The lighting industry converges at Shanghai International Lighting Fair to discuss city lighting developments

The Shanghai International Lighting Fair (SILF) successfully concluded as the sixth edition of the trade fair was held from 3 ‒ 5 September 2019 in Hall W5 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Exhibitors and buyers took full advantage of the high-level business opportunities on offer in Shanghai, while over 40 speakers contributed to a concurrent event programme that explored the latest progress and future trends of the city lighting sector. Commenting on the successful conclusion of the sixth edition of the trade fair, Ms Lucia Wong, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Hong Kong) Co Ltd, said: “Shanghai International Lighting Fair once again gathered the lighting industry to discuss the latest developments in the industry while also providing the right platform for trade and business opportunities. The domestic city and urban lighting industry in China is progressing rapidly and conversations on the sustainability and technical infrastructure that will drive the development of the industry forward are essential. By converging different stakeholders of the industry together to share ideas, we are optimistic that such developments will benefit entire communities.” Even while many cities in China continue to develop rapidly in recent years the demand from city planners and government bodies has come to improve the quality of city lighting infrastructure. This has driven the industry to create city lighting products and solutions that are human-centric and that can play an important role in developing the night time economy. Recognising the crucial role an effective and progressive city lighting sector has to play in this future development, Shanghai International Lighting Fair converged many different sectors, from architects and lighting designers to city planners and technical engineers, to contribute and discuss a wide variety of topics at the concurrent event programme. The event programme successfully organised a series forums and witnessed more than 40 speakers and participants engage with the gathered audiences. Key figures at a glance:

Visitors: 12,960

Exhibitors: 200

Exhibition area: 7,700 sqm

Comments from exhibitors:

“Our company is exhibiting flexible LED strips and we target local designers and project contractors. On the first morning of the fair alone around 30 buyers expressed interest in our products and provided us their business contact details. The domestic Chinese market is placing a greater emphasis on advanced technological standards and is more willing to pay a higher price for better quality products, we thought it is a good time to explore the domestic market via this trade fair.” - Mr Davis Zeng, Local Sales Director, Shenzhen Dilux Lighting Technology Ltd

“Our company has exhibited at this fair for the past three years and this year we have been able to meet quality mid- to high-end buyers. The demand for lighting products is still high in both China and overseas. Take the city of Shanghai as an example - the Bund is an iconic lighting project. With support from the local government, more businesses are seizing the opportunity to invent new products, further accelerating the industry growth.” - Ms Sheila Chen, Sales Manager, Shanghai Shylon Optoelectronic Technology Co Ltd

“To showcase our brand and locate new business partners, we decided to exhibit at Shanghai International Lighting Fair. The buyers we encountered have mostly been from Shanghai and they responded well to our products. City lighting is undergoing rapid growth and we hope to expand our product range and business scope. Shanghai has its economic edge and is able to attract high-quality visitors and offer rewarding business opportunities.” - Mr Xu Jinhua, Manager, Shenzhen Zhong Jin Hua Pu Electronics Co Ltd

Comments from visitors:

“I had a great purchasing experience at the fair last year therefore I returned this year. It acts as a valuable platform to make connections and advance my business as there are so many brands that I am able to find products, technology and solutions that meet my needs. I came this year to specifically look for outdoor lighting products and I have made solid enquiries with some big companies.” - Mr Zhang Tianyi, Purchasing Manager, Zhejiang Haining Nailide Technology Co Ltd

“This is my first time to join the fair and I decided to come after hearing good feedback from other colleagues in the industry. It is run very professionally and it is a real asset for the whole industry because it serves as a bridge to the lighting insiders. This fair integrates business opportunities, useful market information and products together which is really beneficial for visitors.” - Mr Wu Shaobo, Designer, Hailifang Lighting Engineering

Comments from speakers:

“When it comes to the lighting industry and smart city infrastructure, the most important starting point is the smart lighting pole. The smart lighting pole will undergo a series of evolutions alongside the development of smart cities and 5G technology. Many lighting enterprises are planning smart lighting and they have the same goal which is to drive the smart city development. These kind of forums are a very good opportunity for us to get together and discuss and talk and exchange ideas which is beneficial for us all.” - Dr Yuan Feng, First Deputy Director, Institute of Software Application Technology, Guangzhou & CAS

Shanghai International Lighting Fair is a part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs headed by the biennial Light + Building event held in Frankfurt, Germany. The next show will take place from 8 ‒ 13 March, 2020. Messe Frankfurt also offers a series of other light and building technology events worldwide, including the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, Thailand Lighting Fair, BIEL Light + Building in Argentina, Light Middle East in the United Arab Emirates, Interlight Russia and Intelligent Building Russia as well as Light India, the LED Expo New Delhi, and the LED Expo Mumbai in India. For more information on Light + Building shows worldwide, please visit www.brand.light-building.com. For more information regarding the lighting shows in China, please visit www.light.messefrankfurt.com.cn or email [email protected].

Background information on Messe Frankfurt

Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €718 million. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com.