January 2018 issue

8

Jan 2018

Propelling The Industry Ahead In 2018

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This month we give out an exclusive report from the headquarters of jwc. It will tell you about the leading organisers in the global exhibition industry. We have also started new sections like World Industry overview by map Raghav Khosla and Industry from the world of social media. We Publisher have some insightful interviews for you.

Loaded with informative yet refreshing content, Exhibition Showcase is now India's most read magazine on the exhibition industry. Thanks to our valuable readers, their feedback has always kept us on our toes and we have been constantly improvising and improving our content with every issue. Exhibition Showcase is proud to be India's only media house to be the member of UFI and its global media partner too. We look forward to serve the industry even more passionately this year in 2018.

The nominations for Exhibition Excellence Awards 2018 are now closed. We have received an overwhelming response from the industry from across India. ASSOCHAM is the Knowledge Partner for EEA 2018 and we will have Angela Herberholz from UFI, Daniel McKinnon from IAEE and Karla Juegel from Messe at the event to judge the live competitions. EEA 2018 will truly be a Glorious Extravaganza Like Never Before! Since the event entry is only by invite, nomination and registration, please register at the earliest as only limited seats are available.

INDUSTRY IN PICTURES

14-15

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE 16-17 WORLD

QUICK BYTES

18-22

NEWS BUZZ

24-32

A SNEAK PEEK INTO JWC'S 2017 GLOBAL INDUSTRY 34-37 PERFORMANCE REVIEW

011-28533196

GLOBAL NEWS

38-41

INTERVIEWS

42-49

AND THEY SAID...

“Glimpses of some quotes from the industry as said in 2017" The top priority has always been and will continue to be, 'Staying connected with customer needs'. We are in a growing business and there are multiple priorities which are to be focused upon; however, having a customer centric approach at the core of our business DNA has always paid rich dividends. At the same time generating ROI for our exhibitors, visitors and our shareholders continues to be a strong focus. Besides this, as a part of our expansion strategy, we will keep adding more trade fairs to our portfolio as per the market needs.

The Indian Handicrafts Sector is one of the largest employment provider sectors to the small and weaker sector of the society. The exports of handicrafts during the latest period April – January 2016-17 have registered a growth of 13.06% in rupee terms and stands at Rs.20282.18 crore. 43rd Edition of IHGF generated business enquires worth Rs.1700 crore this year.

Rakesh Kumar Executive Director – Export Promotion Council of Handicrafts & Chairman – India Expo Mart

Bhupinder Singh (CEO) –Messe Munchen India (MMI) Two major challenges, as touched before: venues and bureaucracy. Both are being addressed at very high levels. UFI has played a prominent role in the upcoming project at Dwarka (near Delhi airport) – influencing government at the very top for such venues. There are also other venues coming into play. Likewise, the ITPO is redoing their entire fair grounds. And also being the nodal body for exhibitions, addressing many of the industry's concerns. Our industry association (IEIA) is aggressively taking on the permit-reduction drive with the state governments at various levels.

IPAMA is the nodal agency in respect of Indian Graphic Arts Industry. Domestic sales of the printing machinery manufacturing sector had almost doubled from Rs.6,800 crore in 2009-10 to Rs.13,200 crore in 2015. A similar trend is seen in exports which have gone up from Rs.655 crore to Rs. 1, 255 crore in the same period. The collective growth of Indian printing and packaging industries has a compound growth rate of over 13%. The Indian printing industry may reach 374 Billion in Indian rupees by the end of 2018.

Prashant Vats Executive Secretary – Indian printing Packaging and Allied Machinery Manufacturers Association]

Ravinder Sethi (Managing Director – R.E. Rogers India)

In our industry success is achieved by hard team work, we are no exceptions. We whole heartedly acknowledge team work as the basis of our success.

Our management aims to boost individuals to perform to the best of their capability by assisting them in a positive way, for them to adapt to the work environment positively. The sharing of ideas between the management, team and clients helps us improve the quality of solutions available and upgrade them. This helps us always meet, if not always beat, the time lines.

H.K. Bhattad (Director) – RMB Event Management

ACREX is the one of the largest HVAC&R here in India. This show has been around since 1990. This is the 18th edition of ACREX INDIA and we hold it every year. The show rotates between three cities – Delhi, Mumbai & Bangalore. The show has been growing constantly and this year it has surpassed all previous records. We have a total of 3.5 lakh sqft. of exhibition space taken by ACREX India.

Ashish Rakheja Chairman - ISHRAE GLASSPEX INDIA is an international exhibition for glass production, processing and products. And this year we have around 150 exhibitors out of which more than 70% are international companies because the technology in India is coming from Europe, China and many other parts of the world.

I think the outstanding feature of any international Sachin Dev Sharma exhibition is the discipline and orderly fashion with Executive Director, Projects – Messe Dusseldorf India which the rules are implemented and followed which enables them to execute systematic exhibitions.Apart ISH India is an international trade fair for plumbing, from this, the support and cooperation from the local sanitation, bathroom & kitchen, renewable energy and govt. authorities such as Municipal councils, local home automation systems in India. This was the first public transport authorities and tourism department etc. is also edition of ISH India. And this was a good experience. commendable making it very convenient & comfortable. This In fact, ISH Frankfurt is one of the major shows in this cooperation & coordination enables the foreign visitors to optimize their particular segment in the world. ISH has been there in business activity as well as leisure/tourism activity enhancing overall the market for last 55 years but this is the first time we are doing it in India. experience and create a lasting impression from government host city The next edition of ISH is scheduled to be held in the month of March. and country.

Seema Srivastava (Executive Director) ITME India Society

Himanshu Chitnis Group Exhibition Head (Technical) – Messe Frankfurt

In pursuit of India's growth story, WTC Mumbai supports business in their efforts to realize their full potential of developing exports and improving import operations. WTC Mumbai team focuses on helping businesses understand international trade body policies, strengthening enterprise competitiveness and advocating new trade promotion strategies through the events held during the year. Our emphasis is and will continue to be on building the capacities of national trade support networks concerned with providing the cross section of services by small and aspiring exporters.

Empowerment is only a result of knowledge. A truly knowledgeable person is truly empowered one. The shows that we organise are the ones that empower Indian farmers. For Example our exhibition Flora Expo is one platform where we invite greenhouse farmers and introduce to them the latest technological innovations launched at biggest shows globally. This resulted in faster development of indigenous technologies as also faster adoption of the same by Indian farmers. We try to showcase for our visitors what they can otherwise see only outside India.

Kamal M. Morarka

CEO & MD – Media Today Group

MB Naqvi

Chairman – World Trade Centre Mumbai

I am a firm believer in “Karma” – Only hard work conviction and dedication leads to results. “Mantra” – The key to success is enjoying what you do. This is very important. You have to be a people's person to be part of the Trade Fair Industry. Truly a CEO – Crazy Eternal Optimist, I am to a large extent a selfmotivated and optimistic person. My team has of course been instrumental in helping realise my vision into reality.

Sonia Prashar Managing Director & chairman – Nuernberg Messe India

ITPO has come a long way. Number of events has been growing. With this new complex, this strength would be reinforced. I would ensure few more developments in ITPO. The 2017 events would focus on being demand/market driven. ITPO need to be more professional. Its staff and officers need to be reoriented as service providers by providing shorter response time and transparency in working.

L C Goyal CMD – ITPO

At the center of everything, I believe balance is the key. When I am at work, I am totally invested in it.

But my time with my family and hobbies is also sacrosanct. The personal and professional spheres compliment and charge each other. I am an early raiser, and am up by 6 am, no matter where I am or whether it is a weekend or a workday. I ensure that I get my daily dose of fitness through swimming or tennis. This is vital for me and keeps me agile, physically and mentally. I use the long commute from home to work to plan my day, read extensively, often with the help of audio books. Work is fast paced. If I am not touring, my day is filled with a number of strategic meetings and discussions, attending to different requests, or going to our shows and networking nights, and all the associated paraphernalia. After work, involves coming home and spending time with my family. By the way of recreation, I also love playing the guitar, just for that added rejuvenation!

Yogesh Mudras Managing Director, UBM INDIA Pvt. Ltd. Chamanlal memorial Award was started in 1995 when we saw there is no platform to recognise the “backstage” section in this Industry. Chamanlal Memorial Award is to honour those who make actors.

This includes the entire team that works back stage – makeup artists, costume designers, camera person, light technicians, audio-visual experts, etc. The show is held in the month of April every year at kamani Auditorium in New Delhi.

Davinder Wadhwa

Every year, we have two shows – one is in Varanasi and the other in Delhi. We have more than 300 exhibitors from all parts of India and we get above 400 buyers from across the world. ICE forms a platform for one-on-one interactions where buyers get to know their weavers. India is the world leader in the World Carpet industry as it has a 35% world market share. And when it comes to Hand Made Carpets, India does not have a strong competitor. The major challenge that India faces right now is from the machine – made rugs and the improved technology. So India has to showcase its strength as handmade producers by providing custom – sizes, colors and designs which is very difficult to achieve with machines.

Modern Stage Services Pvt. Ltd.

Every redevelopment project is unique and has its own challenges. The challenges involved in such projects vary from getting the venue vacated from its current occupants to dismantling the existing structure. For any project, including Pragati Maidan, the dismantling phase is usually the most challenging one. This phase itself comes with numerous challenges because these projects are generally implemented on very old structures or buildings and therefore we don't have access to their architectural plan or details about the material that has been used.

Mahavir Pratap Sharma

Anoop Kumar Mittal

Chairman – CEPC

CMD – NBCC

OML entered Exhibition Logistics in 1982 with appointment as sole official freight forwarders for Pamex in 1983 held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

There were no specialized agencies providing exhibition logistics and normal custom house agents performed the customs clearance and delivery to the site. It was then we realized that there is an extension of this service in the exhibition industry also for various requirements at the site Udo Schuertzmann including: putting up exhibits on stand, packing them after the closure of exhibition and moving them to exit point for shipping out of India.

Managing Director – ITEI Considering these integrated services, OML launched an all-in-one service from point to point involving pick up, shipping, customs The new logo of NESCO is based on the concept of clearance, onsite services and return to desired destinations. Lack of belief. We believe in our people, we believe in our infrastructure at the time posed various challenges but these were share holders, and the entire environment that we are overcome with time. at this moment is belief. Bombay Convention & Shirish Kulkarni Exhibition Centre is of 64,000sqm of space. People Managing Director – Orient Marine Lines come here with a small imagination and that imagination gets converted into a dream. At BEC, we thought that this is the heart of life, a heart which can take dynamic shapes and in each Broadcast Engineering Society is a professional body of these shapes you can see your own vision and dream come true. So of broadcast engineers formed in 1987. It mainly that's how the new logo has come in. consists of engineers of All India Radio and Dibakar Chatterjee Doordarshan. The objective was to promote the CEO NESCO advancement, dissemination of knowledge and practice in the field of Broadcasting and related sciences.

To achieve its goals, the society started organising events and The huge success story of the India International programs along with an international event known as BES Expo.

Mega Trade Fair (IIMTF) began with the vision of We aim to continue growing our business through the provision of market leading events in emerging and developing economies. We aspire to be a major market player in the exhibition Industry in India. We plan to expand our flagship events as well as introduce new shows to India that are already established elsewhere in the ITE Group. We are in India since 2007 and we have taken over 60% of ABEC.

the Founder of G.S Marketing Associates, the Late Hon. S. D. Gupta and his relentless efforts to bring maximum Foreign and State Governments participation for the IIMTF along with PSUs, Govt.

Depts, corporates, etc. We are now taking the work forward and achieving newer and bigger goals. The company has grown from strength to strength. This is our 24th year and we have gained tremendous experience and knowledge in this field in all these years.

We are working relentlessly to make our next Fair in Greater Noida (Delhi-NCR) a huge success. We have a strong team of professionals working day and night to make our fairs grow bigger and better. In recognition of our efforts, the IIMTF has now got the support of ‘Make In India’ which is an initiative of the Central Government of India.

Prakash Shah Chairman – G.S. Marketing Associates

George I. Irumben Add. Dir.Gen.(Engg.) – NABM

Not only foreign land, we also organized trade shows in Kolkata in 2015 and are planning one more this December in Kochi. The idea is to organise events in cities, which have potential and interest but are not yet explored. This is why we have been looking beyond our boundaries. We found that West Africa, apart from Nigeria, is a market not explored by exhibitors both from India and other countries. Ghana was a natural choice as it was the second largest country in the region after Nigeria, unexplored to a great extent with English speaking and comparatively peaceful and potential market.

Sunil More Owner – FairAct Exhibitions & Events LLP

We have been organising shows abroad especially in Bangkok from past three years. We represent Indian Wedding Industry and we feel that it's very important to spread it to the larger community. A large number of Indian Community is settled in different parts of the world. They are dependent on the Indian market when it comes to wedding related shopping. We are making the wedding fashion accessible to them by taking our shows there and easing out their worries.

