Gathering together 430 exhibitors, 5,200 international buyers and more than 32,000 visitors
Under the assistance of the Taichung City Government, organized by Kaigo and co-organized by the Taiwan Hand Tool Manufacturers' Association, the 2019 Taiwan Hardware Show (THS) concluded with resounding success on October 19. The trade show this year was joined by 430 manufacturers from home and abroad, with 1,000 plus exhibition booths, which sets new records in both scale and number of visitors, and marks the event as the best platform for hand tool manufacturers to expand their global footprint.
This year marks 7 years since the first THS was held in Taichung. With benefits delivered by the trade show and industrial clusters in close proximity, the event has been witnessing ever-impressive results over the years, with growing success rates of business matchmaking, all of which has turned it into a top hardware and tools trade show worldwide. With the world reeling from the effects of the US-China trade war, the number of attending purchasing representatives from Europe and the US grew by 11.4% this year, a considerable increase compared to last year. In addition, the event hosted a total of 5,268 visitors from 93 countries around the world, which demonstrates the important role played by Taiwan’s hand tools industry in the global supply chain.
The outcome of THS was highly acknowledged by the exhibitors.
“I’m more than impressed with this year’s THS. There are a number of internationally well-known buyers who we have long wanted to engage but could hardly get into contact with, but this year at THS we were able to present to them our products in detail. We are highly satisfied with this year’s trade show,”
said Hu Che-Yi, Executive Assistant to Chairman at Gong Fong Enterprise.
Jian Yu-Hsiang, Sales Manager from Taiwan Warehouse Solution Corp., shared that they were able to meet many purchasing representatives, both from home and abroad at this year’s THS. Overseas representatives come from various countries, including European ones, the US, Japan, as well as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, an evidence that THS is a diverse, professional trade show on a global scale. Chen Tsung-Jen, Executive Assistant from Machan International Co., also recognized the success of this year’s event, saying that THS 2019 was a great success and the event is a wonderful business platform, through which many European and American buyers get to know Taiwanese manufacturers and build partnership.
According to Wu Yi-Jui, Chairman of Shuter Enterprise Co. and a long-time participant in THS,
“We’re a long-term supporter of THS, and that’s why we have first-hand experience in witnessing the growth of this event. Over the past few years, THS has seen growing numbers of exhibitors, and international buyers improving in both number and quality. The best thing for the event to be held in Taichung is that we are able to receive our key accounts abroad, buyers from the US, European counties and China. We could have discussions in the morning, and take them directly to the factory for product presentation in the afternoon. I believe that’s the best part of THS, and our peers in the industry also greatly approved such arrangement by the organizer.”
Taiwan has a world leading position in hardware and hand tools manufacturing. Driving constant innovation and leveraging product differentiation, while providing a rich portfolio of high-quality products with service flexibility, manufacturers in Taiwan have secured a firm foothold in markets worldwide, and are highly favored and recognized by overseas buyers.
“Over the years, Kaigo has committed itself to improving the global visibility of THS,” stated Dai Kai-Go, Chairman of Kaigo, the event organizer. “This June, our team made a visit to Dublin to attend the Global DIY Summit 2019 with the aim of promoting THS, and we have successfully invited a number of members from the European DIY Retail Association to Taiwan for procurement. In August, our team made another promotional effort by attending the Japan DIY Home Center Show and inviting Japan DIY Industry Association to join THS, hoping to enhance commercial exchanges between hardware and tools manufacturers from Taiwan and Japan.”
Statistics and facts are a solid proof of Kaigo’s efforts to make THS a global event. Among all the attending buyers this year, as high as 62% are key influencers or decision-makers on the company’s purchasing policy. In other words, exhibitors could discuss order details with most purchasing representatives present at the trade show. In the future, Kaigo hopes to reach the target of hosting 70% buyers as decision-makers, which will boost the economic benefits of THS as a professional sourcing platform, and drive sustainable export growth in hand tools made in Taiwan. With such efforts, Taichung is well-positioned to be recognized by buyers worldwide as a critical sourcing hub for hardware and tools.
Author: Justine Ko (Project Coordinator, Kaigo Co., Ltd.)
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