Record Growth, Successful New Shows and Prosperous Partnerships Boost Reed Exhibitions Greater China in 2011

BEIJING, November 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

2011 was a year of growth, success and new partnerships for Reed Exhibitions Greater China. With 7 new show launches across 6 different industry sectors and record levels of participants at the exhibitions, many of Reed China's events registered consistent growth.  

In launching shows across various locations, Reed is capitalizing on China's regional economies. Shanghai offers businesses a well-established infrastructure and full range of services; while Shenzhen encapsulates the dynamism typical of Chinese industry right now.  Chengdu has relatively low operating costs and vast business development potential.  And central China is emerging as a challenger to the well developed, thickly populated coastal areas of the country.  Effective positioning in these regions has given Reed Exhibitions a crucial foothold which it is well placed to expand in the near future.

"The local market is so dynamic right now that there is a lot of potential for strong, forward-looking companies to do something really significant - not just in terms of building up their own brands, but also in terms of making a decisive contribution to the sectors they serve.

"Our projections at the beginning of the year were pretty optimistic because we knew that industries like converting, gifts & homeware and pharmaceuticals had tremendous room to grow," President of Reed Exhibitions Greater China, Preecha S. Chen said.  "We are fully on track to meet our 2011 expectations and intend to put together a number of ambitious development strategies for 2012 and beyond."

Key highlights of 2011 include:

7 new Exhibitions were launched by Reed JV's this year and they include; Industrial Materials China, Gifts & Home Shanghai and Green Lighting Shanghai Expo & Forum all debuted in eastern China. China (Shenzhen) International Maternity, Baby and Children's Product Exhibition took place in Shenzhen, Green Hospital Solution Expo in Chengdu, China Veterinary Technology & Equipment Exhibition in Hefei and the China International Exhibition & Forum on Solid State Lighting in Guangzhou was also launched, as part of Reed's cross-China expansion.

One example of the performance of a JV is Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions, China's largest organizer of pharmaceutical and healthcare events.

This year, Reed Sinopharm's successes have included:

• The 65th PharmChina, one of the largest pharmaceutical trade shows in the country, registered a record high 96% rebooking rate among exhibitors.
• China International Medicinal Equipment Fair (CMEF), the largest medical equipment, product and service trade fair in Asia-Pacific had an increase of 3,892 visitors: 70,679 for the 65th CMEF in 2011, compared to 66,872 for the 63th CMEF fair.  
• The 65th CMEF saw exhibitor satisfaction ratings of 97%. This is the highest rating the show has ever achieved.

Virtually all of Reed China's events registered consistent growth in terms of exhibition space covered.  Yet the more compelling statistics are the ones that show how 7 of its trade events also achieved double-digit growth for visitor numbers.  Among these were, G2E Asia, a trade show and conference for the region's gaming market recorded 25% more visitors than last year.  SinoCorrugated and SinoFoldingCarton, Reed Shanghai's two converting events, respectively welcomed 77% and 39% more visitors through their doors in 2011, than in 2009. In late October, the Autumn edition of the China (Shenzhen) International Gift & Home Fair drew a record 64,386 crowd over four days, 11% more than it's 2010 edition. Last week, 100% design Shanghai/ IHDD drew 13,097 visitors, 15% more than the last edition.

Preecha S. Chen does not believe that figures like the Gift & Home Show will be a one-off. "We are delighted with the performance of this event", he said. "It is truly representative of the kind of growth we are working so hard for at Reed.  And we plan to sustain that well beyond just one or two editions.  The number of people through the door is also a strong testament to the value that our shows offer. "

Mike Jiang, Managing Director of Reed Huabo Exhibitions notes, "What is particularly pleasing is that we are seeing improvements and growth in so many different aspects of the shows - not just in raw numbers through the doors.  Our customers can clearly see the enhanced value they are getting with us. That is being reflected in their feedback and uptake of booths for future events, and that is a testament to our holistic approach to exhibition management.  Strong results for shows like the Maternity, Baby & Children's Product Exhibition spur our efforts to make further forays into new markets in 2012."

Guangzhou's revamped Asia Golf Show, held in October by Reed Guanghe, in conjunction with the China Golf Association, the PGA World Alliance, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the Golf Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA), joined the new launches in surpassing expectations.

Speaking shortly after the Asia Golf Show, Preecha S. Chen observed, "Across the country, golf is booming and, because of the sport's relative infancy here, we are very excited about this edition being one of several great leaps forward for the Asia Golf Show. This is the first time a regional trade fair in South China has attracted such high profile international executives, as well as the cream of the world's golf instructors, including Tiger Woods' former coach, Hank Haney.  That bodes very well not just for our golf show's prospects, but for the industry's development as a whole," he added.

In 2011, Reed Exhibitions China also launched its International Promotion Program (IPP) to increase the global content of a selection of shows through a streamlined sales and marketing strategy. In its inaugural year, the IPP has already yielded impressive benefits: the initiative is largely credited with boosting international visitorship to Aluminum China by 76%.

This is part of a comprehensive drive by the company to boost sales and marketing effectiveness across eight local shows, initially, before the program is rolled out across all of the company's events countrywide.  The IPP will be matched by similar drives supported by Reed Exhibitions' International Sales Group (ISG).  ISG specializes in bringing international customers to Reed events and introducing them to new export opportunities.

Reed Exhibitions Greater China has also implemented a nationwide shared service initiative to streamline the delivery of its Finance, HR, IT, Operations, Database Management and Corporate Marketing functions.  In so doing, the company now ensures the uniform delivery of services and high levels of efficiency.

If operational efficiencies and innovative marketing solutions have been pivotal to Reed's growth, so, too, has strategic partnering with dynamic JVs and influential trade bodies.  Each of Reed Exhibitions China's JVs has contributed to the major growth attained in 2011 and plans are already afoot to establish more joint ventures with event management companies across China's bustling mainland, in order to sustain the sharp, organic growth of recent months.

"So, whether it is by working with the PGA on the Asia Golf Show; the China Solid State Lighting Association on China SSL or producing G2E Asia in tandem with the North American team, Reed China is focused on creating valuable operational synergies and developing long, prosperous relationships with partner agencies who are experts in their fields," concluded Preecha S Chen.

About Reed Exhibitions Greater China

Reed Exhibitions Greater China is now the country's premier events organizer with six member companies: Reed Exhibitions China, Reed Sinopharm, Reed Huabo, Reed Huaqun, Reed Exhibitions (Shanghai) and Reed Guanghe.

Reed Exhibitions Greater China serves an array of China's nine fast growing specialized sectors including Aerospace and aviation, Electronics manufacturing & assembly, Machine Tools, metalworking and industrial Materials, Converting, Pharmaceutical, medical and health care, Gifts and Home, Lifestyle, Travel, gaming and property, and Security.

Reed Exhibitions Greater China will organize 59 events in 2011.  http://www.reedexpo.com.cn

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading events organizer, with over 460 events in 36 countries. In 2010 Reed brought together over seven million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 34 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading publisher and information provider. http://www.reedexpo.com