DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor Attendance Up 33%

Hannover, Germany, May 2005--DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor 2005 was a huge success, registering a big increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors as well as the amount of display space booked. The show’s upward trend over a period of several years continues unabated, with 588 companies (compared with 542 in 2004) occupying some 46,000 square meters of display space (in 2004, it was about 34,500). These figures translated into a new record for DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor, which was staged at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) from March 22 to 24, 2005. Another key benchmark was the amount of net display space, which went from 17,250 m² in 2004 to 23,485 m² this year. Asia’s biggest trade fair for carpets and floorcoverings not only set new records on the supply side, but on the demand side as well: 25,300 trade visitors attended the show, up 33 percent from last year’s figure of 19,000. The trade show’s organizers, VNU Exhibitions Asia, Shanghai, and Deutsche Messe AG, Hannover, were both delighted at the results, which greatly exceeded their expectations. Not only the expo part of the show, but also the numerous supporting events, such as the “Contract + Design.asia” conference for architects and designers, proved a big hit with trade show attendees. The approximately 3,200 foreign trade visitors at the show were conspicuously interested in placing orders, familiarizing themselves with the Chinese market and sounding out potential Chinese cooperation partners. This underscored the function of DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor 2005 as a venue where companies can directly evaluate markets and competitors and size up the growth opportunities for their companies. For the first time ever, the 32nd China International Carpet Fair — a presentation of Chinese hand-made products which occupied around 5,000 square meters of space — ran under the umbrella of the DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor show. This special presentation was organized by the China Chamber of Commerce for Importers and Exporters of Foodstuffs, Native Products and Animal By-Products (CCCFNA). Foreign companies at DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor participated within the framework of national pavilions, for example, from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The show also featured a European pavilion and a Malaysian pavilion, including the Malaysian Timber Council. In terms of the topics covered and range of products displayed, DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor bore a close resemblance to Domotex HANNOVER, the World Trade Fair for Carpets and Floor Coverings. The chief display categories consisted of handmade carpets and rugs, machine-made (woven) carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings, the contract flooring sector, wood and parquet flooring, laminated coverings, natural stone and ceramic tiles for interior use, fibers, application technology and laying equipment, cleaning and maintenance and floor-covering manufacturing machines. The third installment of the architects’ and designers’ conference, “Contract + Design.asia,” was staged within the context of DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor 2005. More than 350 architects and designers met to discuss the latest building and design trends in Asia. Seven topflight representatives from the architecture and design community presented their new projects and ideas. “Contract + Design.asia” enjoyed the support of leading Chinese trade publications. This new, five-day program took visitors from six nations on a five-day tour of DOMOTEXasia/ChinaFloor and Chinese carpet manufacturing enterprises — with an opportunity for in-depth discussion with company management there. It also included participation at a seminar covering the Chinese carpets and floorcoverings market.