Smooth-running fair

The China International Hardware Show/Practical World Asia opened its doors for business in Shanghai for three full days from 19 to 21 October 2004. More than 1 100 exhibiting companies (2003: approx. 900) showed a wide spectrum of products and services in the three different categories of “Tools”, “Security, locks + fittings” and “Building and DIY supplies”. A total of 35 000 trade visitors from 75 countries registered at the event altogether, around 4 200 of them from abroad. This corresponds to an increase in internationality of approx. 40 per cent over 2003. Growth was recorded in gross exhibition area as well: the 2004 multi-trade fair occupied 46 000 m² of the Shanghai New International Expo Center, or around 30 per cent more than the previous year.
There were 80 exhibitors presenting their products at Practical World Asia.
Almost 80 exhibitors from four continents were represented at Practical World Asia, though the talk was still of 100 in advance of the fair. According to information from Koelnmesse, the exhibitors were full of praise for the high professional quality and decision-making authority of the visitors, who came in goodly numbers to their stands. Almost all the exhibitors succeeded in making contact with major buyers or dealers, agents or importers from the region, according to the organisers’ final assessment of the event. What is more, most of the exhibitors made firm stand bookings and space reservations for 2005 on the spot.
On 17 October 2004, in the run-up to the trade fair duo, the International Federation of Hardware and Housewares Associations (IHA) held its annual meeting in Shanghai. And in 2006 the world organisation intends to hold its international congress in parallel to CIHS/Practical World Asia. Currently the IHA has around 31 000 members from 17 countries.
The existing range of products will be expanded by the addition of a new segment, the “World of Gardening”, at the coming Practical World Asia. This should make the fair interesting to international companies in the garden sector and to manufacturers of products in the category of “Lifestyle in the Garden”.
Practical World Asia is organised by Koelnmesse in cooperation with the China National Hardware Association (CNHA), the Chinese hardware industry’s largest national manufacturers’ organisation. In 2005 the multi-trade fair will be open for business in Shanghai from 11 to 13 October.