Computer products trade show services

The Spring Edition of the China Sourcing Fair: Electronics and Components in 2008 will once again be held from April 12-15, 2008 at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo, featuring over 2,400 exhibitors from China and Asia showcasing products in 14 categories.

The show’s 12 mainstay categories include consumer electronics, digital entertainment, and in-car electronics; computer & networking; telecom & accessories; WiFi & VoIP products; GPS products; health & personal care electronics; security products; electronic components, opto-electronics, and power supplies.

Two new categories have been added from last fall’s edition: interconnection technology and digital video broadcast.

The Electronic Components pavilion, once again, promises to be among the largest of its kind in Asia.

Country pavilions and Brand Zones are other highlights of the show. Booths in the Brand Zone present suppliers’ own B2B and B2C branded products. The Taiwan Computer Association (TCA) and the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association (TEEMA) will also provide convenient zones for buyers to meet new Taiwan suppliers in their own pavilions.

As most of the show’s suppliers do not exhibit at other Hong Kong trade shows, the fair is an important trade event for buyers looking to source directly from China and other Asian suppliers.

The Fall 2007 edition of the China Sourcing Fair in Hong Kong was Global Sources’ biggest electronics show to date, with 2,780 booths. More than 1,900 booths were from mainland China, while other suppliers came from key Asian supply markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan and
Korea.

Seymone Porter, vice president of the New Products Division at Weignan LLC, USA, commented on the vast product selection available. “I like the variety of products and the friendliness of the exhibitors,” he said. “I found exactly what I needed and many more things that I didn’t know I needed until I saw them here.”

Big name buyers that graced the four-day October fair include Alcatel, Carrefour, Coles Myer, Hasbro, Hitachi, Li & Fung, RadioShack, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sharp and Siemens.

Tommy Wong, general manager of Global Sources Exhibitions, was glad to see many buyers return to the show. “I recognized many repeat buyers as I walked around the show. Many buyers in the fair stated that the China Sourcing Fair has become the highlight of their sourcing activities,” he said.

The Fall edition was also the springboard for the first edition of the Electronics Design Awards, which recognized excellence in quality and design from exhibiting suppliers. Award-winning products were displayed at the New Product Gallery in Hall 11 throughout the show.

Over 200 entries from mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan were received and evaluated by a panel of judges from Monster Cable, Celestica and Global Sources, and judged on different criteria – technical design, functionality and visual appeal, as well as the
product’s success in sales, marketing and exports.

A host of free buyer services are provided regularly at all China Sourcing Fairs. A full three-day conference program is held free of charge, covering sourcing trends as well as product developments presented from top industry specialists.

The program is designed for both new and experienced buyers who are offered useful tips on
industry-focused topics such as regulatory compliance, logistics and other hot trade issues.

Visitors will benefit from other services including free transport to the fair, on-site sourcing tools, free Internet access, self-service information kiosks, and spacious, ground-level halls with products grouped into convenient pavilions.

The fair also provides alternative direct sourcing channels, such as Private Buyer Meetings. Volume buyers like Carrefour, Future Group, Halfords, RadioShack and Sears have previously participated and saved time meeting with pre-selected exhibitors that match their buying criteria.

Another matching service, the Virtual Buyer Meeting, allows buyers to meet privately with up to 50 preselected exhibitors in a virtual conference session. Dollar General and Monster Cable were two such buyers last fall who made use of this service.

“This is our first time at the China Sourcing Fair,” said Linda Lee, sales manager of Viewcon Electronics (Samoa) Co., Ltd., after the CSF Fall 2007 show. “We have attended
CeBIT, CES and Computex. We [saw] a lot of opportunities at this show. We met with
Monster Cable on the first day, and we see that as indicative of very good prospects for us.”

“The show keeps getting better,” said Kenny from ABtUS Singapore Pte Ltd. The Fall 2007 show, he remarked, was already their third show, “and buyer attendance continues to improve.”

The fair is held twice yearly in Hong Kong, this year on April 12-15 and October 12-15, 2008 at AsiaWorld-Expo.

The China Sourcing Fair: Electronics will also be held in June 9-11, 2008 at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre to provide year-round sourcing opportunities.

Learn more about the fairs and pre-register for free admission at www.chinasourcingfair.com.