Maninder Sethi Founder & Director – Wedding Asia

We started our journey with small scale shows and few companies. But with time, we have built a strong network of big brands and leading companies taking part in our fairs. The 5th edition is prominent as Indian leading toy brands are participating and we can provide our consumers a wide variety of products all under one roof. What differentiates our show from the rest is the quality and standard of the show, the exhibitor and the serious buyer!

Ernest Kick CEO, Spielwarenmesse

Hyderabad is termed as the MICE capital of India, a complete ecosystem for organising MICE events has been established here. From an award winning international airport to international standard expo centre to over 6,000 high quality hotel rooms (in the vicinity of HITEX), everything is well positioned in Hyderabad. The State Government is extremely supportive of Exhibition Industry and receptive of their requests and demands. The City recognises that, promoting and welcoming Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) to the city helps in positioning the city in the global market, thus stimulating the State's industry and economy. It is notable to mention that there is only one simple permission required to be taken by an organiser to host his exhibition in Hyderabad, 23 and 19 permissions resp. required to be taken in Mumbai and Delhi to host their events K.V. Nagendra Prasad COO, HITEX

After, working closely with Mr.Raghav Khosla and the highly motivated and professional staff at Exhibition Showcase over the past year, we look forward to continuing our fruitful collaboration and effectively strengthening the voice of the exhibition industry throughout India.

Angela Herberholz

We came into existence, when Ministries were getting PCOs from UK to manage events in India,” Our focus for the future is on innovation.

Unfortunately our sector has been devoid of game changing innovations, which operates on basic level of technology. This is an area where we hope to bring change.

Monimita Sarkar Managing Director and founding member of KWC

BIEC was conceptualized with an objective to organize large-scale engineering shows to accommodate heavy and large exhibits especially in machine tools and manufacturing technologies. The infrastructure developed at BIEC best suits this requirement as the load bearing capacities of the floors in this exhibition centre goes upto around 30 tonnes per square metre. The large span of columnless exhibition floors gives better efficiency for organizers to hold large - scale exhibitions with much ease during set-up, display and dismantling. Other unique features include IMS certification and plug and play facilities with necessary empanelled service providers making it hassle free for organizers to hold their shows. BIEC is also well known for its customer driven approach which is clearly evident from the number of shows which are organized repeatedly.

UFI'S Marketing and Communications Manager V. Anbu Director General & CEO, BIEC On my return to India, I met the then Consul General of Germany and the Director of Indo-German Chamber of Commerce with my plea, that they should promote the German Exhibitions and work towards sending large number of Indian visitors.

They expressed their disappointment that inspite of their efforts, few individuals do visit, but not groups. I was quite for the next 3 years, but in the 4th year my conscious arose that I should take up this national cause to promote the exhibition for lager number of visitors. I promoted the next Exhibition for 1 year in advance. I could collect 43 members from all over India. I felt satisfied that with my efforts, 43 members will visit the German Exhibition.

Om Prakash Director – InORBIT Tours Pvt. Ltd

Tech is the biggest enabler and a possible disrupter in trade show business. Gone are the days when people came to shows and looked around whom to meet. Increasingly, it is pre scheduled. We are at the cutting edge of tech development and application.

We have licensed one of the top softwares in the domain, from an Australian company. We have a very interesting proprietary mobile app called SnapCard being launched in TTF Ahmedabad in early September.

Sanjiv Agarwal Founder CEO, Fairfest Media Ltd.

Floor plan governs the utilisation of available space.

An efficient planning of space provides more saleable area to the organiser thereby improving the viability and profitability of an exhibition, apart from planning the utilities & services is essential for a successful exhibition. Good show architect has to have a holistic approach to planning of an exhibition keeping in mind the requirements of Show organisers as well as exhibitors. His role is not confined only to planning but also in formulating the standard design guidelines for individual stalls to maintain certain uniformity and character of a show as per its theme and content. It is mainly focussed on packaging the show including signage and branding opportunities and their guidelines, direction signage etc.

Sachin Handa Director, Designtek Show Architect

And the journey continues in 2018...

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#Happening: Panel discussion with the Danish author @Palle_Schmidt and Slovenian authors about international marketing for children’s books at EU pavilion @EU_in_India @SLOinIND #newelhiworldbookfair @ndworldbookfair

The bilateral trade between India & Nepal have grown by 70% and there is an increasing need to further strengthen this: Bharat Kumar Regmi, Charge d'Affaires, @EONIndia

CII CEOs panel discussion on Services sector @CNBCTV18 Live with @ShereenBhan

CII CEO's Roundtable on @btvi on #Mutual Fund industry with Nimesh Shah, MD&CEO, @ICICIPruMF, Leo Puri, Chair,CII Mutual Fund Summit&MD,@utimutualfund; Milind Barve, MD, @hdfcmf; A Balasubramanian, CEO, @abcabslmf: moderated by @SwatiKJain

37 Indian companies participate in Cairo Fashion and Tex Exhibition. It is the first and only international exhibition specialized in yarn, textile, garment and it’s trimming supplies and accessories in Egypt. Cairo Fashion & Tex is an approved event by UFI

All of winners at the #ENEliteAwards. Proud to have launched the event & for the industry to react so positively was fantastic.

Sh. Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Commerce & Industry Minister said “Facilities which are going to be created as part of IECC are really in the spirit of what Modern India should be” #IECC

Seven international trade fairs will be held in Hong Kong early 2018, which will offer platforms for traders and suppliers from the United Arab Emirates to expand their businesses into new markets.

The 5th edition of ProWine China, International Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits, set new records and confirmed its status as the most international event for this industry in mainland China.

14 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Shanghai Jewellery Fair Sees Record Visitor Turnout

The 11-day India International Mega Trade Fair Kolkata was held till 25th December 2017 at the Science city Ground in Kolkata,

UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has launched a new education program in China. The inaugural UFI - VMA Venue Management School kicked-off.

Sad news as the global exhibition and events industry loses a stalwart professional, Paul Flackett.

Cairo ICT unveils the 3rd edition of Defence, Security and Public safety technologies fair and forum (DSS) in Egypt Expo Center, Cairo

Vice-President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu lays the foundation stone for the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) & Integrated Transit Corridor Development Project

Host City 2017 experiences record participation from event owners and organizers in Glasgow

CloserStill Media, the London based exhibition and conference organizer acquires the Europe’s leading - Online Educa berlin (OEB)

Three of #ICCAWorld esteemed China members being recognised for their contribution to the meetings industry @ CMIC Hall of Fame Awards.

Congratulations to Mr Liu Haiying, of CNCC. Ms Liu Ping, China Star and Ms Alicia Yao, IME from all of us at ICCA.

15 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

News From Across the World U.S.A The Phoenix Convention Center recently has completed several energy efďŹ ciency upgrades by converting outdated lighting to energy efďŹ cient LED lighting technology.

United Kingdom Toy Fair Birmingham is a 1 day event being held on 27 dec 2017 at the NEC Birmingham in Birmingham, United Kingdom. This event showcases products like toys and models in the Toys & Games industry.

U.S.A - Philadelphia SMG, which is a global gold standard in venue management and leading global manager of convention centers has been acquired by Onex Corporation.

U.S.A - Las Vegas Caesars Entertainment Plans for a $375 Million Conference Center in Las Vegas

Ivory Coast The 18th Intermodal Africa Conference and Exhibition aimed at addressing challenges on global transportation and logistics ended in Ivory Coast.

Brazil

Chile

The big one. Despite cities like Sao Paulo and Recife making their mark in recent years, Rio remains the best place to enjoy this cultural extravaganza. Spread over the three days before the start of Lent, the Rio Carnival attracts more than 2 million people each year.

16 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Best of India Show, An Exhibition of Indian Products held from 19th to 24th December at the parque de la aviacion ,central park in Santiago. This event showcases products like Indian handicrafts, apparel, clothings and decor products in the Business Services industry.

Germany

Russia

World Architecture Festival is a three-day event for architects and interior design professionals. WAF is the leading global festival that combines awards, live judging, conferences and networking providing architectural knowledge and inspiration.

Zdravookhraneniye, a complete medical expo that showcases Hospital Equipment and Supplies, Electro medical Equipment, Commodities and consumer goods for surgeries and hospitals held at the Expo centre in Moscow, Russia from 3rd to 7th December.

China The Business of Intellectual Property Asia (BIP Asia) Forum 2017, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Hong Kong Design Centre, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from December 7 to 8.

Thailand The International Conference on Business, Economics, Social Science & Humanities, organized by the Academic Fora took place from 21st December to 22nd December 2017 at the Novotel Bangkok Ploenchit Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Thailand.

Malaysia Kesatria 1Malaysia Programme, an initiative by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, has contributed to 123 successful international business events leads, attracting a total of 188,317 delegates with an estimated economic impact of RM2 billion.

Oman Four-star rated Crowne Plaza Muscat Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) has opened its doors to business and leisure travellers, thus boosting the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector in the Sultanate.

Australia Christchurch’s new convention centre rises in cost up to AUS$475m.

Australia Taste of Melbourne is a 4 day event held from 30th November to 3rd December 2017 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground's Yarra Park in Melbourne, Australia. This event showcases products from Food & Beverage industry.

17 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Quick Bytes 15th China Products Exhibition welcomes over 12,000 Trade Buyers China Machinex India is a 3 day event that displays more than 20000 products, held at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre in Mumbai from 5th to 7th December. The show focused on varied categories including Electricity and New Energy, Food Processing Machinery, Plastic Machinery, Hardware and Tools, Packaging Machinery and Automobiles & Motorcycles. It is the 15th China Products Exhibition and is one of the most renowned and successful multi-sector B2B trade shows in India. The exhibition is organized jointly by The China Council for Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), CCPIT Guangdong Province Committee, CCPIT Commercial Industry and Worldex FM. China Machinex is the leading global series of China products show annually held across nine counties including Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, Poland, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Dubai and India. It connects over 6,000 high quality Chinese manufacturers with over 80,000 of the most important buyers in emerging markets. With 21 years' experience in the Chinese market, it is committed to maximize networking opportunities for importers, wholesalers and volume buyers with dependable Chinese manufacturers.

th

Kisan Fair Completes its 26 Edition Successfully

'NCR - An Affordable Housing Goldmine' report released at Economic Times Acetech Economic Times Acetech New Delhi, which is the leading Architecture, Building Materials, Innovation, Interiors and Design trade event in Asia is hosted at Pragati Maidan from 14th to 17th December attracted many architects, designers, developers, engineers from all over the world.

The Primary motto of the show is to avail its participants and visitors an opportunity to exhibit, exchange, invest and progress.

Exhibitors from across the world showcased their products and services with a detailed demonstration. Previously, the exhibition had also taken place at Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. ANAROCK Property Consultants released its 'NCR - An Affordable Housing Goldmine' report in the event. The report observes the phenomenal expansion and urbanisation rate of India's largest planned region against the real estate industry's affordable housing response. It also highlighted the opportunities, shortcomings and challenges that Delhi-NCR presents to the real estate sector.

Additionally it also identified the key hotspots for affordable housing in NCR. Economic Times Acetech, founded in 2006, is Asia's leading trade fair for architecture, building materials, innovation and design, driven by Economic Times.

18 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Kisan Fair, India Largest Agri Show organised its 26th edition of exhibition in Pune from 13th to 17th December. It attracted many farmers and agri Professionals not only from India but also from abroad. According to the reports, over one lakh visitors had participated in this Kisan Fair. The fair has experienced the farmers not only from the state of Maharashtra but also from many neighbouring states collectively. This fair showcased various products starting from Agricultural Equipment & Machinery, Farm Implements, Seeds & Planting Material, Fertilizers, Pesticides, Irrigation Systems, Green House & Accessories, Bio Technology, Horticulture, Dairy Machinery, Sericulture, Aquaculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Equipment & Products, Poultry Equipment & Products, Agro Forestry, Organic Farming, Agro Processing & Packaging, Agri Business Services. This kisan fair gives both Indian and multi-national companies an opportunity to exhibit their latest technologies, which in turn are among the main attractions for visitors. The five-day long fair deals with all aspects of the agricultural sector. The main objective of the show is to keep the farmer's in-tune with latest developments in the agricultural sector.

INSIGHTXM unveils Event Data Analytics Package for Event Planners INSIGHTXM, a San Francisco-based data technology company launched a new insights package designed for event planners and marketers to easily access data analytics. This package provides a fixed price and quick access-to-data analytics which will help event planners to understand their event audiences, uncover hidden opportunities and identify weaknesses. Along with that the package offers a wide variety of features like - Discovering trends that span across different events, Understanding audiences to better design future events, to Carry out real-time complex analysis and, avoid the limitations and complications of Excel spreadsheets. An annual price offer is also made available for the users to access more benefits from the package.

Previously, InsightXM joined the Event Tech Tribe in June and started expanding with the launch of the Essentials platform, which easily integrates with all of the Tribe members (Swoogo, TRC, Hubb, Glisser and EventOPS).

