Press Release Hong Kong, January 2015 Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Ms Lindsey Wong Hong Kong Trade Development Council Tel: +852 2240 4049 Fax: +852 3746 6151 Lindsey.yt.wong@hktdc.org Ms Rachel Leung Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd Tel: +852 2230 9225 Fax: +852 2598 7919 rachel.leung@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com www.messefrankfurt.com.hk www.hkstationeryfair.com HKISF15_FR breaks visitor record Exhibitors and buyers praise show as key international influence Popular fringe programme exceeds expectations of key players The 15 th edition of the, held, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was successfully concluded. The increasingly successful event is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Proving to be an important platform in the paper, stationery, office supplies and DIY industries, the show drew 20,482 local and international buyers to the event. The buyers were from 120 countries and regions. The top 10 visitor countries and regions were: the Chinese mainland, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the US, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and India. The four-day event attracted 225 exhibitors joining to expand their businesses and meet industry peers. The exhibitors came from 13 countries and regions: the Chinese mainland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the US, as well as the first-time participation of Italy, Pakistan and Poland at the show. Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd 35/F China Resources Building 26 Harbour Road Wanchai Hong Kong
Page 2 Exhibitors and buyers praise show as key influence in international market As one of the leading industry platforms in the region, the show receives strong support from professional industry associations and quality exhibitors. The 2015 show continued to feature three pavilions from Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Mr Donald Mai, Secretary General of the Taiwan Association of Stationery Industries was the Taiwanese pavilion organiser, and he noticed that the show has been improving every year. He commented: The visitor flow is even better than last year, and visitors come from different parts of the world, which proves that this trade fair is one of the most international platforms within the industry. The show also plays an important part in the industry as it is held in the beginning of the year, and so it is regarded as the industry s trendsetter. Additionally, Mr Mai is looking forward to the future of the industry and the show. He added: I am very positive and confident about the stationery market. We will continue to support this fair, and we aim to gather more Taiwanese exhibitors for future editions of the fair. Aside from overseas pavilions, the show featured five theme zones to enhance sourcing efficiency: DIY Supplies, Gift Stationery, Kids & School, Pen & Paper and Smart Office. The ever-expanding DIY market in the Asian region attracted Mr Johnson Cai, Chairman of the Hong Kong Teapo Stationery Co Ltd, which specialises in DIY greeting cards, materials and tools. This year, the company showcased their brand new, safe and environmentally-friendly pattern die maker. Confirming the show s effectiveness and importance for the stationery and DIY sectors, Mr Cai said: We had a successful show last year and this is why we came back. This show is useful for us because the buyers who come here are
Page 3 professional, relevant and serious. This is definitely an important and influential trade fair for the stationery and DIY industries. Also hoping to find new customers and expand their markets worldwide through exhibiting at the show was a long-term exhibitor, PT. Solo Murni, a leading stationery supplier in Indonesia. Export Manager, Mr Johnson Ho explained: We like the exhibition time, which is in January, when the sourcing season just starts. I am also happy to see some friendly competitors from Indonesia here at the fair. We had some talks and exchanged news with each other. I think it is important for us to participate in professional trade fairs like this, so as to effectively promote our products and keep up our brand s awareness in the industry. We thank the organiser for offering this important event, allowing us to network with peers and acquire new businesses. We appreciate the effectiveness of this trade fair. To encourage the creation of innovative stationery and attract the attention to the latest trends, the show launched an exciting concurrent event titled My Favourite Stationery 2015, which engaged the show s buyers to vote for their favourite item. The event s Grand Prize product was Zcan+ Wireless, a wireless scanner mouse which was designed and manufactured by Hong Kong company Systech Electronics Ltd. Exhibiting at the show for the second time, the company s Marketing Manager Ms Venus Wong said: Winning the prize is definitely helpful for us because this will increase consumer confidence in our products. Last year we had a satisfactory result and that s why we want to make use of this platform again. This year we ve met distributors from overseas buying offices, such as from the Chinese mainland, India, Malaysia and Singapore. I am happy that they are quite impressed with our new product and we ve also received useful contacts.
Page 4 For visitor Ms Sudrak Chambundabongse, Vice President Merchandising, B2S Company Limited, this was her initial appearance at the fair. She was looking for trendy, high quality stationery and licensing products and was very satisfied with the quality of exhibitors, commenting: It is a very international show and it has successfully gathered important industry players from around the world. Not only can I source my needs here, I can also meet competitors and know more about the market trends. I think Hong Kong International Stationary Fair is essential for the industry. Also praising the quality of both exhibitors and products on display was another first-time buyer, Ms Joyce Chen, Manager of Jin Yuh Tarng in Taiwan, who primarily sourced DIY stationery and unique and personalised products. She said: We particularly treasure the opportunity to meet face-to-face with various stationery suppliers worldwide, which has created many potential business leads for us. We would not hesitate to come back again for future editions of the show. In addition to sourcing basic office equipment and supplies, visitor Mr Xu Yan, Director, Executive Brand of Office Depot (China), one of the world s largest office supplies retailers from the US, was also interested in learning more about green and environmentally-friendly products. He said: An increasing number of people are putting emphasis on products that are safe for their children, as well as the environment. Overall, I am particularly pleased with the businessmatching service and was able to set over 20 appointments with potential suppliers. I look forward to the show s future editions.
Page 5 Popular fringe programme is a great benefit and exceeds expectations of key industry players Providing the latest information on market trends and industry news, the show s fringe programme helps inform those making the business decisions. Mr Paul Poon, Head of Design at Ten Design Stationery, was a speaker for the seminar Stationery Design Trends 2015. He spoke with the aim of exploring the new design trends and helping participants better understand the Hong Kong stationery market, especially those industry members devoted to design and production. Speaking during the Stationery Traditional vs Digital seminar, Mr Yasushi Inoue, Director and Senior Managing Officer, KOKUYO S&T Co Ltd discussed good design, high-end products and digitalisation. He noted: The stationery market is challenging and so this seminar is very important to the industry as it provides a good platform for us to give ideas and solutions. In attendance at the seminar was Ms Linda Zhao, Sales Manager at YiWu Good Joy Stationery Trading Firm. She commented: The seminar is relevant to me because now it s the digital and internet era, and I can learn from the experts which will help me plan better for our corporate sales strategy. The next edition of will be held from 11 14 January 2016. For further information about the show, please visit www.hkstationeryfair.com - end -
Page 6 Background information on Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world s leading trade fair organisers, generating around 550* million in sales and employing more than 2,200* people worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and around 50 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in more than 160 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2014, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 120* trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Comprising an area of 578,000 square metres, Messe Frankfurt s exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centres. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. For more information, please visit our website at www.messefrankfurt.com. *Preliminary Figures (2014) About the HKTDC A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com. Follow us on Google+ Twitter @hktdc LinkedIn