Global teamwork makes Chinese Pavilions possible

With the IWA OutdoorClassics, the starting signal was given at the beginning of March for presence fairs 2022 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Center. Among the total of 856 exhibitors from 53 countries, 21 companies from China were also on site in a joint stand. The "Chinese Pavilion" showed that, thanks to the digital transformation of NürnbergMesse and the flexibility of all those involved, successful participation in presence exhibitions is possible even under difficult conditions.

After participating in the exhibition in Nuremberg, the Chinese exhibitors were threatened with three weeks of quarantine - too high a hurdle. So that they could still present their new products in Nuremberg, they found two solutions together with NürnbergMesse: While 18 exhibitors had themselves represented by their partners from Europe and North America, three exhibitors opted for a hybrid model.

Here, the exhibitors were present with their products without being physically present themselves. Initial contact with visitors was made by trained booth staff, and all on-site questions were answered via video chat by staff in China during the show. "The exhibitors with remote participation achieved a good result with the support of the staff on site," knows Ivy Kang, Assistant Marcom Manager at NürnbergMesse China. "The impact exceeded expectations, and they plan to use this service again in 2023 if travel restrictions prevent their in-person participation again then."

The Chinese Pavilion was organized by the subsidiary NürnbergMesse China. As a service provider, they standardized the construction planning of the exhibition stands, supported the exhibitors in the preparation of their exhibition appearance and in the forwarding of the exhibition goods. At "normal times", the colleagues from NürnbergMesse China would be in Nuremberg during the construction and the exhibition to look after the exhibitors. That was not feasible this time.

"That's where we came in," says Annika Bernhardt from the International Pavilions department. "After our colleagues helped us several times in the past two years with the implementation of joint stands of the German federal government and the German states in Shanghai, we didn't have to think twice when NürnbergMesse China asked us for support. At IWA, I myself took over the support of the Chinese exhibitors on the last set-up day and during the exhibition. The personal exchange and the daily presence with the exhibitors were positively received and made it possible to quickly clarify any questions that arose." This support will continue at events with Chinese participation as long as the strict travel regulations remain in force.

Other exhibitions at the Nuremberg site did not have to do without Chinese Pavilions either. At the unique "Summer Edition" of BIOFACH and VIVANESS at the end of July, NürnbergMesse China drummed up publicity for the upcoming BIOFACH CHINA in November on a stand with six co-exhibitors, while a hostess introduced the other companies to the visitors. The hand-in-hand principle also worked for two other Chinese booths with staff from the USA and Italy respectively and support from colleagues from the International Pavilions department.

The track record in spring and summer was rounded off by the participation of Chinese companies at EUROGUSS and embedded world (five exhibitors each) and FENSTERBAU FRONTALE (eight exhibitors), another "Summer Edition".