Quick Bytes UFI Enters into Latin America UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry is going to create its presence in Latin America in a short while. Due to the increase in number of members from Latin America, UFI has come up with the plan of opening a regional office. And Ana Maria Arango is named as the UFI Regional Manager. As said by the UFI President, Corrado Peraboni, the Primary Agenda of the regional office will be collaborations with national and region industry associations like AFIDA, AMPROFEC, AOCA and UBRAFE. And the first UFI Latin American Conference is scheduled for 19th September 2018 in Mexico City. Since its establishment in 2014 at the UFI Global Congress in Bogota under the leadership of then UFI President Andrés López Valderrama, UFI's Latin America Chapter has grown from 17 to more than 40 members. "Ana Maria has extensive experience and knowledge of the exhibition industry in the region, having previously worked as Executive Director of AFIDA (Asociación Internacional de Ferias de América) and Corferias, Bogota. She will be based at the new UFI Latin American Regional Office in Corferias, UFI member since 1956 and host of the UFI Global Congress in 1975 and 2014", said Kai Hattendorf, UFI's Managing Director/CEO.

Gothenburg Ranks Number One In The Global Destination Sustainability Index The Global Destination Sustainability Index has unveiled its second sustainability performance ranking of 40 meeting and events cities throughout the globe. With a score of 92 out of a possible 100 points, Gothenburg topped the list of GDS-Index meeting and event cities. And the top 10 cities that are ranked in the GDS-Index are as: 1. Gothenburg 92% 2. Oslo 85% 3. Copenhagen & Reykjavik 82% 4. Glasgow 80% 5. Stuttgart 79% 6. Helsinki 78% 7. Uppsala 77% 8. Zurich 76% 9. Malmö 74% 10. Västerås 69% And the Glasgow city received the 'Most Improved Award' for its achievement in engaging stakeholders through its “People Make Glasgow Greener” campaign and for driving sustainability performance in the last year.

3000 Design Professionals Gathers At Foid Show

20 Countries at the Saudi Health and Beauty Show

FOAID (Festival of Architecture & Interior Designing) started with the idea of celebrating the glory of Indian Architecture & Design at the Lalit Mumbai for 2 days starting from 1st December. It is a festival of creative minds to meet & discuss the new facets of the design fraternity. Since its inception, it aims to create a benchmark where the stalwarts & the future designers share a common platform to discuss how the design world has transformed & innovated to create a future of spell bound figures. As the world of Architecture is growing leaps & bounds, FOAID promises to create something unique & exclusive for the industry. The two day festival had a gathering of 3000+ design professionals who actively participated in the festival.

The visitors were astonished with the works of stalwarts which were displayed in a 30,000 sqft area at the Design Arena along with the latest innovative products by leading brands. Fashion show & drama by the architectural students, Art Kitab Cafe, a collection of latest books on design, a blind fold paint act and many more, were the highlights of the show.

The Saudi Health and Beauty Show was held during 4-5 December at Hilton Jeddah under the patronage of Princess Basma bint Saud. In its fourth consecutive year, the show has welcomed more than 300 brands from over 20 countries. The show had more than 1788 exhibitors, 777 beauty specialists and 4000 visitors. International hair specialist Ahmed Suleiman launched the AS hair treatment products in the show for the first time. AS, also offered sophisticated products such as strong and lasting gold and caviar masks for skin care, aside first-of-a-kind hair treatment products.

The show's annual expenditure per capita stood at about SAR 5000. With 11% growth the health and beauty market is considered to be the highest growing sector in the Middle East.

The exhibition is the Kingdom's first health and beauty platform held on such a large scale and is considered as an ideal platform for developing the health and beauty sector while enhancing local and international trade relations. The event also advocated wellbeing and health; as the largest local and international companies specializing in organic, natural and health products contributed to spread health awareness among customers who visited their pavilions.

19 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Quick Bytes

Pamex 2017 Receives An Overwhelming Response From Visitors

ELEX 2017 - 'Powering Future Kerala'

IHGF 2018 will amass over 3000 exhibitors

PAMEX, a 4 day event on India's Premier Packaging and International Printing Exhibition held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai from 18th to 21st December 2017. The event showcased all the latest developments in the Printing & Publishing industry. PAMEX is one of the largest Printing and Packaging Technologies exhibitions in India. It successfully recorded a total footfall of 25223 visitors in four days.

The event also witnessed many International vendors and Companies like AKR Machinery, Clearpack Automation (P) Ltd., Elegant International, Crown Industries, Control Print, G-Tech Packaging Solution, MarkemImage India (P) Ltd., J-Pack Engineers (P) Ltd., Mahisa Packaging Systems LLP, Toshniwal Instruments, VS International and Videojet Technologies presented innovative packaging technologies and solutions at the event. Apart from exhibition, many companies made use of the platform to launch new products. Konica Minolta Business Solutions, a global leader in advanced imaging and networking technologies, has showcased its new editions of Bizhub and Accurio Press C6100 and Accurio Press C6085 series in the event. Along with Konica, Clearpack Automation (P) Ltd. had also launched its high-speed Shrink Wrapping Machine at the event.

The Electrical Engineering Expo (ELEX) 2017 organised at Kochi's CIAL Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre from December 13 to 15 attracted all the major electrical & allied products companies and government organizations to showcase their products and latest technology. Companies like Autokast, ISRO, KMRL, DRDO, KINFRA, Anert, Telk, Keltron, Cochin Shipyard, Kochi Metro, Kohler, Compaq, Transfix, V-Guard, Traco Cables, QWave, Navalt, Siemens, Hitachi, Crompton Greaves, and Finolex showcased their latest advancements in the exhibition. Kerala Electrical and Allied Engineering Products (KEL) termed the expo with the theme name 'Powering Future Kerala'. Exclusive conferences were conducted on topics like Global Experience on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change, Elevating Industrial Energy Efficiency in Kerala and Powering God's Own Country with Sun.With the initiative ELEX 2017 acted as a one-stop destination for all forms of electrical and allied products and equipment in the country. The main participants of the exhibition are from Electrical Power Transmission and Distribution Sectors, LED Light Manufacturers, Manufacturers of Machinery/ Equipments for Transformer Production, Plant & Machinery Manufacturers for Solar Panels, Heavy Steel Structural Sectors, Industrial/ Civil/ Commercial Construction Sectors and Electrical Home Products.

IHGF Delhi Fair (Autumn) 2018 is a 5 day event being held from 23rd to 27th Feb 2018 at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida, India. IHGF is amongst Asia's largest gifts & handicrafts fair organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). It is India's premier export promotion organisation with 10000 member exporters engaged in trade promotion of handicrafts exports from India. The recently held spring 2017 edition conglomerated buyers in large numbers from over 110 countries. Autumn 2018 is going to foregather over 2,900 exhibitors together, spread over 1,97,000 sq.meters. IHGH brings an entire range of Home, Lifestyle & fashion, with traditional artistic work in modern designs & contemporary colours. It is a distinctive business platform for importers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, fashion designers, potential franchises, mail order companies and a few more to showcase a wide variety of handicrafts, gifts & lifestyle products, from a multitude of handmade manufacturers in India. IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2018 has now become Asia's "one stop sourcing event", since its inception in 1994 while providing extended business platform to small & medium exporters.

Exhibition Industry Performance Down By 0.7%: Ceir According to the reports of Center for Exhibition Industry (CEIR), the performance of the exhibition industry in the third quarter of 2017 went down by 0.7% as compared with the previous year. Consumer Goods and Retail Trade (CG) and Sporting Goods, Travel, and Amusement (ST) sectors are highlighted as the main factors for the slow down. And the report also shows that, among all the Exhibition metrics - Real Revenues and Net Square Feet posed the largest decline, where as Attendance gained in its number. Excluding the CG and ST sectors, the exhibition industry gained 2.8% as compared to last year. Commenting on the report the CEIR Economist Allen Shaw said “Even with the negative performance in Q3, the overall Index growth for the first three quarters still achieved a moderate 1.6% growth rate.”

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Quick Bytes IAAPI in its 18th Edition of Amusement

Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre hosts IFF 2018 India Fashion Forum (IFF) is India's largest fashion retail event being held for 2 days on 13th and 14th march 2018 at Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel. IFF displays an impressive section of fashionable brands, brand manufacturers, fashionable products including apparels for men, women and children, designer products, fashion franchises, shopping centre services, supply chain and logistics services. It hosts varied conference sessions, workshops and masterclasses, zoned exhibitions and industry awards. IFF is one of the biggest trends and determinants of success in the business of fashion in India. It is also a great forum for expanding business and reaching out to the Indian public. The IFF Conference make space for learning from international and Indian industry experts, academicians, experienced professionals and analysts through a world-class mix of addresses, panel discussions, CEOs Roundtables, presentations, Knowledge Series sessions and workshops. Four themed exhibition platforms — TrendView, L Cube, Customer Experience Forum, India Brand Show — showcase the most market-ahead fashion ingredients, design innovation, technology, retail strategies and solutions to a mega congregation of leaders from the business of fashion in India and elsewhere.

For an Amusement Industry enthusiast looking for a wide source of knowledge about the industry or thinking to be a player in the amusement industry and want to showcase the ideas to a heterogeneous group of people, then IAAPI (The Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries) Expo is geared up to unveil the 18th IAAPI AMUSEMENT EXPO 2018 from 27th February to 1st March at Bombay Exhibition Centre. IAAPI expo is one of its kinds where it provides a platform to exhibit and learn from the big players of the industry, the exposure is never limited there. Big players from the industry will share their learning, innovative ideas, schemes and experience and many important issues related to the amusement industry will also be discussed in depth. IAAPI brings a comprehensive range of products and services offered by the industry under one roof. The previous edition of IAAPI had undergone with the launching of new products and services and availed the space for Joint ventures & Technical Collaborations with leading manufacturers, park operators, FEC operators and leaders of the Indian Amusement Industry.

Bangalore to host F&A Trade show this March One of the industries with a rapid growth in terms of its reach and expansion in the past 5 years is the domestic apparel industry. To meet this ever demanding sourcing needs of the value chain the Fabrics & Accessories Trade Show have come up with its 15th edition from 9 to 11 March 2018 at Trade Centre, KTPO, Whitefield, Bangalore. The F&A Show has a proven track record of bringing the best suppliers from India and overseas to showcase a wide variety of apparel fabrics, trims & accessories for the domestic and international markets. To reach the flourishing textile and apparel manufacturing industry from India & Overseas, F&A show will be the ultimate destination. The F&A Show bridges critical gaps in the textile supply chain and provides a professional environment for suppliers and buyers to network and transact business. The latest edition of the show saw over 148 exhibitors display with a wide array of fabrics and accessories and 3811 business visitors from around the world, including places such as the USA, Spain, France, UK, Germany, China, Indonesia, Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong etc.

More than 30,000 Dental attendees in 2022 for Texas Medical Center Texas Medical Center of Houston, which is the largest academic medical complex in the world, is going to host one of the largest meetings of Dental Professionals in 2022. And Houston which is often referred as 'city of health' is home to 56 medical institutions with over 100,000 employees is uniquely positioned to benefit meetings in the life sciences industry. The American Dental Association (ADA), Texas Dental Association (TDA) and Greater Houston Dental Society will combine their respective conventions and bring more than 30,000 attendees to Houston's downtown campus, Avenida Houston collectively. Additionally, the newly renovated Avenida Houston offers one of the most dynamic entertainment and hospitality campuses in the country. Unveiled in early 2017 in time to host Super Bowl LI festivities, the campus offers two headquarter convention hotels, a 12-acre park space, five connected restaurants, public art and more.

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Quick Bytes SMP World Expo Opens at CIDCO Exhibition Center Shipping, Marine & Ports World Expo and is a 3 day event scheduled from 1st March to the 3rd March 2018 at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India. This event showcases an ideal platform for the members of the shipping, maritime, ports and trade fraternity for interacting with a cross section of users and service providers across the Globe in the Computer Hardware & Software, Electronics & Electrical Goods, Research & Development, Logistics & Transportation, Marine & Boat industries.

The SMP World Expo 2018 encompasses the international exhibition and conference concurrently with the Oil & Gas World Expo 2018 and EnerTECH World Expo 2018. The Exhibition allows the participating companies to showcase their products and services to both domestic and global users in the industry. The Conference is aimed at bringing the eminent people from Indian Navy and international shipping industry to deliberate and discuss the latest global trends, innovative technologies, successful project executions, and case studies.

In its previous edition it has witnessed over 5200 industry visitors from India and overseas, 102 exhibitors from 8 countries, 55 speakers of global acclaim and 350 delegates.

ISGW 2018 in its 4th Edition at New Delhi INDIA SMART GRID WEEK (ISGW 2018) is the fourth edition of the Conference and Exhibition on Smart Energy and Smart Cities, organized by India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) scheduled from 05 – 09 March 2018, New Delhi, India. ISGW 2018 is supported by Government of India. ISGW 2018 will bring together India's leading Electricity, Gas and Water Utilities, Policy Makers, Regulators, Investors and world's top-notch Smart Energy Experts and Researchers to discuss trends, share best practices and showcase next generation technologies and products in smart energy and smart cities domains. ISGW 2018 will include plenary, interactive workshops, keynotes, and technical sessions. Several Internationally renowned organisations such as Korea Smart Grid Association, Global Smart Grid Federation, NEDO – Japan, U.S Commercial Services (USA), IEC, CIGRE, IEEE, Indo-German Energy Forum, Think Smart Grid France, Japan Smart Community Alliance, TIE- Delhi, Skill India, TERI, BEE, India Energy Storage Alliance, etc. have already confirmed their support to the event.

