With stock prices falling and many global financial institutions struggling to survival, where can you find one sector which remains committed to “going up”? Well you could turn your eyes to Suzhou, the eastern city that is currently host to the 2009 China Elevators and Accessories Expo.
About 30 elevator manufacturers and 100 accessory makers have gathered in Suzhou for the four-day event. Architects, specifiers, construction firms and government officials have been joined.
In recent years, Suzhou, located in the Jiangsu province, has been seen the growth of its elevator and associated industries. The city, once considered as the “Venice of the east”, is now the gathering place to a lot of elevator manufacturers, including many top companies in this field.
This year’s expo runs from March 25 to 28 and has 15,000 sq m of exhibition space. There are two different sections-elevators and accessories-and this year they will focusing on safety, energy-saving and environmental protection.
“Just like other sectors, the elevator business has met many difficulties which brought on by the financial crisis. And we hope that the expo will bring some ‘warmth’ to the industry,” said one of the events organizers.
The Suzhou city government adds some of this “warmth”. The government took the conference as the opportunity to unveil many new business initiatives, hoping to help companies in the city to go through the difficulties. The local government also assists many companies to attend the 2009 event.
One of the main purpose of the conference was a specially matchmaking session. Exhibitors and visiting delegates from the real estate sector would be paired and introduced by their needs, specialties and technical resources.
The result of the introductions caused a series of discussions concerning developments in the sector and brought many new business opportunities. Many participants considered the initiative as a “huge success” and brought a great opportunity for developing business partnerships.
Other initiatives included a joint seminar with housing contractors and elevator manufacturers and a session considering the protocols of bidding for new contracts in the sector. The reception for both initiative was described an “overwhelmingly positive”.
The executive vice mayor of Suzhou, Cao Fulong, mentioned that the city’s long connection with the elevator industry can date back to the 1970s.
After 40 years’ association, the city’s elevator production has been huge. It has also brought prosperous to a cluster of ancillary businesses.
“Today Suzhou supplies nearly one third of China’s elevators. The city also supplies one third of the national total of handrail elevator of all non-handrail accessories,” said Cao.
“The city plays a key role in China’s elevator sector and its related businesses. Its success attracts many foreign elevator manufacturers.
“This expo will further drive the growth of the elevator industry in Suzhou and the Yangtze River Delta region.
It will also provide a important opportunities for companies that are trying to go out of the current depressed state of the business sector.”
City statistics
Located in the center of the Yangtze River Delta, Suzhou covers an area of 8,488 sq km and has a population of 6.29 million.
It has long been established as one of the primary cultural and tourism centers in China.
It has a history that can be traced back more than 2,500 years, but it has also emerged as a modern manufacturing and hi-tech city.
In 2008, the city’s total registered foreign investment reached $16.3 billion, ranking it as number one among China’s large and mediumsized cities.
Its industrial output hit 2.2 trillion yuan last year, taking it to second place in the city group.
Its foreign trade volume surged to $228.5 billion in 2008, establishing it as number three in the city group.
Its local revenue hit 66.89 billion yuan, placing fourth in its group.
Its total GDP reached 670.1 billion yuan last year, ranking it as fifth overall in its group.
A total of 128 out of the Fortune 500 companies now have a presence in the city.
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