PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2016

TRADE SHOW PREVIEW 18 PET planet insider Vol. 17 No. 12/16 www.petpla.net From South Africa to China to India Drinktec overseas trade fairs 2016 by Kay Barton After more than 20 years at its Beijing location, the China Brew China Beverage (CBB) took place at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai for the first time this year. Over 53,000 visitors came to find out more about technologies and trends in the sector from around 800 national and international exhibitors. The impression given by the event at its new setting was deemed to be positive and supports the decision to relocate to Shanghai and the modern exhibition centre. Of the 81,000m 2 of space, 23,000m 2 was occupied by 265 international companies. Messe München (Munich Trade Fair) and its subsidiary Messe München Shanghai (MM Shanghai) organising the international exhibitors area. PETplanet: Mr Kosak, it’s great that you’ve found the time for a brief discus- sion and low-down at this busy trade fair. In terms of your job, how have you found the year 2016 so far? Kosak: 2016 is certainly a chal- lenge because of the three trade fairs that take place in quick succession between September and December: fdt, CBB and dti. Without an efficient team in Munich and on site - Johannesburg, Shanghai and Mumbai - these events wouldn’t be possible. PETplanet: Participants appear to have been impressed by CBB’s new location. Tell us more about the back- ground and reasons for the move from Beijing to Shanghai. Kosak: The trade fair was held in Beijing from 1995 to 2014. The decision to relocate to Shanghai – especially after such a long time in one place – was understandably considered a brave step by Beijing Zhongqing Heli Inter- national Exhibition, our local trade fair partner. Because of its location and its role as a hub for Asia, Shanghai offers far more opportunities and potential, to both local and international exhibitors. PETplanet: Is it not true that when it comes to planning and holding such an event, the organisers need to have good intercultural skills? Kosak: The event’s success is ultimately due to the excellent col- laboration between our two teams: Messe München and Messe München Shanghai. I can also say that our col- leagues in China have become our friends and that both organisations have merged successfully together. PETplanet: How have your per- suasive efforts been rewarded, here and now? Kosak: We have seen clear growth at this year’s CBB. One thing we have achieved is that 1/4 of the total space of CBB is occupied by international exhibitors. And that´s the part we are responsible for. So I think we did a great job in 2016. PETplanet: How have your exhibi- tors responded to the new environ- ment, now that you have been able to gather your first experiences on site? Kosak: Everyone with whom we have spoken is happy! The logistics, in particular, have been found to be better than in Beijing. Everything has gone excellently. And this is the same as the feedback that we’ve had from both our international exhibitors as well as the Chinese companies who are exhibiting here. The stand concepts, primarily those of the local exhibitors, reflect the importance of We were visited at the PETplanet stand by Markus Kosak who was, as exhibition director for foreign trade fairs for the beverage technology at Messe München, together with the Messe München Shanghai subsidi- ary, in charge to organise the interna- tional part of the CBB show. He has become something of a key fixture at Messe München where he has now been working for 11 years. Kosak first became visible in 2007 as part of the team for Drinktec 2009, the worlds leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry. He had his first contact with CBB in Beijing in 2010; in 2012 he was appointed Exhibition Manager and was made responsible for CBB. He was part of the Drinktec team in 2013 but then moved over completely into foreign trade fairs. In 2014 he managed both the debut of food & drink technology Africa (fdt) in Johannesburg as well as CBB and was appointed Exhibition Director for foreign trade fairs at the start of 2015. Now Markus Kosak manages CBB and fdt, as well as drink technology India (dti) which takes place every two years and will be running this year from December 15-17 in Mumbai. PETplanet will act as partner in the organisation of the Exhibitor Forum and the Round Table Talks during which the sector is discussed. Markus Kosak, Project Manager overseas drinktec trade fairs