Experts from India and around the world will share best practices on Smart Energy, Smart Cities, and Advanced Solutions for Grid Modernization, Rollout plan for Smart Meters, Electric Mobility, Disruptive Innovation, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Robotics Technology Trends and Renewable Energy Integration.

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CHEMTECH Foundation plans its 8th Edition of Oil & Gas World Expo 2018 CHEMTECH Foundation will organise the 8th edition of Oil & Gas World Expo 2018.

Oil & Gas World Expo is a 3 day event being held from 1st March to the 3rd March 2018 at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Mumbai, India. This event aims to connect, discuss and conclude views of leaders, policy makers, regulatory authorities, service providers of the Indian & Global hydrocarbon industry with the Chemicals & Dyes, Electronics & Electrical Goods, Industrial Products, Plant, Machinery & Equipment, Business Services, Logistics & Transportation industries.

The expo will provide a platform to showcase innovative technologies and services, encompassing current and future trends in the entire value chain of hydrocarbon industry ranging from upstream to midstream and downstream. The concurrent events include EnerTECH World Expo 2018 and SMP World Expo 2018 which will create yet another opportunity for the global industry to explore the opportunities across the energy sector in India. The integrated platform will offer unique opportunity to connect with the stalwarts of oil & gas, thermal power, renewable, and the global shipping industry.

Dwarka set for World-Class Convention Centre by 2025 The convention centre is going to be built in Dwarka's Sector 25 at a cost of Rs 25,703 crores. It is going to accommodate a capacity of 10,000 guests with two exhibition halls spread over 80,000sqm and an entrance hall. It is going to be similar to the ones in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore for hosting exhibitions, trade fairs and summits of international standards. It is conceived as a smart, zero energy, world-class facility designed for events like G-20 summit and also the largest one in the Asia.

The contract for the first phase was awarded to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) by Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC) — a knowledge partner for the project — in December last year. DMICDC appointed CP Kukreja Architects as its engineering and architectural consultant. The second phase, comprising the remaining exhibition area will be ready by 2025 and facilities such as hotels, retail space and offices will be completed on a publicprivate partnership (PPP) mode. The project was first mooted in 2010 but was stuck due to delay in transfer of land from DDA. The project is estimated to generate over five lakh employment opportunities.

News Buzz VICE-PRESIDENT OF INDIA SHRI M. VENKAIAH NAIDU UNVEILED PLAQUES TO MARK THE LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONES OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION-CUM-CONVENTION CENTRE (IECC) & INTEGRATED TRANSIT CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Iecc Foundtion Stone Laying Ceremony Held on December 22, 2017 Pragati Maidan connecting Purana Qila Road to Ring Road and Mathura Road will be signal free from W point to DPS. Hon'ble MoS (I/C) said that IECC is going to be an iconic centre which will draw visitors for its own beauty and help Delhi assuming its rightful role as a Global city where world leaders and businesses want to stage International Events.

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peaking on the occasion, the VicePresident stated that IECC at Pragati Maidan will be a state-of-the-art world class complex for the city of Delhi. He said that such a complex was long overdue at a central location in the capital city of Delhi. He envisaged that the IECC project will further strengthen and diversify the roots of trade in India and also promote trade from India in different markets of the world. He emphasised on the need of such convention and exhibition facilities in other cities as well.

He linked such initiatives to the slogan of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Reform, Perform and Transform aligning with the basic objectives of development and good governance.

Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Suresh Prabhu emphasised on the importance of such projects for propelling India into a new trajectory of growth and development. India will depict its prominent position in international trade and business through such exhibition halls. He said that the convention centre will be an exhibit in itself for New India. He said that ITPO is

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building new facilities which will actually make sure that India will be able to depict its true capacities through its Exhibition Halls and facilities. The facilities which are going to be created as part of IECC are really in the spirit of what Modern India should be. Shri Hardeep S. Puri, Hon'ble Union Minister

of State (I/C) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs emphasised the role of his Ministry in approving and funding the Integrated Transit Corridor Development Project which will lead to trafďŹ c decongestion in and around Pragati Maidan. This project will provide an alternative to Bhairon Marg through a 27 mtrs. wide six lane tunnel underneath

Shri C.R. Choudhary, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry stated that the Hon'ble Prime Minister has laid emphasis on development of infrastructure to achieve the larger goal of inclusive growth and development. He appreciated the role of Chairman of ITPO, Shri L.C. Goyal for construction of this landmark structure at such an amazing pace to be completed within two years.

Shri L.C. Goyal, CMD, ITPO stated that the complex would be a new landmark in the capital city of Delhi and more signiďŹ cantly a unique symbol of New India envisioned by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. He further added that it is a big day for ITPO and it will be a bigger day when we will deliver these projects of National Importance with utmost quality by September' 2019.

Other Dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri P.K. Sinha, Cabinet Secretary, Ms. Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary, Shri Durga Shankar Mishra, Secretary, Housing and Urban Affairs, Dr. A.K. Mittal, CMD, NBCC & Shri Sarvagya Srivastava, Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, Government of Delhi.

Shri Deepak Kumar, Executive Director, ITPO proposed the vote of thanks.

News Buzz HITEX HOSTED THE 10THE EDITION OF HKF WITH 30,000 VISITORS

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he Tenth edition of Hyderabad Kids' Fair has been concluded successfully with more than 30,000 + visitors at HITEX, from 22nd to 25th December. Over 100 exhibitors have showcased their products and services in the four day fair. The fair was inaugurated by actor Thanikella Bharani and mimicry artiste Shiva Reddy from the Tollywood film Industry.

Hyderabad Kids' Fair is a biannual flagship event organized by HITEX, Hyderabad. Being the largest kids' carnival in India, the event attracts thousands of visitors every edition. Over the years, Hyderabad Kids' Fair has attracted 300,000+ visitors and is consistently proved to be a grand success for exhibitors, brands, sponsors and most importantly, the kids.

The milestone edition is the most awaited for its non-stop entertainment with an extravaganza of games, interactive sessions, hands-on learning, kids' run, kids' fashion, exciting rides, arts & crafts, inspiring competitions, prizes, gifts,

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yummy food and various fun-filled activities.

Exhibitors from national and international brands of schools, educational institutions, toys and accessories, stationery, FMCG, technology, edutainment and publishing, sports and adventure, healthcare, after-school fun & learning, and food & beverages showcased a wide range of kids' products and services and

zorbing, pottery, bounces, ball pool, rock climbing, trampoline, bungee jumping and car racing. This winter excitement is an all-time high at Hyderabad Kids' Fair and kids had taken home a great experience.

“Excellent place for kids, my son enjoyed a lot, as a parent, we felt happier seeing my son more exciting. We loved to have every year this kind of kids fair rejoice the kids and they feel more refresh by their same age kids, at the same time they come out from the fear.

It's a good place where they find different playing ways which all these cannot be available either at their home or at the school,” said a parent.

provided a comprehensive shopping experience under one roof.

“We love the Hyderabad kids Fair! My son and I enjoyed the maximum sharing the day with each other, experiencing the fun activities, workshops, and giveaways HKF provide. As a parent, I enjoy these resources as one can learn about many services that can provide to a child all in one place. This includes nutrition, health services, stage shows & performances, education planning and many fun things for kids to do,” said another parent.

Hyderabad Kids' Fair, acted as a one-stop source for all kids' products and services, giving exhibitors an ideal platform to interact with kids and parents, create brand awareness, enhance brand awareness and network with other exhibitors to understand market dynamics and explore potential partnerships.

Play zones, painting competition, gaming arcade, on-stage performances of Super Bheem& Mighty Raju and Guru aurBhole, Gifts distribution by Santa, robotics & science exhibits and kids' run& kid's fashion show stood as the prime attractions for this edition. Other activities included the magic show, singing & dancing, photography, water

News Buzz 125 CRORE SALE IN SHELTER 2017 EXHIBITION

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he 8th edition of property exhibition 'Shelter 2017' held last month by Credai Nashik Metro's has witnessed a sale of 350 flats totally worth Rs 125 crore in Nashik. Property exhibition happens biannually in the city of Nashik.

It's a platform where the real estate professionals come together and showcase their creations and properties to the general public. With more than 300 participants from the industry, the exhibition attracted brands and patrons from various spheres. The biannual Shelter exhibition has always been a prestigious event for Credai Nashik Metro.

The organizers of the event said, “Branding the Nashik as the 'CITY of FUTURE' is the theme behind this shelter 2017.” The property exhibition intends to bring together members of the fraternity and all concerned agencies on

one platform and provide opportunities for meaningful exchanges and activities.

Shelter 2017 is the 8th edition of this mega property exhibition. It intends to bring in a paradigm shift in view, approach, method, and functioning, with the outcome of showcasing the potential

of Nashik in various sectors, enthusing confidence and strength in businesses, and build the people friendly and professional image of CREDAI Nashik Metro.

According to the reports, during the event, close to 350 flats totally worth Rs 125 crore were sold and the banks have sanctioned 130 loan proposals, with the average amount being over Rs 25 lakh.

The expo got a footfall of 85,000 and expected a sale of around 1000 flats worth Rs 350 crore. The Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (CREDAI) is expecting to generate business worth Rs 700 crore in the next three months.

along with the city's cultural repertoire, to enthuse a more professional work culture in the city, to showcase the unified strength of collaborative efforts of all related professionals and to bring in a sense of much needed positivity and enthusiasm among the fraternity.”

The expo held from 22nd-26th December 2017 in Nashik.

The Shelter 2017 exclaimed its main objectives as “ To inspire confidence in Nashik's real estate capabilities amongst potential partners in and out of India, business community, and among people at large and to provide an impetus and energy to interrelated industry, businesses and professions in Nashik, to build an opportunity for better liasoning with government, semi government and other agencies, to provide a good networking opportunity with adjoining regions of Nashik, to provide a wide choice to the consumers under one roof, to help grow the economy in Nashik, to showcase the improved quality of life in Nashik

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News Buzz IFSEC INDIA 2017: CATALYST TO THE PROGRESS AND VISION OF THE SECURITY INDUSTRY 20 + participating countries & over 300 brands showcased Smart Security for Emerging India Launched a whitepaper on 'Maximizing benefits of Command Control Center' developed by Knowledge Partner -PwC India Ÿ Witnessed the second IFSEC India Awards Ÿ One-day high impact conference focusing on Homeland Security Ÿ Ÿ

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BM India successfully concluded the 11th edition of International Fire & Security Exhibition and Conference (IFSEC) India Expo, a threeday security and fire safety show (6th-8th December) in New Delhi. The show brought together internationally renowned exhibitors, consultants, business experts and key government officials under one common platform, to discuss global best practices and concepts such as smart cities, and to seek solutions for challenges in the security and fire domain. It also provided informative demos and a wealth of opportunities for the visitors to network and learn about cutting-edge technologies, industry trends, challenges, market insights and discover the best solutions to keep their business and clients secured.

The inaugural ceremony of IFSEC India 2017 took place in the presence of key dignitaries Shri Gopal K Pillai, Chairman, Data Security Council of India & Former Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India; Shri Shiv Charan Yadav, President, Asian Professional Security Association (APSA); Mr. Anil Dhawan, Co-Chair, ASSOCHAM Homeland Security; Commander Deepak Uppal, Director, Pricewaterhouse Coopers ( PwC); Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India and Mr. Pankaj Jain, Group Director, UBM India, amidst an august industry gathering.

This year, the expo saw participation

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from countries such as UK, USA, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Lithuania, South Africa, Russia and Turkey to name a few, from the commercial security domain. It is wellsupported in its endeavours by associations such as Asian Professional Security Association (APSA), American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) , Electronic Security Association of India (ESAI), Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) and Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), along with Assocham as Strategic Partner and PwC as knowledge Partner.

Speaking on the successful 11th edition of the expo, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “The flourishing economy and rapid growth in sectors such as airports, construction, energy, ports, telecom, railways, road and retail, coupled with the influx of multinational companies has been the primary driving force for creating demand for the security industry.

The government of India has also made its intention clear to revamp the country's ailing infrastructure by announcing new airports, ports and by building 100 smart cities across the nation. While implementing these schemes, it is necessary that the aspects of 'safety' and 'security' which is of prime concern in urban areas is incorporated.

With the need for robust and updated security technologies to gain momentum with each passing day, UBM India through IFSEC India 2017 showcased the latest know how in the industry and deciphered relevant insights gained in the global security market. It provided an opportunity to its exhibitors and visitors

to discover the best solutions to keep their business and clients secure amongst a showcase of innovative products.”

