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A Preview of the 23rd China Glass
The Far East Becomes More Central to the Glass Industry

During last year’s Vitrum, the internationally known event for glass machinery (see December 2011 USGlass, page 64), the whispered word on the trade show aisles was that there are two events in 2012 that would be “must attends” for the glass crowd. There’s glasstec, coming up October 23-26, in Düsseldorf, Germany, which has been known to draw upwards of 55,000 international attendees to see the latest in all things glass. The other event for industry members looking for something new is China Glass.

The 23rd China International Glass Industrial Technical Exhibition will be held April 2-5, 2012, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai. For years, China Glass, organized by the Chinese Ceramic Society and co-organized by the Shanghai Ceramic Society, has been an event to attend to learn about low-cost suppliers of glass products, machinery and tools. Now, suddenly, the growing trade show is the place where industry members from across the world can go to learn about the products that will be in demand in the year ahead.

“China Glass has emerged to be a major international show for Edgetech over the past two to three years,” comments Ramsey Bader, director of international sales and marketing for Houston-based Quanex Building Products.

One reason is that the country’s own demand for glass production continues to grow significantly.

“While most of the world is still in a recession, Asia represents a high growth market for the glass industry,” comments Ken Wawrew, CEO of SynergX Technologies Inc. The company, based in Laval, Quebec, supplies inspection systems for the solar, architectural and automotive glass industries.

The networking opportunities provided by this venue on the other side of the globe are also among the chief reasons to attend, exhibitors say.

“By participating in China Glass in 2011 we had the opportunity to meet many existing customers as well as a number of potential new customers over the course of the exhibition,” Wawrew says. “China Glass 2012 is a very important event to us and we are sure that our attendance will be greatly beneficial in reaching new Asian customers.”

“China Glass is an excellent opportunity to connect with customers from all over Asia, including Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, as well as customers from Australia and New Zealand. We have also seen solid attendance from Middle Eastern and Eastern European customers. The China Glass show also draws attendance from Latin America and, to a lesser degree, North American clients. In short, it has been a great opportunity to meet potential customers from various world regions,” Bader says. He adds, “We are also staying the course in developing business opportunities in the local Chinese market and the China Glass show is a very important event to connect with reputable Chinese insulating glass producers.”

Planning to Attend
The 2011 event in Shanghai featured 766 exhibitors from 26 countries; 205 of them were international exhibitors. A total of 28,440 professional visitors from across the globe attended the event over the course of its four days.

According to show organizers, a variety of products will be on display this year ranging from architectural and decorative glass to auto and industrial glass, hollow glassware and glass containers, electric lighting glass and other special glass, as well as fenestration and hardware fittings. Attendees will be able to find information on various production lines and machines for float and container glass, from annealing and decorating lehrs to flat glass washing, cutting, edging, beveling machines and inspection systems; also on tap are products for fabricating all manner of glass products.

Solar glass also promises to be on display; not surprisingly since recent statistics indicate the majority of standard solar glass production today is based in China. China Glass organizers say they’ll be spotlighting photovoltaic (PV) glass and machines, solar PVB thin film for PV glass, PV modules, photo-active coatings, autoclave systems, thin film cell technology, crystalline cell module technology, and measuring and testing technology.

Register for China Glass
For more information on, or to register for, China Glass 2012, visit www.chinaglass-expo.com.

North American Exhibitors*
• Eclipse Inc., http://www.eclipsenet.com

• Edgetech I.G. Inc., A Division of Quanex Engineered Products, http://www.edgetechig.com

• Fletcher-Terry Co., http://www.fletcherviscom.com

• Frazier Simplex Inc., http://www.frazier-simplex.com

• Glassline Corp., http://www.glassline.com

• Glasstech Inc., http://www.glasstech.com

• Henry F. Teichmann Inc./PPG, http://www.hft.com

• Merkle International Inc., http://www.merkleintl.com

• Pyrotek Inc., http://www.pyrotek.info

• Ramsey Products Corp., http://www.ramseychain.com

• Sputtering Components Inc., http://www.sputteringcomponents.com

• Strutz International Inc., A Division of Carl Strutz & Co., http://www.strutz.com

• SynergX Technologies Inc., http://www.synergx.ca

• Toledo Engineering Co. Inc., http://www.teco.com
*List tentative

Seeing Shanghai’s Sights
When not at the trade show, we have a few suggestions for how to make the most of your trip to what is described as China’s most “cosmopolitan” city.

• Stroll along the Bund (also known as Zhongshan Road), Shanghai’s most famous landmark. This path along the Huangpu River will take you past a number of the city’s architectural highlights;

• Visit the observation deck on the 88th floor of the Jin Mao Tower, the tallest building in Shanghai, for views of the sprawling city;

• Check out the bargains along Nanjing Road, one of the most popular shopping streets in a city known as a “shopper’s paradise;” or

• Get out of the congested shopping hubs by taking a walking tour of the scenic and historic French Concession district.

As far as getting around town, five subway lines operate around the city. According to About.com, stations and exits are labeled in English and Chinese. If opting to travel by taxi, be sure to have your hotel or destination card with the address in Chinese with you.

The Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) is strategically located near the Longyang Rd subway station and only a 7 minute ride by Meglev train from Shanghai Pudong International airport. Event attendees can take Subway Line 7 and get off at the SNIEC terminal station or take Subway Line 2 and get off at Longyanglu station near SNIEC.

USG
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