China Kids Expo is expected to draw 50% more exhibitors | Key4Communications | News

The childcare products fair China Kids Expo hopes to bring together some 450 exhibitors in its next show, to be held from 15 to 17 October in Shanghai. This figure would be 50% higher than the 300 companies who were present in 2012.

The co-organizer of the fair, China Toy & Juvenile Products Association (TJPA), also expects a significant growth in the number of visitors, up to 30,000. This figure would represent an increase of 17.4% compared to last year 26,400 professionals.

The 2013 edition of the show will be the second to be organized by TJPA together with Koelnmesse, also organizer of Kind + Jugend. In 2012 this association led to good results, as the event recorded a 100% increase in exhibitors and visitors.

This increase in exhibitors attracted more international visitors in 2012, the number increased by 59% over the previous year. These professionals were representatives of international distributors such as Walmart, Carrefour and Kmart, among others. Most visitors came from China (61.2%), but the show was also attended by professionals from Europe (18.35%) and North America (7.21%). The fair also showed highly significant increases in attendance from emerging countries, especially from the Asia-Pacific and the BRIC regions (Brazil, Russia, India, and China).

Most exhibitors are export-oriented
According to the organization, 95% of exhibitors who have confirmed their presence are export-oriented manufacturers. The fair will feature exhibitors in all categories, with special emphasis on prams and strollers (40.35% of 2012 companies in the fair), car seats (22.78%) and food products (18.53%), as well as furniture (10.48%) and fashion both for children and mothers (7.86%).

According to TJPA, this fair is "an ideal opportunity to showcase new products to the Chinese public." In fact, China is already the second babycare products world market after the US, and has 380 million children under 16 years and 27 million annual births. The market is expected to grow by 15% each year until 2015.

An increasingly influential show
"We are pleased by the fact that the influence of the fair in the industry is increasing significantly -explains May Liang, EVP and General Secretary of the TJPA-. On the one hand, more international brands consider the event as an ideal platform to test and enter the Chinese market. On the other, more and more Chinese export-oriented manufacturers are displaying items looking for international partners."

China Kids Expo will be held jointly with China Toy Expo and Brand Licensing Hall. The three events could bring together some 70,000 visitors from around the world, compared to the 65,780 who went to Shanghai in 2012. The three fairs gathered the offer of 1,014 exhibitors.