This year, the expo also witnessed the launch of a whitepaper by PwC – knowledge partner for IFSEC India on 'Maximising the benefits of a command and control centre ( CCC ) ' that primarily talks about key challenges in today's command and control centre ( CCC ) utilisation of the concept of operations and co-locating various command centres for integrated operations. With the increasing focus on Homeland security in India, IFSEC India, 2017 discussed relevant insights gained in the global security market by conducting a one day conference with the theme 'Secure Nation and Safer Environment' alongside the exhibition.

The expo had over 300 participating brands which included -- Aditya Infotech, Dahua, eSSL, Globus Infocom, Hanwha Techwin, Hikvision, Mark Electronics, Realtime,Roadpoint, Secureye,Techsmart, Tenda, TVT, Uniview,& Zkteco as Premier Plus partners. Premier partners include -Advik, Axestrack, Biomax, Delta, Dlink,Face ID, Hifocus, Idemia, Mantra Softech, Orbit, Panasonic, Seagate, Slingshot, Tansa, Timewatch, Unique Electrovision and Western Digital amongst others.

News Buzz

MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA LIMITED BESTOWED WITH IME AWARD 2017

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n the recently concluded 14th Edition of of 'India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) 2017' - Mahindra & Mahindra Limited - Igatpuri, was awarded with the "Indian manufacturer of the year award". IMEA was jointly awarded by FICCI and Frost & Sullivan for the recognition of the best manufacturing companies in India in Mumbai.

'India Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2017' is given for the Future Ready Factories across the Manufacturing Industry in India. This year's Manufacturing Excellence awards were presented to 23 companies under three major categories: Indian Manufacturer of the Year Award, Future Ready Factory of the Year Award and Gold Awards.

"FICCI is happy to partner with Frost & Sullivan for Indian Manufacturing Excellence Awards 2017. Some Industry sectors have delivered the globally comparable products and services. All Industry sectors in India have to adopt global best practices in their systems and

operations to achieve excellence and remain competitive. Competitiveness is not only the function of policy environment but also the internal systems of the organisations and manufacturers should strive to make these systems robus" said Mr. Shyam Bang, Mentor, FICCI Manufacturing Committee and Chairman, NABCB.

"Organizations, which continuously benchmark their manufacturing practices against the best in the world have emerged successful in enhancing the competitiveness. Manufacturing excellence means to be the best in the ďŹ eld at each competitive priority demonstrating industry best practice" said Mr. Nitin Kalothia, Director, Manufacturing & Process Consulting Practice, Frost & Sullivan.

With a legacy of 13 years, IMEA has been one of the largest and most sought after on-site assessment and awards program in recognizing and benchmarking industries across all sectors and categories. Built on the strong foundation of the ever-evolving Global Excellence Model and delivered through a robust, acclaimed, and constantly enhanced objective assessment process, IMEA is derived from global best manufacturing practices. Frost & Sullivan and FICCI awards recognize the best in class innovation, success stories and stellar performances exhibited in the manufacturing industry.

Hyundai Motor India Limited, Chennai won the 1st Runner-up Award.

India Manufacturing Excellence Awards (IMEA) was conceptualized by Frost & Sullivan with a mission "to recognize Indian Manufacturing capability and assess its global competitiveness" and has been the premier platform to identify Future Ready Factories in India. FICCI has partnered with Frost & Sullivan for these Awards.

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News Buzz FARM EQUIPMENT MARKET IN INDIA IS EXPECTED TO REACH USD 12.5 BILLION BY 2022: SATISH NADIGER, JOHN DEERE

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he 5th Edition of EIMA Agrimach India 2017 was organized jointly by FICCI, FEDERUNACOMA in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Indian Council of Agricultural Research held from 7-9 December, 2017 in Pusa, New Delhi. The event saw over 300 exhibitors from more than 8 countries and hosted more than 180 international buyers from more than 40 countries.

EIMA Agrimach India is the only business to business event of its kind offering a single venue interface between Indian & global players in the agrimachinery sector, the event is inspired by EIMA International, the second largest exhibition and conference on farm mechanization in the world. EIMA Agrimach India 2017 envisaged showcasing the best and latest in agrimachineries. India is self-sufďŹ cient in food grains but to progress further we need to collaborate with international patrons to improve the quality and penetration of mechanization in agriculture sector. "Greater than 80% of landholdings belongs to small and marginal farmers (<2 hectares), the fragmentation of land holdings is expected to drop to 0.24 hectares by 2030. Custom hiring centres can provide rentable equipment and machinery that can be used to increase yields, reduce costs and avoid large capital expenditures. We need to move beyond tractorisation to improve crop productivity and put Indian agricultural sector on a global map". said Shri

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Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India at the inaugural session of 'EIMA Agrimach India 2017' conference and expo, organised by FICCI jointly with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India; ICAR and FEDERUNACOMA, Italy in New Delhi.

Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI said, "The automation and mechanisation of farms has seen a huge rise in the last few years and had been responsible for increasing crop yields across the country. The farmers need to have an easy access to credit to be able to fully utilize these services. Banks,

NBFC's and corporations can offer various schemes that would make it easier for farmers to have an easy access to credit. The presence and utilization of modern machinery is fundamentally important in the progress of this sector".

"The government has introduced various schemes and policies such as SMAM related to farm mechanisation that puts greater emphasis on the optimal utilisation of resources to improve agriculture yields. Since the implementation of SMAM from 201415, total funds of Rs. 1118.9 crores have been released to the states till 2017-18.

Under this scheme 4,74,234 farming machines were distributed to farmers and 4898 Custom Hiring Centres, 2350 to Farm Machinery Banks and 57 Hi-tech hubs have been established to provide custom hiring services to farmers," said Mr. Ashwini Kumar, Joint Secretary, Mechanization & Technology and PP, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India.

The farm equipment market in India is currently estimated at USD 8.8 billion in

2017 and it is expected to reach USD 12.5 billion by 2022 with a CAGR of 7.5 per cent. India is the largest manufacturer of tractors and accounts for nearly one-

third of the total tractor production in the world. Mr. Satish Nadiger, Managing Director & CEO, John Deere, India said, "Although Central and State Governments have taken several measures by providing subsidies on machines for stubble management but has not found required traction in the farming community. These schemes need to develop greater penetration in the Indian market and there is a potential business opportunity for third parties and other start-ups to expand their current reach in crop residue management technologies, Mechanisation is not a problem that is limited to just India, Italy had an inďŹ&#x201A;ux on machinery years ago, but the current problem is that the technology is not up to modern standards and needs to be developed to compete with global players. Mr. Maurizio Martina, Minister of Agricultural, Food & Forestry Policies, Italy said, "India and Italy can help each other out and complement each other to strengthen the farm machinery sector further". Even though India has progressed immensely in farm mechanisation, there are several challenges which are still faced by the industry. Mr. Alessandro Malavolti, President, FEDERUNACOMA, Italy expressed his joy about the turnout at the 5th edition of EIMA AgriMach event as over 300 exhibitors from more than 8 countries are showcasing latest technologies and products in farm machinery sector. Consecutively for second time the event is hosting 180 international buyers from more than 40 countries, which is really commendable.

Exclusive A SNEAK PEEK INTO JWC'S 2017 GLOBAL INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE REVIEW In this year’s report you will find data and insights on the following topics: Overall performance of the entire group of companies and how they track to global economic conditions Trends relating to the Top 10 list of companies in terms of revenue and revenue growth Insights on accumulated revenues and EBIT, as well as long-term EBIT margins A definition of revenue sources and an estimate of the addressable markets in terms of size and geographic distribution Ÿ A list of Top 20 performers in the global exhibition indust Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Top 40 Exhibition Companies: 2015/2016

Revenues in the trade fair industry have grown at stable levels

In this comparison of revenue growth of the Top 40 exhibition companies with Global GDP for the years 2007 to 2016, companies are grouped into two categories: Non-venue owners and venue owning exhibition companies. Global GDP at Purchase Power Parity (PPP) is plotted against the right-hand axis. Healthy growth in our industry, which is tracking quite closely to the global economy, is clearly visible.

The group of tracked companies (Top 40) averaged a 4.3% annual growth rate; growth has slightly accelerated over the past five years.

In recent years, pure organizers have grown strongly, likely driven by acquisitions

In this comparison of revenue growth of the Top 40 exhibition companies with Global GDP for the years 2007 to 2016, companies are grouped into two categories: Non-venue owners and venue owning exhibition companies. Global GDP at Purchase Power Parity (PPP) is plotted against the right-hand axis. Healthy growth in our industry, which is tracking quite closely to the global economy, is clearly visible.

The group of tracked companies (Top 40) averaged a 4.3% annual growth rate; growth has slightly accelerated over the past five years.

80% of the Top 10 companies from 2007/08 are still in the Top 10 of 2015/16

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Exclusive When it comes to revenue ranking, there is has been quite a lot of movement in the Top 10 list in recent years. Taking an indexed view (2007/2008 are base years), two UK-based companies stand out: UBM and Informa Exhibitions. Informa has more than tripled its revenue over the past ten years, while UBM has more than doubled. Both companies have relied heavily on M&A to grow their businesses during this period. On average, the Top 10 companies grew by 5.6% per year. However, Messe Düsseldorf and Fiera Milano saw their revenue decrease during this period.

Most companies amongst the Top 40 have grown profitably over the past ten years

Individual company performance is shown by plotting key dimensions for the past ten years: (i) revenue CAGR is measured along the horizontal axis and (ii) the ten-year average margin of Adjusted EBIT along the vertical axis. Nearly all pure organizers (non-venue owners), highlighted in blue, are up in the top right quadrant, indicating healthy revenue and profit growth. Three German venue-owners yielded a negative average Adjusted EBIT margin: Hamburg Messe, Leipziger Messe and Koelnmesse, however, their revenue trend is positive. Eight of the Top 40 companies experienced a decrease in revenue over the past ten years. All but one (dmg events) are venue-owners. Taking an overall average view, venue-owners yielded lower margins and weaker growth. Factors that have likely contributed to this pattern venue owners’ higher (venue-related) operating costs and that a number of them do not only focus on profitability but also on indirect returns.

The majority of companies performing above average in both revenue growth as well as average adjusted EBIT margin are pure organizers

Taking the same data shown in the previous page, the dashed lines have shifted slightly to indicate the average values for the Adjusted EBIT margins and the revenue CAGR at 10% and 3.5% respectively. Seven companies are ahead of the pack when it comes to average EBIT margin and CAGR; unsurprisingly, five of them are pure organizers. All companies below averages on both dimensions are venue owners.

In particular South European Companies are below average both in terms of EBIT as well as revenue CAGR, mainly driven by a difficult economic environment in their countries.

Cumulative figures for the past ten years show a healthy industry

When looking at companies with a cumulative turnover of less than €3bn for the period 2007 to 2016, pure organizers stand out with a higher than average cumulative adjusted EBIT. Leipziger Messe, Hamburg Messe and Koelnmesse have accumulated a loss over this period, though

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Exclusive Koelnmesse has achieved a high cumulative revenue overall. Fiera Milano and Deutsche Messe have the highest cumulative revenues in this group of companies, but a comparatively low Adjusted EBIT. Reed and UBM are the market leaders when looking at cumulative ďŹ gures over the past ten years

When looking at companies with a cumulative turnover of more than â&#x201A;Ź3bn for the period 2007 to 2016, Reed Exhibitions is clearly leading with the highest cumulative revenue and the highest cumulative adjusted EBIT. UBM is number one in terms of Adjusted EBIT CAGR for the same period. While GL Events achieved a high cumulative revenue, it is below average in terms of cumulative Adjusted EBIT. Messe Frankfurt's EBIT has grown moderately, whilst Messe DĂźsseldorf's and MCH's Adjusted EBIT (in absolute terms) has been shrinking over this period (negative CAGR).

Nearly all exhibition companies generate revenues from identical sources

Revenue sources for all exhibition organizing companies are nearly identical in nature, but with varying proportions. All companies have in common that they generate revenues from space sales, services, entrance/attendee fees and sponsorships. The main difference is that some companies additionally generate revenues from venue related services. When comparing their performance, it is essential to include all revenue streams in a benchmark; the extent to which a company creates revenues from differnet sources (e.g., venue related services; space sales etc.) is a strategic choice made in the context of which part(s) of the value chain the company choses to exit or continue to focus on.

The European exhibition market is dominated by 4 countries

Following from above, jwc's market assessment is based on all typical revenues generated in our industry (i.e., space sales, services, attendees and visitor fees as well as venue related and sponsorship incomes). Price levels by countries are calculated using jwc's pricing database. Germany has the largest national market in Europe with a volume of US$3 billion. Additionally, the French, Turkish and British markets have a volume exceeding US$1 billion. With a total volume of more than US$14 billion in 2016, Europe is the world's leading exhibition market.

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Exclusive Europe and North America make up more than 70% of the global market

North America's exhibition market was slightly smaller than Europe's, with a volume of just over $13 billion. The Asian market was the fastest growing, reaching the US$7.5 billion mark by 2016. The Chinese market alone accounted for nearly US$4 billion in 2016. Also, the Middle Eastern and Latin American markets exceeded the US$1 billion revenue mark. Africa's trade fair business was underdeveloped and trailing behind all other continents. In total, jwc evaluates the 2016 global exhibition market at US$38 billion which includes all exhibitionrelated revenues in direct adjacency to net rented space as well as venue related service revenues.

