A new record for exhibitor and visitor attendance was set at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, Asia’s largest influential lighting event which was held 9 – 12 June at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou. The show was held concurrently with Electrical Building Technology Guangzhou which supports the electrical engineering and building and home automation industries.

Exhibitor numbers also rose to 2,931, an increase of 41 per cent compared with last year and the total exhibition area was 210,000 sqm, covering 20 halls.

Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition figures at a glance:

Total number of visitors	100,465
Local visitors	80,510 an increase of 44 % compared to 2010
Overseas visitors	19,955 an increase of 26 %t compared to 2010
Number of represented countries and regions	116
Top 10 visiting countries and regions (in order of highest attendance)	Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, India, Japan, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Russia
Total number of exhibitors	2,648
Number of exhibitor countries and regions represented	30
Total sqm (gross)	200,000

Sharp rise in LED exhibitors attracts industry and buyer interest
Mr Richard Li, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt in China said that the growth since last year’s show was “phenomenal” in such a short space of time. “A large part of growth for our 2011 show has come from the fast moving LED industry,” he explained. “It reflects the leading role that China and other international companies are playing in the development of this specialised lighting sector.

“This year we had 10 halls dedicated exclusively to the LED industry under the banner of LED Asia and these halls attracted much industry and buyer interest. We introduced this concept because we wanted to provide the most comprehensive sourcing opportunities under one roof, highlighting both the upstream part of the industry, like chips and raw materials, as well as the middle stream and its products such as packaging equipment. Also by segmenting each LED hall into a particular sector, it was much easier for buyers to find what they wanted, quickly and efficiently,” Mr Li added.

Mr Li also commented on this year’s country and regional pavilions. “Following the success of last year’s show, the organisers of the Taiwan pavilion increased its size from 200 sqm to more than 1,000 sqm and the pavilion was always very crowded with visitors during the four-day show because of its large size and number of exhibitors,” he explained. “In addition, this year we were happy to welcome new pavilions representing Hong Kong and Japan as well as the return of the US pavilion. Having a pavilion at the show is a very cost effective way for exhibitors to extend their marketing efforts on a large scale into new markets.”

Various industry players such as Cree, General Electric, GD Midea Lighting Electric Manufacturing Co Ltd, Osram, Philips Lumileds and Thorn were showing their new LED products and technologies in the Brand Name Halls. Many exhibitors agreed that the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition played an important role in facilitating the development of LED technology.

Cree Shanghai Opto Development Limited showed seven new products. “The LED industry is moving very fast,” said Mr Tie Lin, Director of China Marketing Communications, “and an exhibition like this provides a very good platform for us to communicate with our customers, to know how they think and what they request the most. We will then address our technology to support them.”

GE Appliances & Lighting also chose to highlight their LED capabilities. “We like to focus on the application, not so much technology, but rather how do you feel, say in a hotel room or supermarket with LED lighting,” explained Mr Marti Willemsen, General Manager, Product Management, Asia Pacific. “A show like this is helping to move along LED technology because you can contact a very big audience and in that way you can help them to understand what LED technology is all about.”

Regular Chinese exhibitor GD Midea Lighting Electric Manufacturing Co Ltd was promoting their integrated energy-saving lighting products to the international market. Mr Li Sanlong, Marketing Chief Director said: “We have met many overseas buyers from Asia, Europe, America, the Middle East and as far away as Africa. This is way more than I expected and I am very satisfied with the fair.”

Mr Ramon Zhou, Marketing Manager, Osram China Lighting Ltd said his company had exhibited at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition for a number of years. He commented: “The fair provides a fantastic platform for our company to promote new lighting solutions, understand customers’ requirement for business development, and exchange our views with authorities and experts from government and lighting industries. The show also helps to enhance OSRAM brand image.”

Mr Steve Landau, Director of Marketing Communications for Philips Lumileds also agrees on the show’s importance saying it was a “tremendous place” to promote the company’s innovative Luxeon LEDs which offer ‘freedom from binning’ and ‘hot testing’ technologies. He added: “This lighting show is absolutely critical to the on-going success and growth of the industry. The pace of change is so fast that with the show we have the opportunity to get together to talk about what’s happening, and to see the new developments from the wide range of companies that are represented here. You see for yourself the way people are thinking and bringing new ideas to the market.”

