Organized 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 April 6 to 9, while the Spring Electronics Fair and the concurrent International ICT Expo will be staged from April 13 to 16. The three fairs will gather a total of 4,900 exhibitors from around the world to showcase a range of innovative products and cutting-edge technologies.
Exports for electronics, ICT & Lighting Products Are Up
“As the global economy improves, Hong Kong’s exports figures for electronics, ICT (computers & parts), and lighting products in 2017 saw significant growth,” says 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 organize approximately 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 2,000 products will be available in minimum order quantities of between 5 to 1,000 pieces. The Zone works in conjunction with an online trading platform (http://smallorders.hktdc.com) to facilitate negotiation and buyer sourcing.
Innovation and technology are a huge driving force behind Hong Kong’s economic growth, according to Chau. The recent Hong Kong Government Policy Address & 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,” Chau states. “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.”
Spring Lighting Fair Adds 4 Zones, Showcases Smart Lighting
The 10th edition of the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) will be held April 6 to 9 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.
Four new thematic zones will launch this year: Horticultural Lighting, Residential Lighting, Technical Lighting, and Urban & Architectural 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. Together with other thematic zones, the fair gathers a wide range of lighting products, technology, and solutions to cater to the various sourcing needs of global buyers.
The Asian Lighting Forum 2018 will be held on the first day of the fair (April 6) and will gather experts and professional organizations, 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.
A conference on Artificial Intelligence and Smart Lighting on April 7 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 organized to facilitate industry exchange.
Hong Kong’s total exports of lighting products exceeded HK$9.7 billion in 2017, up 2.6 percent year on year. A number of markets recorded satisfactory performance, including the U.S., the Chinese mainland, the Netherlands, and Thailand.
Popular Start-Ups Zone Returns to Electronics Fair & ICT Expo
The 15th edition of the Spring Electronics Fair and ICT Expo will be held from April 13 to 16 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The Start-Up Zone, which debuted last year, will return with more than 100 start-ups from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S. 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 organized 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.
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 2,950 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions, with new exhibitors from Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, and Poland. Key electronics production centers such as the Chinese mainland, Korea, and Taiwan will set up group pavilions. The Hall of Fame will showcase 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 (April 13 to 15), 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.
ICT Expo Explores Smart City Development
Running concurrently with the Spring Electronics Fair, the ICT Expo gathers products and business solutions in information, communications, and technologies, featuring 600 exhibitors from 8 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 organize 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.