Our industry is highly fragmented – market share estimations for 2015/16

With a market size of US$38bn, company market shares can be calculated. Taking a closer look at those market players that come in at 1% market share or higher, we are left with eight exhibition companies. In terms of revenue, Reed is the market leader with a share of 3.4% of the global market volume, followed by GL Events and UBM with 2.7% and 2.4%, respectively. Generally, the global exhibition market is highly fragmented with none of the big companies dominating the market. Less than 15% of the global market share is allocated to the Top 8 companies, the Top 40 have a combined share of around 28%.

Pure organizers are leading in Adjusted EBIT and EBIT margin

Revenue is only one indicator when comparing the performance of the different companies. We have already looked at two very revealing profit indicators alongside revenue: Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin. Together, these three indicators provide different aspects to benchmark performance. 13 of the TOP 20 companies in the revenue ranking are venue owners, and there is no clear dominance of pure organizers in the revenue ranking. However, the Adjusted EBIT ranking already has five pure organizers at the top of the list, and by the time we get to the Adjusted EBIT margin ranking, the field is dominated by pure organizers taking the top nine spots.

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Global News

GLOBAL GAMING EXPO (G2E), BAGS THE BRAND EXHIBITION AWARD 2017

G

lobal Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia, is the international gaming trade show and conference for the Asian gaming industry and the region's largest sourcing platform for global gaming and entertainment products, has secured the Brand Exhibition Award for the year 2017. This is the second year that the globally renowned industry exhibition and the world's leading event organizer G2E received the honour. The award is presented by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and organized by Reed Exhibitions.

The award is jointly organized by the Macao Convention and Exhibition Association (MCEA) and co-organized by the Macau Fair & Trade Association, the Association of Advertising Agents of Macau, and the Macau Federal Commercial Association of Convention & Exhibition Industry “It is such an honour to once again receive the Brand Exhibition Award,” said Josephine Lee, Chief Operating Officer of Reed Exhibitions Greater China. “G2E Asia has built a solid bridge between Macau and the world to promote local industry capabilities and economic development.

As G2E Asia steps firmly into its second decade, being recognized for our contributions to Macau and the industry is quite an inspiration to all of us. We are extremely grateful to MCEA. This honour will serve as a driving force to ensure that our teams deliver even better and more professional editions that will

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fully meet the needs and exceed the expectations of the industry.”

The annual award recognizes and honours outstanding events, or “exhibition performances,” that serve as a role model in brand creation and have a positive impact on the long-term exhibition development and promotion of Macau's MICE industry, thereby contributing to its maturity into an “International MICE City.”

Award criteria encompass exhibition settings (including hardware facilities and software capabilities), organization, service quality and effectiveness. This year's Brand Exhibition Award is one of five award categories to be presented in December, together with the Brand Convention Award, Innovative Exhibition Award, Bid Convention Award and the Original Convention and Exhibition Award.

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia, the region's one-stop destination for forwardthinking gaming and entertainment decision makers and suppliers, attracts an increasing number of local and overseas participants each year. Its 2017 edition boasted its attendance numbers and visitor satisfaction, spanned a recordbreaking 28,000 sqm show floor, and welcomed nearly 13,000 visitors from 84 countries and regions. More than 580 pre-arranged business matchings also took place, totaling onsite business

volume numbers of $21.95 million, including $55.75 million in intended purchases.

The American Gaming Association is the premier national trade group representing the $240 billion U.S. casino industry, which supports 1.7 million jobs in 40 states. AGA members include commercial and tribal casino operators, suppliers and other entities affiliated with the gaming industry. And, Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading events organizer, with over 500 events in over 30 countries, bringing together over seven million active event participants from around the world.

G2E Asia's 12th edition will be returning to The Venetian Macao on May 15 -17, 2018.

Global News

FIRST EDITION OF THE BELT & ROAD BRAND EXPO WELCOMES 26 COUNTRIES TO CHINA

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he first edition of the Belt & Road Brand Expo 2017 with the theme "Better Life and Beyond" ended successfully at the Shanghai Exhibition Center on December 10, 2017.

The event with the 10,000-squaremeter exhibition space assembled under one roof with over 160 companies from 26 countries.

Exhibitors from around the world showcased their best products, technologies and cultural artefacts in the food and beverage, cosmetics and skin care, handicrafts, home improvement, jewellery and gems, fashion and accessories, lifestyle, tourism and culture, as well as investment and trade sectors.

The Iran exhibition zone had on display hand-knitted Persian carpets, a handicraft dated back to as long as 260 years ago.

Several Iranian exhibitors who attended a Chinese exhibition for the first time were deeply impressed by the huge market and high purchasing power of China's consumers. During the expo, the Iranian exhibitors showcased Persian culture as well as the country's centuries-old handicraft art with the aim of providing Chinese consumers with access to products embodying Iran's culture.

Sri Lankan sapphires showcased at a booth, attendees from over the world had an opportunity to enjoy the aroma of Ceylon black tea from Sri Lanka. Show visitors were also provided an opportunity to sample the many flavours of the black tea.

Russian exhibitors showcased the Russian ice cream, biscuits and puffed grains, all of which drew the attention of visitors. The Russian exhibitors explained that the event served as a networking platform that helps them expand into the Chinese market.

Leading Dominican cigar masters were invited to put on an on-site cigar rolling performance, drawing the attention of many visitors and helping promote the

culture that has grown up around the cigar. At the Poland exhibition zone, attracted the most by displaying chrysophoron and beeswax, known in the Eastern European country as "living gems". In addition to being presented with a dizzying array of accessories, visitors were given an opportunity to get a close look at the country's signature products.

Exhibitors from Mauritius provided visitors an opportunity to taste their specialty rums, a product that has been proving to be an online sensation.

The exhibitors, who had established online stores on Taobao.com, China's leading online marketplace for retailers, saw the traffic to their store skyrocket as a result of their presence at the expo.

Chinese companies were the main exhibitors in the enterprise pavilions, with product displays from companies located in Ordos (Inner Mongolia), Huzhou (Zhejiang Province), Hong Kong and Taiwan being featured. Bright Food Group and its subsidiary Shanghai Tangjiu Group, Shanghai Yimin Commercial Group, Liangyou Group, Bright Dairy & Food and Shanghai Maling Aquarius each had exhibits.

The Shanghai Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives teamed up with the city's time-honored brands to showcase their products. In the role of

both traders and exhibitors, they sought opportunities in terms of networking, exchanges and partnerships with companies participating in the event.

During the expo, a comprehensive series of concurrent events were held, including 12 forums and promotional conferences, several of which were hosted by consul generals, commercial attachés and other official representatives of countries with a presence in Shanghai, with a focus on investment and trade, tourism and culture as well as education in the folkloric traditions of each of the participating countries. The planned events included nearly 50 business matching sessions, attended by leading supermarket brands, including Bailian Group, RT-Mart, Auchan, Metro, JD.com, Suning.cn and Yhd.com, as well as several other leading Chinese e-commerce companies. Some sessions featured exotic performances that delivered an education in the tea and incense ceremonies that prevailed during the Han Dynasty.

The upcoming China International Import Expo in 2018 was announced at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May 2017. Recently rolled-out policies are providing companies with investment and trade support as well as creating a friendly legal business environment that assists them in expanding on their globalization efforts.

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Global News

SMARTBIZ EXPO AND THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISING SHOW SETS A PARALLEL RUN IN HKCEC

H

ong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organized the SmartBiz Expo and the Hong Kong International Franchising Show at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Together, they showcased the value-adding and versatile business solutions for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grasp the latest business opportunities.

"With the challenges and opportunities posed by the changing economic landscape and evolving digital era, the HKTDC is pleased to launch the SmartBiz Expo to provide companies with timely insights, inspiration and a platform for interaction," said HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong at the opening ceremony. She added, "SmartBiz Expo is a unique crossindustry platform spotlighting innovative business solutions, creative ideas and cutting-edge technologies."

Featuring more than 500 exhibitors from 43 countries and regions, SmartBiz Expo enhanced the SMEs' competitiveness and encouraged them to explore technology and innovations. The fair is divided into several theme zones: Techtopia, Envision Lot, Boosters, Hatchery, Pathfinder and Muses. Techtopia zone displays an array of technologies, including augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics and Internet of Things (IoT) applications from established companies, such as VTM Digital Ltd, Win Win Industrial Co Ltd, and Alibaba Group Services Ltd. For companies seeking to sharpen their

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competitive edge, Boosters zone offers the latest technology, from cloud and ecommerce systems, to branding and financial services. Meanwhile, Envision Lot zone exhibits inventions and research findings from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe and Asia. In addition, Hatchery zone serves as a promotion platform for local and overseas start-ups to pitch their businesses to potential business partners.

Another highlight is the Pathfinder zone, which gathers exhibitors from countries and regions including Saudi Arabia, Canada and Indonesia, to foster opportunities in investment partnership among Belt and Road countries and regions, particularly within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Bay Area.

During the three-day event, more than 20 seminars were held to cater the needs of SMEs. The series systematically helped the companies to explore the latest global market trends, identify challenges and introduce various innovative solutions through real case-sharing sessions, as well as unveil the latest industry technologies.

In addition, with the rising trend in product and service customisation, a seminar, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Productivity Council, explored how manufactures can adopt smart production with 'Industry

4.0' by integrating their business and production processes. In addition, the seminar series "InnoTech for Branding From Surviving to Growing," coorganised by the HKTDC and the Trade and Industry Department, highlighted the cost-effective marketing strategies for companies to grow in a competitive business setting.

The booming franchising sector in recent years has inspired young entrepreneurs and SMEs to adopt the business model.

With its strategic geographic location and diversity, Hong Kong has developed into a regional franchising hub for many international brands expanding to Asia.

The Hong Kong International Franchising Show returned with its third edition for companies and entrepreneurs looking for franchising brands to identify business partners and gain franchising tips. The event gathered 130 exhibitors from places as Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and the United States, with zones covering catering, retail, education and various services industries. Wellknown brands, including popular local music institute, Parkland; the health-food brand, bless; local pet training institute, Dogaroo ; intelligent vending machine, iAPP , and Korea's popular Nolboo are among the participating exhibitors.

The "Franchising and Wealth Building" seminar series featured industry experts and leaders from around the world to share franchising success cases and the latest trends. The seminar series dealt with topics as franchising business management from afar, innovative business concepts for catering, and franchising opportunities in the Chinese mainland. A series of networking and business-matching activities were held to assist companies to expand their business networks and foster cooperation.

Global News

AUSTIN TO GET 15,000 CAPACITY VENUE

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mbitious plans for the 1.3 million sq ft (121,000sq m) open-air stadium and 15,000-capacity venue have been proposed for construction in Austin

by Austin Sports & Entertainment, founded by sports media executives Andrew Nestor and Sean Foley. Located at the home of rodeo in Austin, the new complex is described as “a world of worlds for sports fans, music festivalgoers and adventurists to take the pilgrimage for the quintessential Austin experience”.

Austin Sports & Entertainment unveiled its plans in early December for East Austin District, a project that would revitalize the 1980's-era Travis County Exposition Center in northeast Austin.

That site's main tenant is Rodeo Austin each March, which generated more than $2.5 million in ticketing revenue and more than 6,000 tickets sold in 2017.

Other events at the 6,500-capacity Expo Center include the four-day Republic of Texas Biker Rally, concerts; circuses ad assorted outdoor athletic events on the 300 acres of property.

Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group have signed on to design the project, which is planned to include an assortment of youth sports and other

community facilities in a region of Austin that hasn't experienced the rapid growth and economic development seen in many other parts of the city.

The unveiling of the proposal comes as the owners of the Major League Soccer Columbus (Ohio) Crew team are pushing for a stadium site in downtown Austin that would let them move the team there.

Representatives from Precourt Sports Ventures, the Crew club's ownership group, have said the potential Expo Center site is not an option they're interested in. A 2015 report by Hunden Strategic Partners determined the Expo Center property could fill several gaps in the event market in central Texas. The report called for a 15,000-seat arena, 200,000 square feet of exhibition hall space, a 30,000-sq.-ft. ballroom, 25,000 square feet of meeting space, 400,000 square feet of space for the rodeo's midway, and parking for a minimum of 6,000 vehicles. The venue will also include a 190,000sq ft (17,600sq m) area for hospitality and support functions, conjoining the two arenas and providing space for medical facilities, workshops and youth programmes. And the individual elements will be unified by all-wooden interiors based on the local barn and porch vernacular, while the

rooftop will be covered in red photovoltaic panels.

Sandwiched between the buildings and connecting the district will be eight courtyards, conceived as outdoor 'living rooms' for public life where local people can gather for communal gatherings, food truck scenes and concerts.

