Over 18,000 Buyers Take in H.K. Spring Lighting Fair

More than 18,000 buyers from 112 countries took part in the sixth Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), held April 6-9, 2014, that drew nearly 1,100 exhibitors from 14 countries, a new exhibitor record for the fair.

Global Buyers
Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau noted that buyer attendance from the United States, Canada, Italy, The Netherlands, Thailand and Poland recorded double-digit percentage growths.

The HKTDC arranged 53 buying missions, counting more than 3,500 international buyers, to visit the fair, including major importers and distributors as the US' Home Depot, the Chinese mainland's GE Lighting, Malaysia's ML Lamp & Electrical Supply, Poland's Zuma Line, Russia's Ledru and Palantir, and the United Arab Emirates' Light Vision LLC.

Hong Kong exhibitor SKN Global Ltd. presented the worldwide launch of Ford lighting at the fair. Company Managing Director Frank Kauer said the fair had attracted quality buyers from all over the world. “We have received a lot of enquiries from many international buyers, including those from Europe, South Africa, Southeast Asia and the US.”

Improving Market
Jim Hardaway, Vice President of lighting brand Viribright, said he expected business to grow by more than 20% despite the continuing drop in LED prices, thanks to improving market conditions in Europe and North America. Mr. Hardaway met with key buyers from the Middle East, Spain, Mexico and Australia, all interested in green lighting products and high efficiency LED lighting. Some of the buyers ordered samples on site.

Suitable Suppliers
Spanish buyer Francisco Jose Garcia Campuzano sourced LED lighting products on his first visit to the fair, saying that LED lights are preferred in the Spanish market because of longer lifespan and higher luminance. “Quality is our priority when it comes to LED lighting. We have seen many suppliers who can meet our requirements, so we are confident that we can find suitable suppliers,” he said.

Small-Orders, Big Payoff
The Spring Lighting Fair's Small-Order Zone featured some 400 showcases, offering about 4,000 products available in minimum orders ranging from five pieces to 1,000. The zone attracted over 8,300 buyer visits, generating over 20,000 business enquiries. US buyer Brenton Mauriello, CEO of Flexfire LEDs, Inc, operates an online store that sells LED lights and strip lights. He visited the fair for the first time to meet existing suppliers and look for new suppliers. Mr. Mauriello was particularly impressed with the Small-Order Zone, as it gave him a lot of new product ideas.

The Small-Order Zone is also available online, at www.hktdc.com/so, with instant credit card payment via PayPal available for select products.