Cinte Techtextil China, Asia's top trade exhibition for technical textiles and nonwovens, received an astounding 19,000 visitors from 62 countries and regions when it took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, from 22 – 24 October 2012.
Held in Shanghai, China once every two years, the 2012 show featured 437 exhibitors from 22 countries and regions with a 37% increase from previous edition, including four returning pavilions from Belgium, Germany, Italy and Taiwan. The two newly joined pavilions are from India and Europe. The Indian pavilion demonstrated the country's rising potential in the technical textile industry, while the latter featured the global leaders in the technical textiles segment from eight countries including Austria, Finland, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the UK.The special debut “Innovation Showcase Area” displayed products and technologies for six of the fastest growing application sectors in China, namely Automotive, Geotechnical and Construction, #
“Cinte Techtextil China is the leading event for the technical textile industry in Asia Pacific,” said Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager for Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “The growing number of exhibitors and visitors is clear evidence of the fair's success, acting as a go-to platform for professional and business content.”
The strong market potential in China attracted international leading suppliers to travel halfway around the world to exhibit at the fair. “The Chinese nonwoven market is growing so fast, and nonwovens can be used in multiple sectors,” said Frank Theunissen, International Business Development Manger of Conwed Global Netting Solutions, a Belgian nonwoven powerhouse. “I met with a lot of buyers from Asia. We are planning to set up an office and factory in China to further expand our business here.”
The fair was also hailed as a success by the Intercape Polymer Group, a first-time exhibitor from Canada. “This has been a very valuable experience for us. We met a lot of new people and saw some great opportunities. It allowed additional face time with our customers and helped to promote our business,” commented Paul Ecclestone, Product Manager of the leading manufacturer in the packaging industry.
In addition to international suppliers, 269 domestic exhibitors also demonstrated the rapid development of China's technical textile industry. “Domestic companies raised the bar considerably at this year's show, where they showcased their latest machines and technologies,” noted Lidong Chen, President of Wenzhou Changlong Textile Technology. He added: “The fair provided a platform for friendly competition and took China's technical textile industry to a new level.”
Exhibitors and visitors worldwide were amazed by the standards and presentation of the Chinese companies. “We are surprised by the domestic booth,” said Fritz Legler, Vice President of Staubli, a Swiss company known for its textile machinery. “Their designs are impressive and sophisticated. It shows that they have invested a lot in this exhibition.”
A returned visitor from Germany shared the same opinion. “The fair is definitely much better in terms of supplier variety compared to my last visit five years ago. For me, it is particularly useful to see some domestic companies that I don't see at the Frankfurt show,” said Matthias Schlattmann, Sales Manager of Bimatex, who found some quality woven fabric suppliers at the show.
A newcomer to Cinte Techtextil China, the Indian pavilion presented the strength of the country's technical textiles industry and received much attention from the visitors. Pavilion organiser, The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council India, was satisfied with the outcome. “We see a lot of business potential between China and our country. Our products, especially cotton, are in great demand in China. We have established many contacts at the show, not just from China, but also from the Netherlands, Ukraine, Pakistan and etc. We are very impressed with the result,” commented Deputy Director, A. Ravindra Kumar.
China's six latest application areas featured in new showcase
Besides a sophisticated exhibition area covering two exhibition halls of 24,000 sqm, the fair organised a series of informative fringe programmes to offer valuable perspectives on the market potential in Asia Pacific.