In a statement, Foley and Nestor said: “The East Austin District represents an opportunity for Austin to combine what it needs with what it wants – community infrastructure for District 1 with worldclass facilities for sports and entertainment. “We're in active discussions with leading global sports and entertainment organisations, including our partner Rodeo Austin as well as various corporations, to serve as anchors.”

Also in play is the expected demolition of the Frank Erwin Center, which has served as the home of University of Texas basketball teams for 40 years and has been the only arena option in the Austin urban core. That building is expected to be decommissioned in the next five years and the university has indicated it will build a basketball-only arena as a replacement.

Interview Q. What prompted you to organize a show for education industry. How has the Premier Schools Exhibition evolved over the time to reach this level of success ?

A. Since our inception in 1994, we have been focusing only on 'education'. Because 'Education Industry' will always remain dynamic and will provide enough scope to scale up the exhibitions and explore opportunities around it. 'Premier Schools Exhibition' has evolved as one of the most significant or I would say an indispensable platform for our clients which are over 500 international schools and boarding schools in India in order to reach out to aspiring young students in India and overseas.

'Premier Schools Exhibition' is the most important show for parents as well who are in search of a good school for their child.

It provides gamut of schools options for parents under one roof.

Q. What makes the Premier Schools Exhibition so popular among the students & institutes alike ?

A. The experience of 'inclusiveness' between the education provider which are schools and the parents in search of a good school makes the 'Premier Schools Exhibition' so popular amongst the parents and schools. This is the only platform which brings all the stake holders (parents, students, schools, educators) on one platform for better exchange of knowledge, understand the changes in education, and empower schools and parents to work together for the betterment of the child.

Q. Please take us through your journey from the time when you started. What were the major challenges & how did you overcome them to become a top Exhibition Organizer ?

A. Premier Schools Exhibition' is one of our most novel exhibitions started way back in 2004. We are celebrating the 14th annual edition of 'Premier Schools Exhibition' in 2017. This unique exhibition has evolved from 2 Indian cities to 14 Indian cities and 8 international locations. Over 600 clients are associated with the exhibition and it reaches out to over 100 thousand unique visitors every year. The biggest challenge was to convince the most established schools to participate in the exhibition. Because schools never needed any marketing or showcasing platform. But, over a period of time, schools understood the importance of the platform and accepted it as their responsibility to connect with the new generation parents to create institution – parent partnership for the holistic development of the child.

“AFAIRS Exhibitions & Media Pvt. Ltd' is Asia's leading education exhibition organiser with over 22 years of experience in organizing high value education exhibitions in various parts of India, South Korea, UAE, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh & Bhutan. With over 1000 clients comprising of Leading Boarding Schools, International Schools, Universities & Colleges from across India, 'AFAIRS' is the leading company in India which provides extensive national and international reach to institutions for student recruitment, institutional linkage, foreign tie-ups and student exchange”

Exhibition Showcase talks to Sanjeev Bolia, Founder & MD, Afairs Exhibitions & Media Pvt. Ltd. Excerpts; 42 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Q. What kind of impact do your shows make ?

A. When we conceived this exclusive Schools exhibition theme 15 years ago..the idea was to connect the parents of different strata, society, city with the most legendry schools and the emerging new-age schools. The thought was to create a social impact on young students across India in order to provide them the access to the best school education. Today, with great pride I can state that our 'Premier Schools Exhibition' provides access of the best school education to the parents across the society, irrespective of location and income.

Q. What are your upcoming plans ?

A. Our plans are very steady with consistent growth in terms of number of exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. We wish to focus more on our international shows in the coming few years in order to showcase India as a promising destination for school education. With the growing number of new international schools in India offering the state of the art infrastructure and best quality in education, we see a great potential in attracting foreign students from across South East Asia, Middle East and Europe.

Interview partner by all international clients. With the advent of the next generation into the business in 1976 new ideas were born. For the first time in the exhibition industry N.K Kapur & Co. Pvt. Ltd. introduced the Aluminum modular stalls in the year 1983. This was a game changer as till date stalls were only constructed in wood which was very time consuming and expensive. With introduction of modular stalls it benefited everybody, right from the organisers to exhibitors, as now one required very less time for set up and dismantling which saved costs in rentals and other expenses.With this innovation there was no looking back and we scaled new heights both in terms of revenue and reputation. The next leap for the company came in 1994 when we introduced Air Conditioned outdoor hangar structures for exhibitions and events.

With this we could now hold exhibitions anywhere in the country, even where there were no halls. with all these innovations N.K Kapur has always been in the forefront and a pioneer in the Indian exhibition industry. The secret of our success has been that we never say no and have a solution for anything and everything that may be required to put up a successful show. We have clients who have trusted us for more than 3 decades and are still working with us till date.

“Since the founding in 1952 N. K. KAPUR & CO. has proudly upheld its commitments in designing and producing the highest quality exhibits and displays for trade shows and different events & exhibitions. Today N. K. KAPUR & Co. Pvt. Ltd. is a brand of rich and exciting history. We have a "hands-on" philosophy in design and implementation and believe that a company in this industry should work on one to one with its clients. Commitment to quality has been the bedrock of our foundation. It is the commitment that has won us the confidence of hundreds of satisfied customers and increasing support from the associated people”

Exhibition Showcase talks to Jatinder Kapur, Managing Director, N.K. Kapur & Co. Pvt. Ltd. Excerpts; Q. When did you start your journey in Exhibition Industry.

What challenges you encountered on your way to become world class event service provider company & how did you overcome them ?

A. N.K Kapur & Co. Pvt. Ltd. was formed in the year 1950 by Mr N.K Kapur as a civil construction company. In the year 1952 it ventured into the exhibition field when the first exhibition was held in India. Since then the legacy has been going on. Over a period of time the company kept growing steadily. So much so that by the year 1972 it reached its zenith and was catering to all international clients. It built 14 large country pavilions and 4 larger international company’s pavilions in ASIA 72 exhibition. With the successful implementation of these projects the company gained in stature and came to be regarded as a reliable and trustworthy

Q. What is the role of Structures in Exhibitions & Events ?

A. Structures play a very important role in exhibitions and events, especially in smaller towns and cities where there are no permanent facilities available for holding these events. They provide a further outreach even in remote areas to reach out to the masses to promote your products and message thus giving leverage to your business. Earlier this facility was not available and we had to make do with tent structures. With the advent of time new technologies evolved and new structures were developed and introduced into the industry, which further bolstered the spirit of the event organisers to venture out into smaller cities by putting up their exhibitions/ events under these structures. Today India can boast of having international quality structures to cater to the industry. Be it exhibitions, events, political rallies and social functions, they are all opting for the new aluminum structures which are safer than any other structures out there.

Q. You won an award in Leading Structure Supplier Category, please comment on your project delivery capacities, capabilities & geography covered ?

A. NKK is a pan India player and takes up turnkey contracts all over India for structures complete with other paraphernalia including air conditioning, electricals, exhibition stalls, graphics, flooring, carpeting etc. NKK has the capacity to deliver multiple projects simultaneously upto 50,000 square meter at different locations owning to its large inventory and management team. We provide complete end to end infrastructural support for exhibitions right from the planning stage to designing and execution/ implementation of the project.

Q. What differentiates N.K. Kapur from the rest in this era of competition & how do you deliver world class services ?

A. NKK is a veteran and pioneer in the exhibition industry with a past experience of 65 years in this field. We keep ourselves updated and abreast of the latest trends in the exhibition industry and try to incorporate them into our projects and work. It was NKK who introduced the syma system stalls to the exhibition industry in India in the year 1983 which changed the way the stalls were built in India and brought us at par to international exhibition standards held elsewhere all over the world. In the year 1994-1995 NKK introduced air-conditioned hangars in India thus once again changing the trend and bringing India at par to international levels.

43 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Interview

WALK THE TALK WITH RAGHAV Q. Please tell us how did you conceptualize 'ACETECH'?

A. We started off our journey in the exhibitions back in 1993 when we had the oil and gas show and after the oil and gas show, we launched an education show back in 2002 and a jewelry show. So the first couple of years it was all B2C shows post that in 2006 we found there was big gap wherein there was no show on building materials. So in 2006, we launched ACETECH. And ACETECH was a mix of a couple of shows put together. There was an Engineering Expo, a Glass show and there was a Building material show from which was slowly devolved. It's the 11th year now and it's the 40th edition of ACETECH. The show has become world's third largest building materials show with100, 000 square meters. And it is all because of the participation of industry. The industry helped to grow it. We kept changing the model; now it's an interior design architecture show with the focus on architects.

Q. As we all know that Pragati Maidan is under renovation, Mr. Gandhi we would like to know, how did you cope up such a large show in this area?

A. We have made use of lot of temporary structures in this edition of ACETECH. Thanks to Dara projects, we have created beautiful zones for the event. We have dedicated zones for networking, business lounge, organiser’s office, entertainment, food and snacks, conference etc. We always try to stick to Pragati Maidan, because it's centrally located, has got good access, which makes a lot of sense for the visitors. So we do not mind taking all these troubles just to stay in the venue.

“ABEC, Established in 1993 as Asian Business Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd., and envisioned a future where worldclass trade shows and content led conferences would unleash a new world of possibilities for both top-class global brands, as well as buyers and sellers of every magnitude. ABEC is conceptualizing over 70 shows across 10 verticals, in over 19 major cities across India and are the forerunners in the Indian trade exhibition and conference market, impelling businesses for well over two decades. After successfully handling multiple verticals and hosting "ACETECH" - Asia's leading and world's 3rd largest Infrastructure & Architecture show, ABEC is working relentlessly towards creating novel exhibition formats that can attribute to innovative trade solutions and global business networks.”

Exhibition Showcase talks to Manish Gandhi, COO & Executive Director, ABEC Exhibitions & Conferences. Excerpts; 44 | January 2018 | www.exhibitionshowcase.com

Q. And Mr. Gandhi we all know that you are known in the industry to bring that glamour quotient in your shows, even in the B2B shows now. What is the secret behind that and who has been the brand ambassador this year?

A. So, we have been with Shahrukh Khan for the last three years and Shahrukh has a very good personality in terms of not just a B2C icon, he is also with big brands like Hindware and he has this B2B image. So the idea is to get more recognition, get more footfalls and yeah enhanced impact. We would definitely not tie up with any other movie star. Also, now the content is the king.

So, organizers need to really focus on giving value to their exhibitors. The concept is called ROTI - Return of Time and Investment. So every exhibitor who is investing so much money and time coming here, they need to get the absolute value.

Q. Mr. Gandhi, I would like to know, as a leading organizer you engage with the industry corporate, you engage with the industry stakeholders and I am sure you engage with the industry policymakers also. Organizing such a leading show for the industry what kind of an impact does 'ACETECH' make to the overall industry?

A. Oh, that's a very good question. In fact, you know we have been working very closely with the apex body for housing, then we have been working with NBCC, we have been working with the BAI (Builder's Association of India), we had the principal secretary of DDA (Delhi Development Authority)

Interview opening the show for us. We have involved the housing ministry in various shows. We had the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is coming to the Mumbai show and talked about the radar policies and all that.

See as an exhibition organizer we always try to maintain the focus that we do not become or we do not imitate thought leaders and there is no intention to replace them also because of the kind of experience what they have. But we want to give a platform which is very rich in terms of people doing business.

So once the focus is that if our exhibitors are able to do maximum business we don't lose that focus, so we directly see what's the impact. So if somebody is coming from DDA, we try to lock in maximum orders for the participants because that's what an exhibition is supposed to do. Definitely when such a large exhibition happens it does influence a lot of policy changes which is across the spectrum. Like the ceramics industry the leaders are participating with us so they have various issues from GST, the raw material etc. We also have co-located seminars where a lot of content and knowledge is exchanged. We don't try to get too much into that because then if you do that you are losing focus on what the real purpose of the platform is - which is to generate real business!

Q. Mr. Gandhi, you seem to be a very fit professional in the exhibition industry. We all know the odd timings that prevail in the industry, how do you cope up under such pressures and still maintaining such a fit body?

A. (Smiles) I workout, I definitely go to the gym regularly. But I work out for sanity more than vanity and I make sure that I work out at least thirty minutes whatever and wherever I am traveling.

I think everybody should do it as fresh vigor and creativity is infused when the body is charged up.

I just turned 40 last year and it was a big game-changer for me, so I take that extra effort now to exercise daily. The exhibition business is very stressful because we are running against time always and the last 15 years to 20 years we have been doing a lot of night shifts. And family life definitely gets compromised but it's very rewarding, it's very glamorous and the feeling when you are walking in the show- you feel like a movie director, who created an event out of a dream. Moreover, after the incorporation of IHFF, there is that extra pressure on me because I get a lot of social media messages that if you are running a fitness show then you need to be fit yourself !

Q. One last message to the budding entrepreneurs who seek to build up their careers in the exhibition industry, what would be your advice to them?

A. I feel that there is no substitute to hard work. There are tons of opportunities especially in a country like us, if a person is putting the right amount of time and the focus is there and if you are sincere about what you are doing, be it as an exhibition organiser or a service provider. I see so much buzz happening and I wish I would be in my early 20's as I would love to relive this entire time, because it's been an era full of excitement and challenges!