Mr Sunny Liu, General Manager, Thorn Lighting (Guangzhou) Limited supported the show’s important contribution to the lighting industry. “A show like this helps speed up lighting development for sure. It is important to identify the market trend and have a kind of exchange to see the manufacturer’s skills or product design. Also a lot of professional visitors come for our seminars and we communicate about what we can offer, so the show is really a good platform.”

Other companies showcasing LED technology could be found in the LED Asia halls, together with pavilions from Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US. They included BridgeLux (USA), Citizen (Japan), Delta (Taiwan), Everlight (Taiwan), Hongli (China), Lextar (Taiwan), Nationstar (China), Nichia (Japan), Panasonic (Japan), ROHM (Japan), Sanan (China), Seoul Semiconductor (Korea), Tongfang (China), Toshiba (Japan) and Wuhai HC (China).

Chinese LED company Brilliance Technologies Co Ltd is a regular show exhibitor, recruiting new agents, meeting existing customers as well as brand building. President, Mr Felix Chai said: “The show has a significant role in the industry. As China is the largest LED products manufacturing place, it is important for the overseas buyers to come here for sourcing. In the future, LED products will improve and be able to fulfil various requirements of different countries/ regions.”

Returning the show after an absence of four year was Delta Electronics Inc from Taiwan. Ms Julia Chiang, Marketing Specialist, Solid-state Lighting BU remarked: “This show is the largest in Asia and we believe this is a good platform for us to expand our business in China. Besides meeting new customers in China, we also wish to recruit agents here.”

First time exhibitor Illumitex from the US, chose to exhibit at the show because of recommendations from the lighting community and their Chinese sales teams. “Being a start-up we are definitely pushing our branding,” explained Mr Jeremy Ludyjan, the company’s Product Marketing Manager. “It’s a great way of getting our branding going by being at such a large exhibition show. We have been swamped with visitors and can hardly keep it with it. It’s been great.”

Other product groups at the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition included:
• Accessories and electronic components
• Decorative lighting
• Electric lights
• Light control, management and measurement systems
• Light production and measurement equipment
• Professional lights
• Technical lighting

Exhibitors in the above product groups included AD TOYO (China), A.A.G. Stucchi Asia Pacific, Alanod GmbH & Co Kg, Edison (Taiwan), ESTO Lighting (Austria), Fumagalli (Italy), Future Electronics (Hong Kong), Kingsun (China), Optiled Lighting (Hong Kong), Neo-Neon (China), QSSI (USA), Reggiani (Italy), SG Lighting (Egypt), and Tridonic (Austria).

Decorative Chinese exhibitor Jojo Lighting China Operation said exhibiting at the show for the first time was a successful experience for the company. Mr Hong Yao, OEM Product Specialist said: “Our commercial and decorative lighting was very popular. We had a team of 30 – 40 staff and were always busy in meetings with sales agents, designers, and import and export company representatives. We met thousands of buyers and have already got more than 30 verbal orders from clients in China, Holland, India and the US.”

Visitors also spoke highly about this year’s show. Mr Kees van der Klauw, Senior Vice President, R&D Manager Professional Luminaires and Chief Systems Architect for BG Professional Luminaires, Philips Lighting, from The Netherlands was at the show to gain an overview of what was happening in the Asia Pacific and China regions. “I think this is a very enlighting show,” he remarked. “It gives a very clear picture of what is going on here, good diversity and is very easy to walk through. I think it’s really worthwhile to be here. The show also brings companies together from all over China and is a very efficient and very effect way of seeing what’s going on.”

Swedish visitor Mr Bo Persson from Nosrep Elektronik AB commented: “My business interest in LED brings me to the show. Everybody is here. I get to meet all the key players in supply chain.” While Mr Ketan B. Shah, Director, Arcade Lighting Pvt Ltd, India said: “The show is one place we look at to get market information, to understand market trends to re-align our business and source products for the energy-conscious Indian market.
LED is fast becoming a choice of Indian commercial establishments and households.”

Mr Jasem Mohd Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Al Shulah in Qatar said the show helps him to understand the differences between the variety and quality of Chinese and European products. “The Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition also provides us with the base to make new business contacts and identify lighting products for our commercial projects in the Middle East,” he added.

In search of LED products, frequent show visitor Mr Deng Cong Bo from Sunbird (Shunde) Electrical Appliance Co Ltd, China said: “The fair is important to the lighting industry as this is an international exchange platform that the industry people must attend.” Also searching for LED products was first time visitor Mr Zack Chen, Sales & Marketing Specialist, Special Project BU, TOA Optronics Corporation. “I think the products displayed were complete and easy for me to find what I need. This is an important show for the industry to build up relationship with others as well as meeting new business partners.”

