Expanded fair draws top global exhibitors

BEIJING, Oct. 24 — Top global exhibition firms are being lured to the expanded Chinese Export Commodities Fair, which will include imports from next year. Reed Exhibitions, a leading exhibition organizer based in the United Kingdom, is one such company. The listed firm runs over 460 exhibitions in 38 countries and regions worldwide annually. “We have reached an agreement with the organizing committee of the Chinese Export Commodities Fair for future co-operation; both sides have a very similar concept and understanding of the co-operation,” Mike Rusbridge, chairman of Reed Exhibitions, told China Daily at the 100th fair, known as the Canton Fair. “We are committed to the co-operation and have agreed to work together to explore the possibilities,” he said. “Both sides have agreed on the timetable for further talks in the coming couple of months.” Though details of the co-operation have not yet been discussed, he said Reed Exhibitions could take advantage of its extensive global sales network to recruit international exhibitors for the expanded Canton Fair. “The next three to five years will be an exciting and important period for our business development in this large and rapidly growing Chinese market,” Rusbridge said. “We will implement bold strategies to achieve market leadership in China.” Rusbridge said Reed Exhibitions’ business operation in China has become important for the firm in the past few years and he projected its China business turnover would grow by 20 percent this year. Reed Exhibitions will continue seeking joint ventures and exhibitions in China and its fourth joint venture with a local exhibition group will be set up in South China by the end of the year, he said, without disclosing further information about the firm’s new partner. Reed Exhibitions has set up a joint venture with Huayin Media Group in Shanghai, a leading media and information provider for the Chinese printing and packaging industry, organizing shows related to China’s printing and packaging industry. It also partnered with Sinopharm in Beiijing, the nation’s largest State-owned pharmaceutical group, organizing exhibitions involving the healthcare industry. And the company formed a third venture in Beijing with Reed Huayin and China National Machine Tool Corporation to hold the China International Machinery & Equipment Show. “We will also seek to organize new shows and to introduce international brands to China,” he added. The exhibition giant has organized 20 shows in China so far this year. Rusbridge said the firm aimed to get a solid foothold in China through its international expertise, global sales network and position as an independent customer-driven exhibition company. (Source: China Daily)