Familiar Names and New Faces

China, the world’s leading tyre consumer and producer has in recent years gained significant product market share around the globe. With both phenomenal export growth and a domestic market in which demand is anticipated to reach 300 million units, it is little wonder that local manufacturers have flourished and international tyre majors have found the temptation of setting up operations irresistible.

Yet given the Chinese market’s current state of flux, finding the right partner to do business with can seem a daunting task, one that many Western companies can find themselves ill-equipped to accomplish. Therefore trade exhibitions such as the China International Tire Expo (CITExpo) come as a blessing to many a harried tyre professional. CITExpo has become established as an important regional trade event during the past few years and attracts both domestic and international buyers, tyre wholesalers and vehicle manufacturers seeking OEM suppliers.

In 2006 CITExpo boasted 220 exhibitors and was attended by 6,800 visitors, and the organisers are confident that this year’s exhibition, to be held between September 12 and 14 at the Shanghai Everbright Convention and Exhibition Center, will attract even more manufacturers of radial and bias tyres, wheels and rims, retreading materials, maintenance and production materials and tyre manufacturing equipment. In order to accommodate an increased number of exhibitors the CITExpo organisers, Reliable International Exhibition Services Co., Ltd., have expanded the total available floor space and will occupy two adjacent halls for the 2007 show.

The organisers are pleased to announce the first time presence of a number of key tyre industry brands, including Maxxis and Nankang from Taiwan, Sibur Russian and Beissbarth. In fact, of the 200 plus exhibitor confirmations already received for CITExpo 2007, around 40 per cent of are first time exhibitors. Sharing space with these first timers are familiar faces from previous years, such as Triangle Sicam and Linglong – Reliable International Exhibition Services state that 58 per cent of exhibitors who have also been present at previous CITExpo shows are increasing the size of their exhibition space for the 2007 show, some by as much as 700 per cent. They also claim to have received visitor registrations from over 80 countries.

Following last year’s success, Reliable International Exhibition Services will once again ensure the presence of Germany’s Automotive Testing Expo. This event, which to quote the organiser is ‘one of the most famous events in the automobile manufacturing industry,’ will be held concurrently to CITExpo. Experience gained from last year shows that the synergy of the two events held side by side will secure the attendance of more decision makers, engineers and parts buyers from China’s car and automotive parts manufacturers. The overall exhibition space of the combined events will reach over 30000 square metres, with a total of 500 exhibitors.

Visitors who pre-register for CITExpo 2007 online at www.citepxo.com.cn will enjoy free admission, express registration at the exhibition, a copy of the show catalogue (which will retail for RMB50 – approximately £3.50 – at the exhibition) and a limited edition souvenir. Further information about CITExpo can be obtained from the official website or by e-mail at citexpo@reliable.org.cn.