As part of the 10th annual IFA Global Press Conference, along with 300 other members of the press from over 50 countries, I was on hand in Shenzhen to witness Messe Berlin’s expansion into China for the first ever CE China global event. It was something to see.
Photo by Steve Makris
IFA, an event put on every year by Messe Berlin, is the largest consumer electronics show in Europe. Messe Berlin aims to make CE China into Asia’s premier trade show for the consumer electronics and appliances industry.
With the support of Shenzhen’s Economy Trade and Information Commission and the city’s administration, and with top Chinese retailers like Alibaba and Gome backing the concept, the trade show took place from April 20th through April 22nd at the immense Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.
As you can imagine, with a population of over 4.4 billion people, Asia has and is a huge consumer electronics market.
International brands on hand included Bosch, Kärcher, Siemens, Onkyo, Melitta, Jura, Severin, LETV, Vargo, Dlodlo, Livall, Parallels, iFi Audio, Redmond, D-Link, Robam, Glen Dimplex, Veho, Chipolo and others.
Messe Berlin’s vision for CE China is that it will be “an opportunity for brands from both China and around the world to showcase their latest products, helping them to target consumers not just in China but also across Asia, as Chinese retailers increasingly gain a foothold in these markets.”
Wandering the floor, we saw plenty of electronics that boggled the mind, everything from electronic babysitters, to Hello Kitty appliances, to suitcases with scooters built in, to cute gear that would be a hit in the US (assuming it makes it here).
The first CE China had over 150 exhibitors; next year they expect many more. And speaking of growing, IFA Berlin will be expanding this year with 10,000 additional square feet of exhibition space for IFA Global Markets; our coverage of that event will begin on September 3rd.