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IE expo Guangzhou focusing on the environmental sector in South China was relaunched successfully—an important milestone for the environmental technology sector in China and a clear signal for the reinvigorating long-term market perspectives after COVID-19. 401 exhibitors provided insights into innovative technologies and sustainable environmental solutions in the fields of water, waste, soil and air. 20,399 visitors participated in the trade fair which was held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex (Canton Fair Complex) from September 16 to 18, 2020.

During the event’s opening ceremony, Mr. Jianbo MAI, President of Guangdong Environmental Protection Industry Association emphasized: “IE expo Guangzhou has become the leading and most important environmental protection show in South China. It has played a positive role in promoting the cooperation between the Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao, the Pan Pearl River Delta region and the Belt and Road areas.”

Orientation and business opportunities

Due to the domestic and foreign economy crisis, the trade situation and the work shutdown—with enterprises encountering different degrees of challenges in their business—COVID-19 meant strong distortions also for the Chinese environmental protection industry. Gang Jiang, Managing Director of Messe Muenchen Zhongmao Co., Ltd. was confident: "IE expo Guangzhou 2020 was the first exhibition for the environmental technology industry in South China after the epidemic. The smooth restart rebuilds the industry’s confidence. And the gathering delivered valuable orientation and business opportunities in turbulent times." 
The event saw a strong participation: 401 exhibitors showcased solutions and innovative technologies along the entire environmental technology industry chain, including water, waste, soil and air.

Shufeng Zou, Executive Vice President of Infore Environment Technology Group Stock Co., Ltd. was satisfied: “This year, IE expo Guangzhou was of great significance, as it was a major industry gathering after the epidemic. With the gradual recovery of enterprise productivity, this time, we presented the latest intelligent sanitation small equipment combined with 5G and AI technology. We also met many executives, customers and partners in this industry. In short, this show was an exceptionally good platform to exchange ideas, learn, and do business.”

Professional buyers with a strong need

The domestic economy has entered a strong recovery phase. Several political initiatives—such as for construction of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay areas or for economic internal circulation—are boosting infrastructure and public services investments, which are driving the demand for ecological environment governance in South China.
IE expo Guangzhou 2020 attracted a total of 20,399 visitors and more than 20 group buyers, for example of ecological environment bureaus of major prefecture level cities in Guangdong Province and from the chemical, electronics, printing, coating sectors.
Mr. Xiaoming LV, Executive Vice President of Guangdong Environmental Testing Association commented: “In the special period with COVID-19 epidemic not having completely disappeared, there were still so many exhibitors who presented their latest technologies and products. There was a large flow of visitors of high quality. The subjects of supporting program were very relevant to the current situation and hot issues. The Forum on Innovation and Technology of Ecological Environment in South China 2020 provided a good platform for all participants to explore the future of environmental protection technology as well as a good way to export our national environmental protection products via the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Mr. Wenmin ZOU, Purchasing Manager at P&G on his fruitful visit to the show: "We visit IE expo Guangzhou every year. This edition, there are still many environmental equipment manufacturers. Last year, we purchased a set of equipment on site, we therefore had different demands this year. We were more focusing on soil remediation solutions. We have built connections with several potential suppliers. In addition to the exhibition, we participated in the supporting program, and the experts’ suggestions and ideas will be helpful during the sludge treatment process.”

Upgraded supporting program for valuable exchange

This year, the "Forum on Innovation and Technology of Ecological Environment in South China 2020” was added to the supporting program. The session on "The Belt and Road Initiative: International Environmental Innovation and Entrepreneurship” discussed technical innovation in the ecological environment and in the environmental protection industry mode as well as the opportunities of the green "One Belt and One Road" initiative and the ecological environment protection in the Great Bay area. Organizers were the China Environmental Science Society, the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Guangdong Society of Environmental Sciences and the Guangdong Association of Environmental Protection Industry. 662 well-known experts were involved.
Besides the summit forum, there were 20 sub-forums and technical seminars with 178 sessions and nearly 2000 professionals in the audience. Among the organizers were the Guangdong Provincial Department of Ecological Environment, the Forum on the Model of Garbage Classification in Guangdong and the Forum on Frontier Technology of Kitchen Waste Treatment in Guangzhou 2020.

Next IE expo in Chengdu in October

The environmental protection market in Western China has also strong market potential and IE expo Chengdu matches the need for professional exchange to drive the further development. The event’s second edition of the trade fair will be held from October 13 to 15 in the Western China International Expo City. Supporters include the Chengdu Municipal People's government, Chengdu Ecological Environment Bureau and Chengdu Expo Bureau.

 IFAT worldwide

Messe München’s competence in organizing environmental-technology events is demonstrated not only in the world´s leading trade fair for the sector, IFAT, but also in a range of other international trade exhibitions around the world. The spectrum encompasses IFAT Africa in Johannesburg, IFAT Eurasia in Istanbul, IFAT India in Mumbai, as well as IE expo in Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Messe München

Messe München is one of the leading exhibition organizers worldwide with more than 50 of its own trade shows for capital goods, consumer goods and new technologies. Every year, a total of over 50,000 exhibitors and around three million visitors take part in more than 200 events at the exhibition center in Munich, at the ICM – Internationales Congress Center München and the MOC Veranstaltungscenter München as well as abroad. Together with its subsidiary companies, Messe München organizes trade shows in China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria, Vietnam and Iran. With a network of associated companies in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America as well as around 70 representations abroad for over 100 countries, Messe München has a global presence.

Messe Muenchen Zhongmao Co., Ltd. (MM-ZM)

Messe Muenchen Zhongmao Co., Ltd., a joint venture of Messe München and Shanghai ZM International Exhibition Co. Ltd., is founded as a professional company organizing large-scale international exhibitions. As the organizer of the IE expo shows, Messe Muenchen Zhongmao Co., Ltd. has good professional experience and customer resources and also integrates resources of buyers, associations and media to build a business-to-business platform for environmental industry.

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