, former vice chairman of Goldman Sachs Group, and Walter Kwauk, a former-Alibaba executive.

Thailand junta cancels curfew nationwide

News this week: Last week, Thailand’s ruling military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), removed its night-time curfew nationwide with immediate effect. The council has been gradually easing the night-time curfew since the end of May.

The three-week long curfew was first shortened, then subsequently removed in seven MICE and tourism-focused locations across the country. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is currently working with key public and private sector partners to reinforce industry stakeholders’ understanding of the situation in Thailand.

Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB, was quoted, “Stability is a key consideration for MICE travellers, and the lifting of the night-time curfew is a strong indication that the situation throughout Thailand has returned to normal for business travellers. We look forward to extending our famous warm Thai hospitality and world-class MICE service to our valued visitors.”

Tarsus and dmg events form JV for new construction event

News this week: International exhibition organiser Tarsus Group’s subsidiary, PTIA, announced plans to partner with dmg events to launch a new construction event in Indonesia – Big 5 Construct Indonesia. The inaugural event will be held in May 2015 at the Jakarta International Exhibition Centre (JIExpo).

Organised by dmg events, the Big 5 series of events include editions in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and India. The events provide a platform for international building and construction industry players. According to Tarsus, construction represents 10% of Indonesia’s GDP and the launch of Big 5 Construct Indonesia will create additional growth opportunities for the local industry.

Matt Denton, senior vice president of dmg events, commented, “The Big 5 has long been established as the leading building and construction event in the Middle East with strong international participation. The new Indonesian event will allow us to build on our expertise and expand into the fast-growing Indonesian construction market. I am excited by the opportunity to work with Tarsus to launch this exciting new event.”

Friday, June 13, 2014

Management change at HKTDC

News this week: The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has reappointed Jack So Chak-kwong as Chairman for a further eight months, after which he will take up the post of Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA) in June 2015. He will be replaced by Mr Vincent Lo, chairman of Shui On Group, at the end of his term.

Jack So was quoted saying, “I’m honoured to be reappointed as HKTDC Chairman, and it’s my pleasure to serve the Council for another eight months. My successor Mr Vincent Lo is the right choice. I believe that he will lead the Council to make even more contributions to Hong Kong’s economic development by further expanding Hong Kong’s external trade in goods and services.”

Separately, HKTDC’s executive director, Fred Lam Tin-fuk will reportedly take charge as the new CEO of AA next month, replacing current CEO, Stanley Hui Hon-chung, who will be leaving the authority.

Thailand lifts curfew in selected locations

News this week: Thailand’s military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has lifted its night-time curfew in four additional MICE and tourist-focused locations across the country. The four newly added destinations are Cha-am district in Phetchaburi province, Hua Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Krabi province, and Phang-nga province.

The list of exempt destinations has now risen to seven, which includes the previously announced Pattaya, Phuket, and Samui Island. In addition, night-time curfew has been reduced from seven hours (22:00-05:00) to four hours (00:01-04:00) as of 28^th May 2014. According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), most businesses in Bangkok including banks, petrol stations, hotels, restaurants, and MICE and entertainment venues continue to operate as normal and there is no military presence in popular MICE areas.

Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of TCEB, commented, “Thailand’s famous warm hospitality and world-class MICE standards are as strong as ever. To ensure the safety of all visitors, security in Bangkok has been stepped up, and we reiterate our advice to business travellers to check travel routing before travelling within the Thai capital to avoid being inconvenienced.”

38,000+ buyers attend COMPUTEX 2014 in Taipei

News this week: Last week, the 34^th edition of Computex Taipei, co-organised by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taipei Computer Association (TCA), concluded with the participation of over 1,700 exhibitors spread over 5,000 exhibition booths. The five-day show covered three venues: Nangang Exhibition Hall, Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) and exhibition halls 1 and 3 at the Taipei World Trade Center.

Billed as Asia’s largest computer show, Computex ran from 3^rd to 7^th June and drew more than 38,600 buyers from 166 countries - up 1% vs. last year. The top 10 overseas visitors originated from China, the U.S., Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, and Russia. The largest increase in visitor attendance was reportedly from the U.A.E. (22%), the Philippines (19%) and Sweden (16%).

Walter Yeh, TAITRA’s executive vice president, attributed the increases to newly established direct flights between Dubai and Taipei and TAITRA’s new office in the Philippines. TAITRA also organised 1,840 one-on-one procurement meetings between exhibitors and buyers, with key buyers including Siemens AG, Hisense, Toshiba, MA Laboratories, and Best Buy.

