Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
This month’s Interior Lifestyle China fair for household products attracted a record number of exhibitors and visitors, organiser Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) has revealed.
The show, which took place from October 10 – 13 at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre hosted 248 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions – the UK, Brazil, China, Denmark, Greece, Iran, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and The Netherlands, together with pavilions from Germany, France, Italy, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“This year we attracted 10% more exhibitors than last year and the total visitor figure was 16,725 from 35 countries and regions,” said Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) general manager Evan Sha. “Of these, there were 15,591 trade visitors and this was a substantial 18% increase compared to the 2011 show.”
One first-time exhibitor was UK manufacturer Dartington Crystal. Managing director Neil Hughes said the stand generated great enthusiasm for its Dartington Glass, Caithness Glass and Royal Brierley Collection products amongst department stores, distributors and other retailers.
“We’ve been inundated with interest,” he said. “We came to the show on the recommendation of another exhibitor who said if we were seriously interested in the China market then this is where we should exhibit.
“In the first two days we’ve had at least 60 to 70 good leads,” he added.
Another new exhibitor was Dutch company Brabantia, which is now setting up its own business in China, having previously used a distributor.
Said sales director retail Stefan Kersten: “Department store managers visit this fair, and this is where I can reach out to our target group and make a statement that we’re in the market. We’ve had three or four good interviews with influential department stores from Shanghai and outside of Shanghai.”
Exhibitors recognised in the fifth annual Home Style Awards for their high-quality products were: BK Cookware for its Wokarang and WMF for the WMF Carafe, in the Best Look category; Rosenthal for its Nendoo Soloists tableware and Laurastar for its Garment Care Solution, in the Best Practical Use category; and Brabantia for its WallFix wall-mounted dryer and Goodgoods for the Water-Saving and Big Pressure Multifunctional Water System in the Best Green Style category.
Messe Frankfurt announced recently that because of the growth of Interior Lifestyle China, next year’s show will have new timing and a new venue: September 25 – 27 2013 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
