SF EXPO China in the process of full development is highly recognized by the surface finishing industry. MFN is happy to talk with Ms. Ann Chen, the project manager, about SF EXPO China. Ms. Chen has been working on this project for many years, with acute insight into the surface finishing industry and profound understanding of industry exhibition.

(?) MFN: Would you please give us a brief introduction of SF EXPO China 2011?

(!) A. C.: By now, SF EXPO China has been successfully held 8 times since its inception in 2000. In order to enlarge the scale and enhance the influence, the organizing committee decided to change the exhibition from an annual to biennial event since SF EXPO China 2007. It allows the organizing committee to fully integrate the rich resources of academic seminars and make promotions with more funds to make the event larger and more international.

The 9th Guangzhou International Surface Finishing, Electroplating and Coating Exhibition (SF EXPO China 2011) will be held on May 11-13, 2011 in Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre. It will be always committed to improving the surface finishing industry with great support from industry associations and media around the globe. Many international high-end technical seminars will be also held concurrently, so as to provide exhibitors and visitors with a platform for international exchange.

(?) MFN: As we all know, the global financial crisis in 2008 had great impact on many enterprises. How was SF EXPO China 2009 under such severe circumstances?

(!) A. C.: SF EXPO China 2009 was held in Guangzhou Import and Export Fair Complex from May 18, 2009. The concurrent events included The 10th National Conference on Finishing & Plating, International Surface Finishing Development Seminar, The Exchange of China, Japan and Korea Plating Industry, MFN Shot Peening Workshop, The Award Ceremony for Outstanding Surface Finishing Enterprises and etc. Even though the scale of the exhibition was reduced by 20% due to the financial crisis, SF EXPO China 2009 still made some great progress. Many representative companies like Atotech, ITW/Gema had showcases, while a lot of overseas and domestic associations organized visitor groups to SF EXPO China. In total, there were 209 exhibitors and 11,479 visitors. SF EXPO China has become a premier event in the surface finishing industry.

(?) MFN: How is SF EXPO China 2011 going currently?

(!) A. C.: The preparation of SF EXPO China 2011 started from July 2009 and the promotion from September. We have established partnership with many international associations and media from over ten countries, such as the Powder Coating Institute, Singapore Surface Engineering Association, and Korea Plating Industry Cooperative. They will organize visitor delegations to SF EXPO China 2011. Besides, the media partners included Metal Finishing News, Powder Coating, Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Ore and Metals, etc. Many renowned companies such as Atotech, Norilsk, Winstar, have already confirmed participation.

(?) MFN: Compared with the last exhibition, what’s the highlight of SF EXPO China 2011?

(!) A. C.: Different from the last exhibition, SF EXPO China 2011 will have 4 exhibiting zones, including an Electroplating Zone, Coating Zone, Surface Finishing Processing Zone and Mechanical Finishing Zone. Mechanical Finishing Zone mainly show equipment and materials for shot peening, shot blasting and polishing and its key visitors are from industries like hardware, lighting, mechanics, steel structure etc. The division will help professional visitors to find their exhibitors of interest more easily, so as to guarantee the exhibition quality and order. In this way, exhibition scale could be further enlarged.

(?) MFN: How about the market status of SF EXPO China’s location?

(!) A. C.: The venue for SF EXPO China 2011 is located in South China in Guangzhou, the earliest city opening to the outside world, with the influence radiating to Hong-Kong and Southeast Asia. Guangzhou is also the core city of the PEARL RIVER DELTA, one of the biggest manufacturing bases in China. With developed industry in home appliances, auto, hardware, IT, lighting and communication equipments, the PERAL RIVER DELTA is not only the manufacturing centre of China, but also of the world. All in all, Guangzhou is the best city for holding a surface finishing exhibition.

(?) MFN: The result counts more for exhibitors. For SF EXPO China, how can you ensure a good result?

(!) A. C.: The result depends on the quantity and quality of professional visitors. An excellent exhibition should definitely focus on these, so SF EXPO China always attaches great importance to visitor organization. The ways of organizing visitors for SF EXPO China are diversified, while we mainly adopt the following three ways.

The first is tremendous ads in the professional media and mass media, as well as the outdoor billboard ads in some important industry cities of the PEARL RIVER DELTA. The second is visitor delegations organized by overseas and domestic associations. The third is invitations from organizing committee to visitors. The information center department does collection in various ways and invites the potential visitors by phone, mail, fax, etc.

The main visitors are technicians from the surface finishing processing industry, technicians and technical directors from R&D, production departments of manufacturing companies, research experts of surface finishing engineering from colleges or universities. In addition, visitor invitations are also extended to India, Pakistan and ASEAN countries. The number of visitors from these areas will further increase in SF EXPO China 2011, so it is really a valuable chance for the companies targeting market in China and Asian countries. 

MFN would like to thank Ann Chen for this interview.

For Information:
Wise Exhibition (Guangdong) Co., Ltd.
Room 1802, Huayou Building
No. 5, Si You Xin Road, Yuexiu District
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Tel. +86.20.37599008
Fax +86.20.37599151
E-mail: sfexpo@yahoo.cn
E-mail: ex360sf@126.com
www.sf-expo.cn/en