Reinforced with high-caliber accompanying programs the show achieved new record numbers of visitors and exhibitors
R+T Asia, Asia’s number one trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems, reported record new visitor and exhibitor numbers: 519 exhibitors (2016:486), 100 more companies than three years ago, showcased their innovations and product developments from the two main sectors – sun protection systems and doors and gates. Covering an exhibition floor area of 50,00 square meters (2016:45,000 gross square meters), the 13th R+T Asia for the first time made use of five separate halls in the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), a 9% growth over the previous year.
And the visitor numbers are just as impressive: a total of 31,149 visitors attended the trade fair (2016:27,088), almost 15% more than at the previous event. The visitor numbers have risen by 39% in the last two year, underlining the trade fair’s status as the most important industry event in Asia. More and more trade visitors are also coming from abroad, with 9,291 international guests (2016:6,850), again significantly higher than at previous events. Apart from China, visitors predominantly came from Taiwan, India, Australia, Korea and the USA.
“R+T Asia has long outgrown its infancy and is today the most important trade fair for the industry in the Asian region. Our decision 13 years ago to position R+T together with our partner VNU Exhibitions Asia in China, was totally the right one. The trade fair has grown magnificently,” states Roland Bleinroth, Managing Director of Messe Stuttgart.
Global trend issues: energy efficiency and smart home
There is a focus on passive houses and energy efficiency in the Chinese market as well. The well-attended IWDS – international Window and Door Summit – which accompanied the trade fair therefore discussed the hot topics for sun protection systems and doors/gates. Under the slogan“ Transformation of industry for external sun protection’, the convention agenda included the issues of sun protection systems and their integration into passive houses, as well as the energy saving and sun protection benefits of façade insulation. The doors/gates sector considered the issue of smart applications and the current “Smart Home” trend.
The InnovAction Hub demonstrated that energy-efficient systems and innovation go hand in hand. This special show at R+T Asia presented smart solutions for doors and windows, the best products of which were presented with the InnovAction Award by a judging panel of experts. Awards were presented to a battery-operated sun protection system by Lutron Electronics Co.Ltd. in 2017, and as snit-theft roller shutter by Fujian AnLin Intelligence Joint Stock Co.Ltd.
The “Smart 2025 Experience Pavilion” demonstrated smart lighting solutions, locking systems and modern drives and control application concepts for smart, that is networked, learning, working and living.
Smart Home was the defining topic of the CADEX Lounge, a convention event for architecture and design, which was held in parallel. Material suppliers, manufacturers, architects, designers and contractors discussed how the latest technology, being showcased direct adjacent to the convention, can be interwoven with design and architecture.
The MATERIA special show hard further inspiration for the visitors to R+T Asia. The multifunctional uses of cork, concrete, silk, wool or metal, and their properties, including sound attenuation, air filtration and flexibility, was another added bonus during their visit for visitors from the sun protection sector.
The next R+T Asia will be held from 20 to 22 March 2018 in Shanghai.
