Participants praise Paperworld China as a rewarding destination for more than just business
24 novembre 2020
After three productive days, Paperworld China came to a close on a
positive note after 12,857 visitors came to source from a total of 334
exhibitors in Hall 3 of the National Exhibition and Convention
Center (Shanghai). Both exhibitors and visitors applauded the show
for offering vast business opportunities and reconnecting the
industry.
Following a year full of unprecedented challenges, the industry required
a meeting point to conduct business, share experiences and make new
contacts, which is why both exhibitors and visitors eagerly participated in
the fair. Positioned as one of Asia’s premier trade fairs for stationery and
office supplies, this year’s show attracted domestic and overseas brands
from Austria, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Taiwan and the UK to take part in the three-day fair from 19 – 21
November 2020.
On the success of this year’s Paperworld China, Ms Judy Cheung,
Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd remarked: “The
pandemic and its related challenges did not stop us from continuing to
provide a professional trade fair for everyone in the industry. Under the
current circumstances, exhibitor and visitor attendance was strong and
the show’s success simply would not have been possible without the
support of exhibitors and visitors. I am also grateful for many overseas
brands which arranged their local Chinese sales offices to represent
them at the show.”
The atmosphere throughout the hall of the 2020 show was energetic, as
participants engaged in business meetings and information gatherings.
Some exhibitors also made use of the platform to cultivate their brand
image by exhibiting with impressively designed booths. Thanks to the
new industry tie between Paperworld China and the China Stationery
and Sporting Goods Association (CSSGA), there were even more
leading Chinese brands at this edition, including AP (China), Aton, Beifa,
Changjian Paper, Chinjoo, Comix, Deli, Guangbo, M&G, Magi-Wap,
Mont Marte, Snowhite, Sunwood, Superior, TuQiang and Wengu.
Nothing can replace the personal interactions that a high quality trade
fair can offer. Ms Zhang Chunya, Foreign Trade Manager of Jiangsu
Changjiang Printing Co Ltd said: “Although there are a lot of online trade
fairs in the market, frankly they are still not mature and their
effectiveness is not particularly good. Only a physical trade fair can
provide the much needed face-to-face conversations with customers,
while also allowing us to better display our products to clients, which is
essential in business.” The company brought their patented anti-myopia
(anti-short-sightedness) series writing notebook to the fair. The
supporting feature is achieved through the use of specially designed
yellow grids and light reflection technology. Thanks to its unique design,
the product won the Gold Award in the paper products category of
Paperworld China’s “Sidanxing · Best Stationery of China BSOC”
Awards. Ms Zhang added: “Paperworld China has reached a high level
of proficiency in providing industry players with connections to both
domestic and overseas exhibitors and visitors. As the Chinese
government advocated, while we expand our domestic markets, we
should not give up on the international market. Access to overseas
markets is one of the unique advantages that Paperworld China provides
to the industry.”
As a trusted convergence point for the stationery and office supplies
industries within the region, Paperworld China has helped the industry
get back on its feet and reshape the business agenda for 2021.
Sunwood Holding Group is one of the biggest stationery and office
supplies manufacturers in China. At the show, Sunwood showcased their
new series of stationery for exams. The products are designed
specifically to meet the needs of examinations. The company’s pencils,
for example, are optimised for computer scanning. Commenting on the
valuable business opportunities that Paperworld China provides, Mr
Wang Xinjun, Product and Marketing Director of the company said: “The
demand for stationery has decreased due to the pandemic. However,
now that the entire country has basically recovered, the demand has
returned to normal. The show offered us a good opportunity to meet our
target customers and business partners, who also see rising demand in
the market.”
In terms of the future outlook of the industry in China, Tianchang Jiafeng
Art Supplies Co Ltd was among many industry players to express
confidence about the market prospects. The company is the authorised
distributor of Mont Marte, which is a top-notch Australian art supplies
brand of high quality oil paints, easels, paints brushes, colour and
drawing pencils, drawing pads and sketch books. Mr Chen Feng,
Managing Director, explained: “China’s economy is growing, and the
next stage of this growth will see developments in cultural education.
Now that the Chinese economy is expanding again, the arts and culture
sector will rise in tandem. In other words, there is great scope for
development in our sector.”
Buyers applaud product variety
Among many things that make Paperworld China a highly effective
business platform is the way it presents different product segments to
buyers at the show. In addition to the four themed product zones (Smart
Learning and Stationery Trends, Tomorrow’s Office, Creative and
Cultural as well as Art and Painting), a unique area called “Small yet Beautiful” was featured.
