SHENZHEN, China & BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CE China 2018, a global IFA brand, successfully started today with trade visitors and consumers experiencing international as well as Chinese brands showcasing their latest products and innovations at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.
A major element on day one was the premier of IFA Retail University, jointly hosted by Chinese retail giant Suning. While attracting specialized retailers and experts, it provided deep insights from leading global brands into their newest developments, strategies and market stats. Eleven companies in total performed on stage, including GfK, IHS Markit, Bosch Home Appliances, Huawei, Haier, Severin, Blaupunkt, Yamazoki, Elgato, Caso Design and Fakir Household Appliances.
Kicking off the series of well-attended power-briefings, Alexander Dehmel, Senior Regional Market Insights Manager from GfK, indicated the importance of the Chinese market for the industry by pointing out that it represents almost 60 per cent of the global smart appliances market. And consumer expectations are changing: “Convenience and premium are driving the South East Asian market”, he explained. Major international brands presented how they are already responding to such changes. Bosch Home Appliances presented its new refrigerator generation with intelligent features to control the freshness of food.
IFA Retail University also delivered insights on the near future of connected home by presentations from international brands like Haier and Huawei. Haier explained its Smart Home Architecture, covering air, water as well as kitchen appliances. Western brands Severin, Blaupunkt, Yamazoki, Elgato, Caso Design and Fakir Household Appliances seized the opportunity to present their most recent innovations and product strategies to shop owners, store managers, buyers and dealers.
IFA Retail University also delivered more fundamental insights for market actors. Zhang Bing, Associate Director of market research company IHS Markit, had a clear message to Western brands: “If you are an overseas company, you need to spend special attention to the high diversity of the Chinese market.” Huawei reflected on the growing role of Chinese brands. “We have the dream to help the world understanding Chinese brands better,” Clark Ye, Product Manager Consumer BG HiLink Eco System of Huawei told the audience.
On the second day, 4 May, CE China will continue to deliver efficient networking opportunities for pan-Asian attendees and all relevant market actors and to provide first hand-knowledge from experts during the full-day E-Commerce Export Forum.
About IFA and CE China
As a global IFA event, CE China is a welcome addition to Messe Berlin’s portfolio for the Chinese market. Based on the IFA concept, CE China focuses on comprehensive cooperation with leading trade groups, strong global industrial partners, and the emotional presentation of innovative branded products. In 2017, 120 exhibitors presented their latest products, innovations, and services to more than 11,500 visitors from 38 countries, covering 15,000 square meters of exhibition space. The range of global brands inspired the more than 140 journalists, 15 percent of which came from abroad. IFA is the world's most significant trade show for consumer electronics taking place from 31 August to 5 September 2018 in Berlin, Germany.
