Hong Kong Spring Lighting, Electronics and ICT Fairs Open in April
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), and the International ICT Expo will kick off during the peak April season for exhibitions and sourcing. The Spring Lighting Fair will take place from 6-9 April, while the Spring Electronics Fair and the concurrent International ICT Expo will be staged from 13-16 April. The three fairs will gather a total of about 4,900 exhibitors from around the world to showcase a range of innovative products and cutting-edge technologies.
- Exports for electronics, ICT and lighting products go up
"As the global economy improves, Hong Kong's exports figures for electronics, ICT (computers and parts) and lighting products in 2017 saw significant growth," said Benjamin Chau, Acting Executive Director, HKTDC. "The Spring Lighting Fair, Spring Electronics Fair and International ICT Expo offer a quality sourcing and marketing platform for the industry and international buyers to build on their success and grasp opportunities in this economic revival."
The HKTDC will organise about 240 buying missions, comprising representatives from some 12,500 companies from around the world to visit the three fairs. The hktdc.com Small Orders zone returns to the Spring Electronics Fair, offering a convenient platform for buyers to source in smaller lots. More than 250 showcases featuring around 2,000 products will be available in minimum order quantities of between five and 1,000 pieces. The zone works in conjunction with an online trading platform (http://smallorders.hktdc.com) to facilitate negotiation and buyer sourcing.
Mr Chau added that innovation and technology are a huge driving force behind Hong Kong's economic growth. The recent Hong Kong Government Policy Address and Budget speech proposed strengthening the innovation and technology industry, promoting smart city development as well as supporting innovation and technology and start-up enterprises. "The HKTDC is keeping up with the trend and is committed to creating business opportunities for Hong Kong," said Mr Chau. "We are strengthening start-up and smart living elements at the Spring Lighting Fair, Spring Electronics Fair and ICT Expo. Besides staging the Startup zone at the Spring Electronics Fair and the ICT Expo to enable start-ups to reach more potential suppliers, buyers and investors, the HKTDC is also spotlighting a wide range of smart products and technologies at the fairs, allowing global enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's exhibitions as a platform to promote innovative ideas and drive global economic and social developments."
- Startup zone at the Fairs fosters start-ups
The 15th edition of the Spring Electronics Fair and ICT Expo will be held from 13-16 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The Startup zone, which debuted last year, will return with more than 100 start-ups from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Canada, Japan, Taiwan and the United States to present innovative technologies to global buyers.
To help start-ups gain entrepreneurial insights from experts, a series of start-up themed events, including Smart Launch sessions, sharing sessions and mentoring sessions, will be organised in collaboration with several start-up accelerators and incubators, including Angel Investment Foundation, Backer, Hello Reporter, Hong Kong Business Angel Network, HSBC, Inculab, Jumpstart, Qianhai International Liaison Services, StartHub and Techstars. Pitching sessions, Media Pitch Day and Investment Matchmaking will also be staged to help start-ups gain exposure and meet potential investors.
- Previewing the latest tech trends at the Spring Electronics Fair
As the largest spring electronics event in Asia, the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) this year will feature some 2,950 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions, with new exhibitors from Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico and Poland. Key electronics production centres such as the Chinese mainland, Korea and Taiwan will set up group pavilions. The Hall of Fame will showcase more than 570 internationally renowned brands, including Bourgini, Desay, Greatwall, HKC, Latitude, Roadrover, SKROSS, and Polaroid.
The Tech Hall returns with four thematic zones: Connected Home, which will showcase Internet of Things (IoT) applications for home automation; Robotics & Unmanned Tech, displaying the latest aerial cameras, electric scooters, industrial and household robots; Virtual Reality, which will feature a range of VR headsets, video cameras and related technology; as well as Wearable Electronics, showcasing a range of products such as smart watches and smart wristbands.
During the first three days of the fair (13-15 April), a series of seminars will be held under the "2018 Tech Trends Symposium," featuring industry experts who will examine issues such as the application of AI and robotics, smart home, wearable electronics, as well as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). Other events include Tesla electric vehicle test drives, robot demonstrations, launch pads and buyer forums to showcase the latest industry developments and product trends.
Hong Kong's electronics industry is the city's largest merchandise export earner, comprising 66.2 per cent of total exports valued at HK$2,567.4 billion in 2017, up nine per cent year on year. Most of the exports are high tech products, such as telecommunication equipment, semi-conductors and computer-related products.
- International ICT Expo explores smart city development
Running concurrently with the Spring Electronics Fair, the ICT Expo gathers products and business solutions in information, communication and technologies, featuring about 600 exhibitors from eight countries and regions.
Under the theme "Smart City: The Way of the Future," this year's Expo will debut a Smart City zone to showcase related solutions and applications. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) will present the government's Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint at the zone, mapping out development plans for the next five years. Exhibitors include Alicloud, Cisco, Hong Kong Airport Authority, Microsoft, NEC, PwC, Smart City Consortium, ZTE as well as top local research institutes, such as the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), Hong Kong R&D Centre for LSCM Enabling Technologies (LSCM), and the Automotive Parts and Accessory Systems R&D Centre (APAS).
The HKTDC will organise the Smart City Seminar Series with industry experts exploring hot topics, such as Internet security, Fintech, smart home, electronic ID, developing smart business through IoT applications, and how disruptive technology is driving smart city development.
SME IT Clinic will return to the ICT Expo, providing complimentary professional consultation services on ICT systems and solutions to help SMEs enhance business efficiency. The award winners of the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2018, organised by the OGCIO, will showcase quality products and solutions at the fair.
Hong Kong's total exports of information technology (computer and parts) totalled HK$404.1 billion, up 11 per cent year on year.
- Spring Lighting Fair showcases smart lighting products with four new zones
The 10th edition of the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) will be held from 6-9 April, with more than 1,350 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions expected to take part this year, including new participants from Canada, India, Macau and Malaysia. Companies from Jiangmen, Henglan, Shunde, Gaoyou and the Zhongshan Semiconductor Lighting Industry Association in the Chinese mainland will set up group pavilions. Four new thematic zones will launch this year, namely Horticultural Lighting, Residential Lighting, Technical Lighting and Urban & Architectural Lighting.
With the advent of IoT, governments have been keen to promote smart city development, including smart lighting. The Smart Lighting & Solution zone, launched last year, returns to highlight the latest trends and showcase smart lighting systems, remote control, accessories and fixtures. The Hall of Aurora will feature top-notch brands to showcase their high-quality lighting fixtures and solutions. Leading brands taking part in the zone include Tuya Smart, TCL and MLS Co. Together with other thematic zones, the fair gathers a wide range of lighting products, technology and solutions to cater for the various sourcing needs of global buyers.
The Asian Lighting Forum 2018, to be held on the first day of the fair (6 April), will gather experts and professional organisations, including Bluetooth Special Interest Group, Microsoft, CREE, Phillips, OSRAM, and Highways Department, to discuss the daily-life applications of smart lighting, connected lighting and IoT, as well as the latest technologies and industry outlook. Another conference on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Lighting (7 April) will gather experts from companies, such as Alibaba AI Labs, iFLYTEK, JD Smart, Tuya, Yeelight and ZTE, to share insights. A series of seminars, launch pads and buyer forums will also be organised to facilitate industry exchange.
Hong Kong's total exports of lighting products exceeded HK$9.7 billion in 2017, up 2.6 per cent year on year. A number of markets recorded satisfactory performance, including the United States, the Chinese mainland, the Netherlands and Thailand.