Successful event program draws praise from speakers and attendees
The 2011 show hosted its largest ever number of fringe program events designed to cater for the lighting industry’s diverse range of professionals. Both speakers and attendees praised the high standard of the format and topics of the professionally organised events.

New to the show were the three-day Asia LED Lighting Summit (ALLS) and AGORA, a networking event offering show visitors an opportunity to meet various international trade associations.

The influential ALLS event attracted global and domestic industry speakers and capacity audiences. Its 54 sessions focused on markets and technology and topics included an overview of the LED business environment, competitive advantage analysis, LED technology, market forecasts and corporate strategies.

Speaker Mr Yansheng Chen, President, China Association of Lighting Industry told his audience that LED has huge potential to dominate the industry with its energy saving and quality lighting effect. “However, manufacturers in China are expanding too fast without a long term goal,” he advised. “LED products should be first used on a small scale until all the technical problems are solved.” Summit attendee, Mr Gabriel Tay, a Partner at Singapore Lighting Engineers, said: “Mr Chen’s presentation was informative and he gave me better idea of LED development in China.”

AGORA was the forum for 11 international associations to meet with show visitors through a series of presentations and discussion sessions. Associations taking part were the American Consulate General U.S. Commercial Service Guangzhou (USA), Hong Kong

Electronic Industries Association (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (Hong Kong), Japan Luminaires Association (Japan), Japan LED Association (Japan), KNX Association (Belgium), Nikkei Inc. (Japan), Macau Construction Association (Macau), Taiwan Electronic Equipment Industry Association (Taiwan) and Taiwan Lighting Fixture Export Association (Taiwan), and The Federation of Asian and Pacific Electrical Contractors Associations (Asia-Pacific).

Representing the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association, CEO, Mr Basil Wai praised the AGORA concept. “We are happy to have this opportunity and we delivered the message to Chinese as well as overseas buyers that Hong Kong companies have the strength to produce high quality LED products, not only electronics products which we are renowned for.” Mr David Chang, Chairman, Taiwan Lighting Fixture Export Association added: “We attracted a large audience and they interacted well with the speakers and asked many quality questions. We hoped the audience could have a better understanding of Taiwan products and standards and visit the Taiwan Pavilion to look for business opportunities.”

For the 7th year running, the show hosted the Guangzhou International Lighting Technology Symposium. One of the speakers was Professor Li Nong, Dean, Urban Lighting Planning Design Research Institute of Beijing University of Technology, Member of Ministry of Construction & Beijing Urban Lighting and Specialist Panel Board Member, China Illuminating Engineering Society (CIES). He spoke about urban lighting design. “I addressed some common problems that lighting designers may encounter during their projects and hoped my presentation would inspire and help them to have a better career growth,” he explained. “There was good interaction between myself and the audience.”

Attending this session was Mr Yingbo Hao from Opple Lighting Co Ltd, China who said: “Professor Nong’s presentation was inspiring and it gave the lighting industry a new direction for further development. The Chinese lighting industry are not making good use of natural light and Professor Li presented a new concept to us. Fellow attendee Mr Park Pan, Chief Lighting Designer, Performance In Lighting Asia Pacific added: “Professor Li’s presentation gave us a new idea of what the industry should do to put more effort on the development.”

Making its second appearance at the show was the Lighting Design Gallery co-organised by the Chinese Lighting Designer Association (CLDA), the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), the LUCI Association (Lighting Urban Community International), and the Professional Lighting Designers' Association (PLDA).

The gallery’s theme was “Worldwide Lighting Projects” and it aimed to inspire young lighting designers. Mr Kevin Theobald, Principal, IALD President-Elect, UK remarked: “It was a great improvement this year to have the gallery displaying actual real design as what we do is about making beautiful images so to be able to show these was really good. The inclusion of an AV theatre also gave us the chance to explain a little more about what we do.”

Mr Alexandre Colombani, General Manager, LUCI Association, France also agrees the gallery had improved. He commented: “It has been really positive to put forward some lighting design examples using photographs showing the work of various lighting designers. Additionally, I think it’s really positive to present the different associations that are involved in lighting design and LUCI which is a bit different because we are a network of cities. However, lighting designers work with cities and contribute to making cities more beautiful through the use of light and I hope that the examples of using lighting for urban development inspire city planners here in China and possibly the lighting designers that will work on future city projects.”