Whereas product variety was the talk of trade visitors, it was ‘business effectiveness’ that was the frequently used buzz-phrase amongst Paperworld China’s exhibitors, who used the fair to find new clients, promote their products and expand their networks. From well-known brands to small and medium sized companies, 425 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions took part in the fair in Hall 5.1 of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).
At the conclusion of the show, Ms Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said: “Buyers come to Paperworld China with complex sourcing criteria, so it‘s pleasing that many visitors have located the right blend of quality exhibitors at this year’s fair. Fulfilling all of the market’s needs, Paperworld China‘s themed zones and unique display areas have brought visitors closer to contemporary office, lifestyle, craft and oriental trends. And at the same time, new features such as the Indian Pavilion have been welcome additions, connecting the Chinese market with interesting overseas brands and helping buyers to build international business connections.”
Forming the largest international contingent, 18 companies participated at the Indian Pavilion, including the likes of Anax Industries, Coromandel Paper Products, Navbharat Industries, Pandiyan Paper Company and Saraju Pens.
Specialist zones remain in touch with market trends
Situated in the middle of the exhibition’s 23,000 sqm, the ‘Small yet Beautiful‘ showcase was once again one of Paperworld China’s most popular attractions. With ‘small’ as its central tenant, the area displayed a variety of school, office and day-to-day stationery.
Other popular attractions included the ‘Stationery & Hobby’, ‘Quality Suppliers’, ‘Tomorrow’s Office’ and ‘Cultural and Creative’ zones, which helped buyers to easily locate different types of imaginative stationery products for work and modern life. Stylish items could also be found at the ‘Design S’ area – a dedicated showcase of artful stationery and practical lifestyle products.
Best Stationery of China Awards lift the profile of up and coming brands
Carefully curated from more than 200 entries, Paperworld China’s second annual ‘Top 10 Best Stationery of China Awards’ saw 12 winners this year as a result of intense competition. The winning products included a fountain pen, a stylish calendar and an antique desk lamp, which were showcased in a dedicated display area in the exhibition hall.
Apart from inventive product designs, visitors could also appreciate various forums and workshops which focused on topics such as increasing profit margins in the competitive retail sector and DIY techniques. Among the highlights was the ‘TedxYouth’ forum with the theme of ‘Crazy Stationery’. Key opinion leaders spoke at the forum on subjects of technology, creativity, design and hobbies.
Exhibitor’s report optimistic outlook for the domestic market
Sunny Tang, Designer, Offistar: “We mainly focus on exports, and we have been to Paperworld in Germany many times. Starting from last year, we began to develop our domestic sales. This is our second time at Paperworld China. We want to let more people in China know about our brand so as to increase our customer base here. Last year's result was very significant, so this year we decided to come again, hoping to meet with more dealers and purchasers. We have given out all our promotional materials after half a day, and have talked to more than 70 potential buyers. There are more people at the show compared to last year and we have great traffic at our booth. Stationery is a necessity in our life. As people’s quality of life improves their requirements for aesthetics are also increasing. Now if you buy a notebook, it will have a unique craft. Judging from the flow of people this year, we will come back to Paperworld China again next year.”
Mr Binu Thomas, Joint Director, Capexil: “It is our first time coming to Paperworld China and we have brought 18 companies specialised in the paper industry from India to participate in the fair. We are taking this opportunity to explore the Asian market. Paperworld China allows us to meet other exhibitors, professional trade visitors and distributors, as well as make new business contacts. Since China is well-known for mass-producing stationery products at a low cost, we are here to explore new business strategies such as the import and export of stationery products in China. I am quite happy with the morning crowds; it is a good sign that plenty of business and information exchange is taking place.”
Buyers find inspiration at Paperworld China
Mr Xinzhou Luo, General Manager, Zhengzhou Huimei Shangmao Co Ltd: “Our delegation comes from Zhengzhou in Henan Province. We have brought more than 60 buyers to Paperworld China. I think this fair is a trend indicator for the industry allowing us to find out what’s new. In the Design S area, I saw a lot of original stationery brands showcasing their creative designs. We can see a lot of big brands here at the fair, however, we cannot underestimate the small brands. They give lots of inspiration to the industry. I think the concept of the ‘Small yet Beautiful’ showcase is also very good. As a mock retail store it creates a real life sales situation which trade visitors can take inspiration from. I think that everyone's living standards are slowly improving. Consumers and users are constantly raising their standards and purchasing criteria. I will continue to organise the buyer group.”
Participants applaud influence of fringe events
Mr Akihiko Suzuki, General Manager, Tsukineko (Organiser of the ‘Hobby Town DIY Workshop): “The Chinese market is huge and we hope to raise awareness of our products here. Through this DIY workshop we aim to share our professional knowledge and inform the Chinese audience about our products. They can then learn how to use our products to create impressive visual effects. The workshop has been a huge success, and from a business point of view, this kind of on-site teaching helps us to expand our sales. As society is changing, so are people's demands and levels of satisfaction. They now not only derive satisfaction from purchases, but they increasingly want to make items themselves to receive a sense of accomplishment. I am convinced that our live demonstrations have successfully communicated to attendees that there are a large number of DIY projects they can engage in to find a sense of spiritual enjoyment.”
Mr Zhen Wang, Owner of Hua Jie Wen Fang (Speaker at the TEDxYouth seminar): “Paperworld China provides an excellent platform for seminars to take place, as it attracts not only industry-experts, but also stationery lovers. TEDxYouth is a renowned platform upon which we can share our passion for stationery, and the ways in which it changes our lifestyle. Through multiple interactions with professional visitors, we can see passion for stationery in their eyes. The visitors who participated in the seminar and workshops are not only looking for new stationery; in fact, they are here to see how stationery can impact their lives. We provided a DIY workshop after the seminar to further engage with stationery lovers, and discuss hot topics such as technology and design trends. We have received excellent feedback from the audience, which is very encouraging.”
Ms Gina Xu, Media Buy, Group M (attendee of the TedxYouth seminar): “I found the seminar very informative and inspirational. Some of the seminar’s key opinion leaders don’t work exclusively in the stationery industry, but they have insightful ideas based purely on their passion for stationery. Their talks have pushed me to think outside of the box. A number of hot topics such as technology, hobbies, and creativity were covered, providing the audience with a well-rounded understanding. From the selection of topics to the presenters – I am happy with the seminar and also the hands-on DIY workshop.”
The next edition of Paperworld China will take place in autumn 2020. For more information about the show, please visit www.paperworldchina.com or email: stationery@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.
Other Paperworld brand shows include:
Hong Kong International Stationery Fair
6 – 9 January 2020, Hong Kong
Paperworld
25 – 28 January 2020, Frankfurt am Main
Paperworld Middle East / Playworld Middle East
9 – 11 March 2020, Dubai
Paperworld India / Corporate Gifts Show
19 – 22 March 2020, Mumbai
For more details about these fairs, please visit
www.global.paperworld.messefrankfurt.com.
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €718 million. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
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