Domotex/Asia ChinaFloor 2004 Breaks Records

Shanghai, China, Apr. 8--The sixth edition of the largest international trade fair for floorcoverings in Asia has again proven that growth of the floorcovering industry in Asia, and in China in particular, is booming. The fair, which was held March 24-26 in Shanghai, broke all previous records for: attendance with 19,000 trade visitors; exhibition area (34,500 square meters); number of exhibitors (542); countries represented amongst exhibitors (30); and diversity of floorcovering exhibits. Products shown included carpet, machine made rugs, hand-made rugs, fibers & yarns, resilient (PVC), wood & parquet, bamboo, laminate, stone & tile, applications technology and production machinery. In addition to the large group of domestic exhibitors, many international companies (34% of all exhibitors) have chosen DOMOTEXasia/ CHINAFLOOR as their key to tap into the booming Asian market. National pavilions from the following countries added to the truly international flavor of the fair: Germany, Netherlands and Belgium, along with representative groups of exhibitors from Europe and from the USA. As the floorcovering industry in Asia matures, especially with the influx of new technology and machinery from abroad, industry experts are looking to Asia, and to China specifically, to set new trends in the world flooring market. “Exhibitors of production machinery and related technology represent a significant portion of our exhibitors and this demographic is indicative of future trends and current demands in the Asian market,” says Adam Margesson, International Project Director for Domotex/Asia Chinafloor. The addition of a specialized stone and tile section to the fair this year brought a whole new dimension to the diversity of exhibits on display. At just over 5,750 square meters, this subsection of the fair (Stone China 2004) added to the vast array of choices visitors had in terms of sourcing materials relevant to their specific needs. Visitors themselves were a diverse group at the fair with over 30 countries represented. Taken together with the many Asian-based exporters and agents for international companies abroad, this select group of visitors (24% of all visitors) is further evidence that there is great international interest in Asia’s floorcovering market.