As a company, at ABEC, I am always open for new tie up's, if anybody comes to me with an idea and I feel the person more than the idea, I am up for it. so yes that will be a message that if anybody wants to connect they can, if their ideas are in line with their passion and committment to work hard, then this industry has much to offer.

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Interview conceptualized and built BIEC as a Centre of Excellence to conduct industrial exhibitions such as IMTEX, conferences and B2B events. Main objective in setting up BIEC facility for holding intensive quality industrial exhibitions was to promote investment, commerce and technology in India besides enhancing exports. BIEC was established in 2007 with 2 exhibition halls covering a gross space of around 20,000 square metres, a Technology Centre and a Conference Centre. BIEC added a third exhibition hall in 2009 increasing the gross space for exhibitions to around 42,000 square metres. A fourth hall was added in 2017 which further increased the gross space for exhibitions to around 60,000 square metres.

BIEC has been awarded with the prestigious “leed” (leadership in energy and environment design) certification by the u. s. green building council for its environmentally-friendly design. biec is a member of ufi, iaee, afeca & ieia – globally recognised associations of the exhibition industry. biec has become one of the most preferred venues for many major exhibitions, conferences & seminars organised in india. some of the leading international exhibitions held at biec are imtex, excon, acrex, india itme, india wood, ietf & ihf, diemould, expodent, electronic india, international commercial vehicle expo, elca, & cemat india, mda, industrial automation, stona, viv, buildarch & build up, bengaluru space expo, instore asia, healthex, ifsec, ifex, indian pharmaceutical expo, metex india etc

Exhibition Showcase talks to V. Anbu, Director General & CEO, BIEC. Excerpts; Q. Please give us a brief history of BIEC? A. Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) is India's premier international exhibition and conference centre. Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers' Association (IMTMA)

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Q. Kindly share with us how does your organization serve the exhibition industry?

A. BIEC provides international standard exhibition infrastructure occupying around 60,000 square meters gross exhibition space for organizing industrial shows. BIEC acts as a catalyst by offering a state-of-the-art venue to bring together all stakeholders connected to exhibitions including show organizers, associations and service providers under one roof.

In the process BIEC has emerged as a front-runner in hosting the exhibitions while significantly contributing to the trade and economy of the country. BIEC has hosted events such as UFI-EMD programme, IEIA Open Seminar and UFI Seminar in Asia to impart skill sets to exhibition industry professionals. BIEC is also a member of UFI, the global association of trade fair organizers, exhibition and convention centres, professional exhibition associations and industry partners. BIEC is also identified for being part of international associations such as ICCA, IAEE, AFECA, etc. where it represents the Indian exhibition industry in various forums.

Q. Please tell us how was the year 2017 for your organization? What were the key highlights during the year?

A. BIEC completed 10 eventful years which is a major milestone. The year 2017 was significantly fruitful in terms of exhibitions as well as trade development and overall progress of BIEC. The newly constructed Hall 4 at BIEC was inaugurated in January 2017. The hall was awarded Gold rating by both Indian Green Building Council and US Green Building Council under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating.

BIEC hosted the 14th convention of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas which was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India. This was a historic occasion as both the then President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah came together for an event at BIEC. The event also featured various national and international dignitaries visiting BIEC. BIEC hosted more than 30 shows in the year 2017.

Q. What are your upcoming plans for 2018 and what are you looking forward to?

A. As the exhibition industry is poised for growth, BIEC is planning further expansion. BIEC will have an enhanced gross exhibition space of around 77,000 sq.mts. by July 2018.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation has started construction for extending the metro from Nagasandra to BIEC and commuters in future can take the metro directly to the exhibition centre.

BIEC is set to host some big events in the near future such as Herbalife Spectacular, IMTEX FORMING 2018 & Tooltech 2018, STONA 2018, IndiaWood 2018, and soon.

Interview Ÿ

The India International Mega Trade Fair (IIMTF) in Bhubaneswar was held from 20th to 30th January, 2017 at the Janta Maidan. In this Fair, 11 countries and 12 states participated and there was a total of 660 participants.

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The IIMTF in Greater Noida was held at The India Expo Centre from 4th to 15th August, 2017. In this Fair, 17 countries and 18 states participated and there were a total of 1050 participants.

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The IIMTF in Kolkata was held at the Science City Ground in Kolkata from 15th to 25th December, 2017. In this Fair, 16 countries and 21 states participated and there were a total of 1150 participants.

Q. Apart from the IIMTF s in various cities of India, which other Fair has been organized by your company in 2017?

A. Apart from the above mentioned Fairs, we also organized the FitExpo at the Science City Ground in Kolkata on 25th and 26th November, 2017. FitExpo is the biggest combined trade platform in East/ North-East India for Fitness, Wellness & Sports industry. It is now a leading Fair of its kind in India.

Q. How many Fairs has G S Marketing Associates organized so far?

A. In all, the company has organized 202 Trade Fairs and Exhibitions. We are very grateful to our Associate Chamber, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry for their continued support and cooperation for the IIMTF for the last 7 years.

“Our founder, Late Hon. S.D. Gupta was organizing exhibitions single- handedly in Kolkata since 1990. He later tied-up with the Shah family in 1993 and thus was born a lifelong partnership in the exhibition industry called GS Marketing Associates (GSMA). GS stands for Gupta and Shah. It also stands for Great Shows and Greater Successes.

The company started with Mr. S.D. Gupta and Mr. Prakash Shah and later on with Mrs. Gupta's continuous back-up support (since 1996). Throughout its 24 years, the company has grown in leaps & bounds. Initially, GS organized 8 to 10 theme based exhibitions throughout the year at various venues”

Exhibition Showcase talks to Prakash Shah, Chairman, G. S. Marketing Associates. Excerpts; Q. Please tell us how was the year 2017 for your organization?

A. The year 2017 was quite an eventful year for G S Marketing Associates. We had organized three big Fairs in Bhubaneswar, Greater Noida and Kolkata :

Q. We already know about the IIMTF brand and the quality of the Fairs, can you give some more insights into the Brand and the IIMTF and the reason behind the magnetism of the Fair for both participants and visitors?

A. The IIMTF started many years ago in Kolkata and has now matured to become one of India's biggest and most successful Fairs. Through the years, the IIMTF has grown steadily in size and scope every year - attracting enormous footfalls, participation, business deals, transactions, and tremendous growth in the value of matured business. The IIMTF has got the support of “Make in India” which is an initiative of the Central Government of India on its own merit. Our Fairs have tremendously helped in the growth of industries of all varieties by way of increase in export-import trade, joint ventures, Business Matching, product launches, product awareness, opening new distribution and marketing networks thus increasing sales of products & services of local and foreign companies. The magnetism of the Fair is due to our high powered publicity campaigns in a perfect media mix as well as our adherence to international standards.

Q. What satisfaction have you got after a successful year of exhibitions held in 2017?

A. We get satisfaction from the satisfaction of our participants, visitors, the business transactions and business deals clinched during our Fairs.

Our efforts in the exhibition industry have been recognized by Dignitaries of India and abroad. For eg: Our efforts have been lauded by:

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Interview Ÿ

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Dr Amit Mitra, Hon'ble Minister –in-Charge, Finance, Industry, Commerce & Enterprises, MSME & Textiles, Government of West Bengal Janab Obaidul Quader , Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Govt. of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh Janab Amir Hossain Amu, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Industry, Govt. of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh H. E. Mr. Syed Muazzem Ali, High Commissioner, Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi Mr. Tharadol Thongruang, Commercial Attaché, Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi

Besides the above, G. S. Marketing Associates has received Exhibition Excellence Awards in the categories of : a) Big Show b) Grand Show c) Best Debut d) Leading Lady of the Industry e) Leader in Marketing Initiatives f) Leader in Green Initiatives.

Q. Was there any new challenge that you faced in 2017?

A. The exhibition business itself is a challenging one. In 2017, we had taken the challenge of organizing the IIMTF in Greater Noida (Delhi-NCR) for the first time. Despite being unaware of the place and the market in the area, we took the plunge

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fearlessly. After initial teething troubles, we were able to make the Fair a grand success with the active support and cooperation from IEML. We were overwhelmed by the influx of the visitors from Greater Noida and its adjacent areas including New Delhi.

We have made many new contacts in Greater Noida and with the active support of Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Chairman of IEML and all others in IEML, I am sure that the Fair will grow bigger and better in this city.

Q. What was the response of the people of Kolkata and Bhubaneswar to the IIMTF in 2017?

A. We were overwhelmed by the fantastic response of the people of Kolkata and Bhubaneswar to the IIMTFs held in these two cities in 2017. It was way beyond our expectations. Our participants were very happy with the grand success of the Fair in these two cities.

Q. What is the aim of G S Marketing Associates after a successful year in 2017?

A. The aim of GS is to maintain and increase the growth graph of its Fairs leading to a growth of the regional economy and an increase in export-import trade in the cities where they are held.

Interview Society, the positive note of the year 2016 continued into 2017 as well. The year 2017 started for us in an exciting note as India ITME Society bagged 5 awards in Exhibition Excellence Awards, held on 18th March 2017 at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. India ITME Society also welcomed our new Chairman Mr. S. Hari Shankar.

Launch of GTTES-2019 was a key activity for the Society and team. India ITME Society actively participated in the Development Council coordinated by Dept. of Heavy Industry, Govt. of India.

India ITME Society also participated in the Textile Machinery and Accessories Sectional Committee, organized by Bureau of Indian Standards, Govt. of India. India ITME Society organized Textile Engineering Industry pavilion at Textiles India by Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India at Gandhinagar, Gujarat in 2017. India ITME Society through its active role in various government committees serves the industry in multiple ways round the year and these non exhibition activities directly supports the industry.

In the year 1979, the visionary leaders of the Textile Engineering industry believed that ‘you can't let challenges argue you out of doing what you know is the right thing’, and the right thing then for Indian Textile Engineering Industry was to create an exclusive industry body to facilitate access of much needed technology, investments, push Indian machinery exports & promote “Make in India” through exhibitions in India. Thus was born India ITME Society. Today India ITME Society, a renowned global name and one of its kind in its service to industry has become a pillar of strength for the Indian textile and engineering industry. The 1st exhibition held in 1980 in Mumbai started with 124 exhibitors and over last 37 years India ITME Society achieved phenomenal growth in size and volume. Today with 1102 exhibitors from 46 countries, spread over 1,47,000 sq. mtrs and visitors from 73 countries, more than 400 companies waitlisted, India ITME Society today is one of the largest & prominent live machinery & technology show for Textile Industry globally. The exhibition covers the entire textile machinery value chain from spinning, weaving, knitting, braiding, yarn dyeing, printing, processing, garmenting, finishing, technical textiles & other accessories. India ITME exhibition helps in bringing entire Indian & global textile industry on one platform.

Exhibition Showcase talks to Seema Srivastava, Executive Director, ITME. Excerpts; Q. What were the key highlights & milestones achieved in the year 2017?

A. Having completed super successful India ITME-2016 and the event being appreciated & well received globally, India ITME

Q. What were the major learnings in 2017?

A. One of the major learning’s is that the quality and excellence of an exhibition can be achieved only if Service Partners for the event too have the same quality goals. Selection of Service Partner is crucial & work values and principles of a Service Partners should be one of the key criteria’s for selection, not the size of company or the lowest quote. It is a big learning for me as I have been surprised by new & small companies in their commitment & delivery than many big brands. Ÿ 2nd important observation is that co-ordination and co operation from government and public service dept. are of utmost importance to provide smooth and convenient infrastructure in the city where the exhibition is being held. This is especially important in case of large exhibition where support from Traffic Police, Municipal Corporation, Public Transport agencies & fire dept. is needed to provide seamless & safe experience outside the venue for exhibitors & visitors, especially outstation & international participants. Ÿ Responsibility of an organizer for large events goes beyond venue & site management during the event.

Q. Three Things that you liked the most during the year 2017 A. The innovative idea of Exhibition Excellence Awards for the industry and inclusive categories allowing greater opportunity for all, was quite interesting. Ÿ Gems & Jewellery show is always impressive & example for security & visitor management.

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Q. What are your upcoming plans for 2018 and what are you looking forward to?

A. 2018 is focused on preparation for our 2nd edition of GTTES. India ITME Society is also in the process of major expansion of its activities to benefit the industry and play a key role in promoting the Textile Engineering Industry in India and neighbouring region. We are also working consciously towards two important goals. Ÿ Connecting the industry & policy makers more fruitfully Ÿ Empowering academics through industry connect, thus helping skill development for future & making research a priority for textile industry.

India ITME Society is looking forward to reinventing itself as an umbrella organization for the industry.

Q. What all shows did you organize in 2017?

A. As I said before, year of 2017 is a preparatory year for GTTES2019 scheduled from 1st – 3rd Feb.2019 at Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai. India ITME Society coordinated & organized Textile Engineering Industry Pavilion at Textiles India at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Society entered the year 2017 in a high note. For India ITME

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