OS+H Asia in Singapore concludes first stand-alone edition

News this week: In Singapore, Messe Düsseldorf Asia concluded the 9^th Occupational Safety + Health Exhibition for Asia (OS+H Asia 2014) last month, its first stand-alone edition since the launch in 1998. The organiser reported a total of 157 exhibitors and more than 5,800 visitors at the show.

OS+H 2014 was held at the Suntec Singapore venue over a three-day period from 7^th to 9^th May. The biennial show focuses on workplace safety and the health sector. This year’s show also included a forum on workplace safety and health, which was attended by more than 300 senior representatives from major companies within the industry.

Messe Düsseldorf Asia’s managing director, Gernot Ringling, said, “We have had excellent feedback from exhibitors indicating what a great success OS+H Asia 2014 has been. The exhibition was able to draw quality and targeted visitors… With OS+H Asia growing and expanding its range of industry sectors, this will help to take the event to the next level to facilitate even more national and international exhibitors and visitors.”

Pico Thailand records loss in Q2

News this week: Last week, Pico Thailand, the Thai-listed subsidiary of Pico Far East Holdings, announced its results for the quarter ended 30^th April 2014. Revenues in the quarter were US$6.6 million, down 15% compared with the same quarter last year. The company recorded a net loss of US$94,000 in the quarter, compared with a net profit of US$406,000 in 2013.

Pico Thailand’s management attributed the decrease in revenue to declining income from its event marketing business and a drop in government projects - as well as the delay of some projects due to political uncertainty in Thailand.

Pico Thailand also reported its results for the six months ended 30^th April. Revenues in period were US$16 million, almost flat compared with the same period in 2013. In that six-month period, the company recorded a net profit of US$78,000, a 74% drop compared with last year. Earnings per share in the period were Baht 0.016.

ITE acquires 50% stake in Indonesia’s Debindo

News this week: International exhibition organiser, ITE Group plc, has expanded its operations in Southeast Asia with the acquisition of a 50% stake in Indonesia-based organiser, PT Debindo Unggul Buana Makmur (DUBM), for an undisclosed amount. The completion of the acquisition is subject to the approval of the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board – BKPM. Exhibition specialist brokers, Mayfield Media Strategies, represented DUBM in the deal.

According to ITE, the original shareholders of DUBM will continue to manage the business. DUBM are the owners of the Indobuildtech Expo portfolio, which is held in Surabaya, Jakarta, Makassar, Bandung, and Bali. Indobuildtech Expo will join ITE’s Build&Interiors portfolio, which includes shows in Moscow, Istanbul, Almaty, and Mumbai. The Jakarta edition, the largest of the Indobuildtech Expo series, is held annually and covers approximately 12,000 m² of net space and attracts over 33,000 visitors.

ITE’s Chief Executive Russell Taylor commented, “This acquisition delivers on two strategic fronts for us. It further strengthens our market position in the building & interiors sector which is our largest single vertical market and one in which we have considerable depth of knowledge and expertise. Secondly, it adds to our presence in the region’s largest market – Indonesia. It is a country with a strong economy and immense potential.”

Friday, June 06, 2014

Reed to expand homeware fair to Wuhan

News this week: Reed Huabai Exhibitions, a subsidiary of Reed Exhibitions Greater China, will partner with the China Commerce Association for General Merchandise (CCAGM) to launch a new Wuhan edition of the China Daily-Use Article Trade Fair (CDATF) this year. The inaugural Wuhan CDATF will be held from 6^th to 8^th November 2014 at the Wuhan International Expo Center.

Reed expects the newly launched show to cover more than 15,000 m² and attract more than 10,000 trade visitors from across China. Exhibitor products of CDATF Wuhan will focus on kitchenware, dinnerware, small white goods, household electric appliances, home arts and crafts, fitness, outdoor and gardening products.

Gary Liu, vice president of Reed Exhibitions China, stated, “Reed Exhibitions will set up formal and informal alliances with local governments and associations, based on our brand name, sales know-how, extensive databases, marketing expertise, strong networks and profound industry knowledge. CDATF Wuhan enjoys great support from the Wuhan Commerce Bureau and Wuhan Commercial Federation.”

CyberMedia reduces loss

News this week: Last week, Indian specialty publisher, CyberMedia, announced its financial results for the year ended 31^st March 2014. Revenues were US$10 million, a drop of 16% from the previous year. The company recorded a loss of US$201,000, compared with a loss of US$295,000 in 2013.

CyberMedia’s media services business (comprising IT & telecom research and a content marketing agency) generated revenues of US$5.4 million, while the publishing business generated US$5.2 million. The media services business grew 5.5% over 2013; however, the publishing business contracted 26% year-on-year.