Mr Xu Lai, Director of Muwei Culture Communication Co Ltd was among
the many visitors to attend the busy “Small yet Beautiful” showcase. He
explained the value of the area, saying: “I’ve already identified many
good stationery products, and some DIY items which are both practical
and entertaining. Specifically, I have to mention the “Small yet Beautiful”
area because it impressed me so much. Products of various brands are
placed in one dedicated area, and those items are exquisite, creative
and attractive. The area provides new merchandising ideas for stationery
retailers, which will help them to increase their sales.”
Another trade buyer, Ms Elena Volkoskaya, Office Head of the Shanghai
branch office of Budi Basa, a toy brand from Russia, reflected on the
great opportunities to connect with Chinese manufacturers at the show.
“Our target customer groups also include buyers of stationery, cultural
and creative items. Therefore, we came here to find new cooperation
opportunities in this field and to expand our product line. Here, I was able
to find quality brands both from China and overseas, as well as high
quality Chinese OEMs, which help us quickly and efficiently get an
understanding of the overall stationery market. Paperworld China has
given us a lot of inspiration, particularly in terms of future collaborations.
We have already identified a couple of exhibitors, and we intend to have
meetings with them to discuss cooperation plans.”
Fringe events reveal trends and mandatory government standards
The fringe programme took emerging trends into account, such as
China’s growing internet-based office market, which has gained traction
amid the pandemic. High-level management from three Chinese
stationery heavyweights, Deli, Comix, and Sunwood shared their
valuable insights on the smart office market at the “Forum and Annual
General Meeting of the Office Supplies Professional Committee of the
CSSGA”.
Commenting on its utility, Mr Victor Yu, Vice Secretary General of the
CSSGA, said: “Some of the industry’s leading companies have
experienced double-digit sales growth during the pandemic. Their
experience sharing certainly helps the audience members. Participants
are interested in the forum because they want to learn more about
effective marketing and product development. Information on these
topics is highly relevant to them. For many participants, a lot of the
information that was covered was novel. The forum offers a very
professional exchange platform for the industry.”
An audience member, Mr Ming Han, Senior Designer of Shanghai Hero
Group Co Ltd, stated that he would allocate more time to attend fringe
programme events at coming editions. He said: “I want to collect the
latest industry information on behalf of my company and also broaden
my design ideas. The speakers impressed me a lot. Professor Zhang
Zhan, Dean of the College of Applied Art & Design, Shanghai Polytechnic
University, for example, shared a lot of inspiring ideas on how to create
innovative designs. The forum brings together the industry’s elite brands,
and greatly benefits audience members like me. In the post pandemic
era, I think all different corners of the industry should innovate and focus
on product improvements to stand out.”
The “Sidanxing · Best Stationery of China BSOC” Awards was the event
that everyone in the industry was anticipating because of the high levels
of recognition that it receives each year. The Awards identify excellent
designs produced by forward-thinking manufacturers. In 2020, the Gold
Award winners impressed the jury panel with their exceptional products.
For example, in the student supplies category, a practical clothing
marker produced by Trodat provides a perfect labelling solution for
children's clothing and other personal belongings because it makes
durable markings on textiles products. In the office supplies category,
M&G Stationery’s innovative and patented automatic tape cutter is quick
and easy to use with a single hand thanks to its concealed cutting blade
design for safe use.
Other fringe programme events such as the “Request in common use of
security for student’s articles” seminar and the “China Stationery & Book
Retail Industry Forum”, offered information on compulsory national
standards, as well as exclusive insights into the changing dynamics
facing the stationery and office supplies industries.
Buyers, who were unable to travel to Shanghai due to the travel
restrictions, were provided with the opportunities to remotely source
products and connect with Chinese manufacturers and suppliers thanks
to Paperworld China’s newly launched online business matching
programme. During 9 – 13 November, a sourcing session was organised
for buyers in Turkey, consisting of a total of 166 meetings. Another
session took place from 16 – 20 November for the Middle East market, in
which 173 meetings were organised. Each of the sessions was attended
by 50 manufacturers and suppliers as well as 60 overseas buyers. The
total transaction value of the two sessions is estimated to have reached
USD 7.80 million.
The next edition of Paperworld China will be held from 15 – 17 October
2021. For more information about the show, please visit
www.paperworldchina.com or email:
stationery@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.
Other Paperworld brand shows include:
- Paperworld
Frankfurt am Main - Paperworld India / Corporate Gifts Show
Mumbai - Paperworld Middle East / Playworld Middle East
Dubai - Hong Kong International Stationery Fair
Hong Kong
For more details about these fairs, please visit
www.global.paperworld.messefrankfurt.com.