Guangzhou’s Pazhou Exhibition Center played host to the biggest Labelexpo South China yet with 2014’s edition reporting a 4% increase in footfall. Held 3-5 December 2014, the three day trade exhibition welcomed 5,297 visitors (up from 5,098 in 2012).

Around 150 exhibitors showcased their latest products and services. New product launches included presses from Nuova GIDUE, Venture Electronics and WeiFang DongHang Precision Machine Co.

The exhibition was also supported by a two day conference. Well-attended and received, conference program highlights included the keynote presentation given by Jari Haavisto and Heini Lehti of UPM Raflatac along with John Li, senior packaging development manager at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group Asia-Pacific. Both companies have collaborated to find sustainable labeling solutions and gave their practical insight into how sustainability must go together with profitability in everyday business practises. Another big draw was an overview of the latest smart products being used to encourage consumer interaction and spending with presentations by Top Print Labels, Peng Cheng Li Cultural Technology and Sun Chemical.

The interactive Live Technology Clinic which made its debut at this year’s show also proved popular as two hour-long sessions gave show visitors access to one to one discussions with a panel of label and package printing experts. At the clinic, experts from companies including Kinglabel Adhesives, YUPO and the Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China (PEIAC) amongst others, were on hand to advise on all aspects of label and package printing technology as well as help printers realize their potential, solve challenges and increase their opportunities.

John Davy, divisional director of Labelexpo South China said: “The team has again worked incredibly hard to build, improve and ultimately deliver the show. Labelexpo South China 2014 has been an even more valuable event for Chinese printers with the addition of the Live Technology Clinic, while the conference program’s content once again appeared to resonate with the audience. Achieving our highest ever onsite rebook rate in South China to date with 31% of the space signed up for 2016, Labelexpo South China continues to go from strength to strength in what is a formidably competitive marketplace.”

Quotes from exhibitors and speakers:

John Mitchell, international sales manager, KTI: “I was very pleased with the quality of visitors from China at Labelexpo South China and also surprised about the number of guests from outside the country. We will certainly return in two years.”

Fu Qiang Consultant, Label Branch Association - Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China (PEIAC): “I like Labelexpo because it give us the latest global advances in technology. I hope that Labelexpo will hold more activities and promote the Chinese label industry. Labelexpo South China is the number one label show in Southern China and I'll work with Labelexpo to further develop the Chinese label market.”

Bent Serritslev, managing director, Xeikon Asia Pacific (ASPAC): “Diversification’ is a word that you often hear nowadays wherever you go and Asia is no exception. The Chinese market is experiencing a tremendous boom in the production of all types of short-run labels, but specifically those that require variable data information, such as barcoding, QR coding or other product and brand security features like microprint. We were extremely happy to engage with visitors to Labelexpo South China and show them exactly how the Xeikon digital label presses and solutions are able to meet their digital manufacturing needs.”