For the quarter ended 31^st March, CyberMedia’s revenues were US$2.5 million, a year-on-year 2.1% decrease compared with the same period in 2013. The loss in the period was US$256,000, compared to a loss of US$512,000 in the same quarter of last year.

Penang to launch CVB by end of year

News this week: The Malaysian state of Penang is planning to set-up its state convention bureau by the end of 2014. The announcement was first made at the Penang International MICE Conference in January 2013, and is currently still dependent on the success of hiring of a consultant to start work in August on formulating its structure and funding.

The bureau will be named Penang International Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PICEB), and the hiring of the consultant requires the approval of the chief minister and the board of directors of Penang Global Tourism. The consultant will be tasked with drawing-up a structure and a sustainable funding model for PICEB to fund its team, carry-out marketing and promotional activities and to support the bidding for business events to Penang.

According to TTG Asia, the Penang state government will not be providing financial assistance to the bureau, but has pledged to provide support through other means. The delay in setting-up the bureau was reportedly the result of a disagreement between MICE industry players and the government on establishing a sustainable funding model for PICEB.

Exhibition industry in U.S. up 2.6%

News this week: The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) recently released its first quarter index measuring the performance of the U.S. exhibition industry. CIER’s overall index recorded a 2.6% increase - which outperformed the country’s GDP growth of 2.0%.

The CEIR Index includes four metrics: net square feet of exhibit space sold, professional attendance, number of exhibiting companies, and gross revenue. All four metrics recorded increases in the quarter with net square feet and revenue recording the highest growth (2.9%). The number of exhibiting companies was up by 2.8% and attendance numbers increased 1.7%.

CEIR’s economist Allen Shaw, also chief economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates, Inc., commented, “We are very pleased by the first-quarter results which are positive and confirm our forecast that ongoing growth is still anticipated for the exhibitions and events industry. The performance in the first quarter was quite remarkable considering the fact that the east coast was frequently paralyzed under severe winter weather. With 15 consecutive quarters of growth, we are confident in the continued growth and progress of the industry.”

Exhibitors up 10% at Bangkok’s THAIFEX 2014

News this week: The 10^th edition of food and hospitality show, THAIFEX–World of Food Asia, recently concluded with a total of 1,463 exhibitors – a 10% increase over the last edition. Overseas exhibitors were up 20%. The show’s organisers also reported an 11% increase in trade visitor attendance – 35,000 in total. THAIFEX opened the day after the Thai military declared martial law.

Held at the IMPACT Convention & Exhibition Center, organisers reported more than 24,000 local visitors and 6,300 from overseas attended the three trade-only days from 21^st to 23^rd May. THAIFEX is organised by the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), and Koelnmesse. The show’s partner country this year, Japan, brought a total of 55 companies. The Japanese pavilion was led by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

Michael Dreyer, vice president of Koelnmesse Asia Pacific, said, “The 10^th anniversary of THAIFEX–World of Food Asia, marks a milestone. It is a bigger, better and ever more international edition. We believe the next decade will bring a more outstanding growth not just in the scale of our show, but also in quantitative and qualitative volume. The 11% increase in our trade visitor attendance has proven our stance as a business-driven trade show, despite the challenging political situation right from the start of our show until the closing day.”

UBM signs MOU with Chengdu Exposition Bureau

News this week: International B2B media group, UBM plc, has signed a strategic cooperation MOU with the Chengdu Exposition Bureau. Under the terms of the MOU, UBM and bureau will cooperate on the exchange of information, talent management and training, and launching international exhibition projects in Chengdu.

The MOU was signed during the 3^rd China (Beijing) International Trade in Services Fair, and was attended by Mr Fu Yonglin, Vice Mayor of Chengdu, Tim Cobbold, CEO of UBM plc, Mr Mu Tao, Director of Chengdu Exposition Bureau, Jimé Essink, President & CEO of UBM Asia, and Philip Chapnick, Group Chief Representative of UBM in China.

Mr Mu of the Chengdu Exposition Bureau said, “Chengdu exhibition economy has achieved a leading position in west China; however it is a long journey for Chengdu to become a truly world famous exhibition city. The difference lies in the internalisation level which also means a great growth potential for Chengdu. To strengthen strategic cooperation with world renowned exhibition organizers is another important measure to develop the exhibition economy in Chengdu that will enable Chengdu to leverage the excellent international platforms and exhibition resources, expand international collaboration, bring more international exhibitions and build Chengdu into a famous Chinese exhibition city with international influence.”

Asia Business Media