Innovative products steal the show

Source: Xinhua | 2019-03-05

The accumulative trading volume at the just-concluded 29th East China Fair in Shanghai stood at US$2.3 billion — the same as last year — with Japan, South Korea and the US the top countries in terms of trade size.

The total number of overseas buyers and business visitors at the fair edged up 2 percent from a year ago to 22,757 people.

Organizers said that there were visitors from 111 countries and regions.

The fair had attracted nearly 4,000 exhibitors, including 452 from overseas companies.

Thirty companies were awarded innovative prizes for exhibiting new products at the fair. Four “matchmaking” sessions were held to connect 139 buyers and 287 exhibitors.

Many export-oriented Chinese manufacturers had brought their innovative products to this year’s fair, hoping new technology and novel ideas can help them gain a competitive edge in the global market.

An umbrella maker from eastern China’s Zhejiang Province showcased a new umbrella that can resist typhoon-level wind with a Z-shaped umbrella rip technique. It also features a high-density water repellent fabric.

The umbrella has received patents for its design and fabric in the United States, Italy, Britain and Japan, according to Jia Yong, head of Zhejiang Tianhe Umbrella Design Co Ltd.

“Facing fierce competition in the market, we have switched our focus to developing innovative products in recent years,” Jia said. “Now our customer base is very stable, and orders are growing.”

A smart vegetable planter called V-garden has found favor with many global buyers at the fair. “What we produce is a smart planter using hydroponics that allows people to grow pollution-free vegetables at home,” said Liu Fei, general manager of the company that developed V-garden.

The white dice-like planter is equipped with LED lights that mimic sunlight, and it has a vacant space at the bottom for nutrient solutions to grow vegetables.

It only takes about 30 days to turn seeds into vegetables, according to Liu, adding that the smart planter is also more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly compared with traditional planting.

“We have received intent orders from Italy and the United States and inquiries from British clients at the fair,” said Liu, who is upbeat about his product’s popularity in the overseas market.

Cross-border e-commerce sites were also active participants as an increasing number of exporters look for purchasers through online channels.

“The exhibition plays an important role for exporters to secure overseas orders and we’ve been pushing for an upgrade in the quality of export merchandise while boosting trade volume with Belt and Road countries,” Deputy Director of the Commerce Department of Jiangxi Province Fang Xiangjun said.

Officials and exporters were upbeat about the trade outlook. “Textile companies are reacting to new market trends to develop industrial cluster and expedite overseas expansion and the adoption of a smart manufacturing process in the face of rising costs,” said Cao Jiachang, chairman of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel.

“Export trade will see new opportunities under the newly announced development plan for the Yangtze River Delta region and a new round of opening-up,” Deputy Director Shen Weihua of the Shanghai Commerce Commission told the Import and Export Forum at the fair.

Katherine Zhu, manager of the No. 8 Import and Export Department at Shanghai Dragon Corporation, an affiliate of Shangtex Holding Corp, said its Ethiopian sweater factory started operation in mid-2018. It now produces about 100,000 pieces of apparels and garments with the production cost about 20 percent less than those made in southeast Asian countries.

“Overseas garment retailers have seen flat sales over the past year and have been demanding a lower procurement price. Having a manufacturing presence in Africa has helped lower our production cost,” she told Shanghai Daily.

The garments will be exported to buyers in Europe and the US. It is also the first African manufacturing site for a Shanghai-based company as the company actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative.