Paperworld China, one of the leading trade fairs in Asia for stationery, office supplies and hobby, arts and crafts supplies, will once again be fueled by strong participation from Chinese industry heavyweights. The 2021 show is set to take place from 15 – 17 October at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).
Organised by the China Stationery and Sporting Goods Association (CSSGA) and Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Paperworld China is the only trade fair in the domestic stationery industry that receives official support from the CSSGA, an influential national industry association in China.
In the eyes of many, the fair not only opens doors to new business opportunities, but it also drives the industry forward through its topical fringe programme on current and future market trends. As a consequence, many major Chinese exhibitors continue to support the show. This year, as early as May, the show has already drawn a large contingent of CSSGA members, covering almost all of the top Chinese brands, including: Beifa, Changjian Paper, Chinjoo, Comix, Deli, Guangbo, M&G, Magi-Wap, Snowhite, Sunwood, Unimass and Xingwei.
Ms Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, says: “Despite the challenges we faced at the 2020 show, we were pleased to see a good turnout and positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors, further cementing the fair’s position as one of the most important annual meeting places in the region. Our goal is to continue to create business opportunities within the industry by incorporating value-added services into the show in order to give more flexibility to suppliers and buyers. To align with the Chinese Government’s ‘dual circulation’ development plan in which domestic consumption and international trade mutually reinforce each other, we aim to make the business process easier for participants, for example via an online matchmaking programme which pairs up local and overseas suppliers and buyers.”
Three product zones and an interactive zone to satisfy various demands
The 2021 show will feature an interactive zone for workshops, art projects and education, as well as three themed product zones catering to the sourcing trends for their respective markets, namely: School Supplies, Art Supplies and Education, and Office Supplies.
The School Supplies Zone will host a diverse range of products including the latest learning apps and distance learning equipment. Furniture and lighting products for eye protection and healthcare will also be featured, reflecting growth in this segment as parents become more willing to invest in their children’s learning and well-being. Additionally, a special display area named “Future Classroom” will gather representatives of local primary and secondary schools as well as educational institutions to fulfil their sourcing needs and discuss the development of student stationery.
Exhibitors at the Art Supplies and Education Zone will showcase everything from drawing utensils and canvases to crayons and paints from both local and international brands. In line with the local government’s call to strengthen art training and education, the zone will see better product variety and welcome a wider scope of new buyers through cooperation with numerous art academies and training institutions. Delegation groups from these institutions will be invited to do their sourcing trips at Paperworld China and discuss the future direction of the art supplies market. As always, a diverse range of workshops and events at the zone are expected to attract attention, including painting, calligraphy and handicraft activities.
With online platforms becoming a convenient tool for purchasing stationery, school and office supplies, the Office Supplies Zone will set up a brand new live broadcasting area for exhibitors and suppliers to promote their products to potential buyers online. What’s more, in an effort to help local and overseas participants seize every possible online business opportunity, Paperworld China will collaborate with reputable Chinese e-commerce and video sharing platforms such as JD.com, Tmall, Xiaohongshu and Bilibili to further expand sales channels for manufacturers, suppliers and agents.
Despite these new digital offerings, personal interactions will remain paramount at Paperworld China. Helping industry players, designers, students, hobby and craft lovers as well as stationery enthusiasts find new ideas and inspiration, the Interactive Zone is expected to attract high foot traffic thanks to its variety of interactive workshops, art and craft classes, as well as thought-provoking fringe events addressing topical issues such as the latest government regulations on school supplies, new business models for the Chinese market and business strategy. The popular “Journal Show”, featuring a selection of high quality and stylish journals, will also be on display at the zone.
Another popular convergence point at Paperworld China will be the industry’s prestigious Best Stationery of China Awards, best known as the BSOC Awards, which receives a high level of industry recognition. Offering participants plenty of inspiration, the winning products of outstanding Chinese manufacturers will be on display throughout Paperworld China.
China represents an enormous market for both local and overseas stationery products
China has the largest education sector in the world. Currently there are about 270 million students enrolled in 514,000[1] educational institutions representing the core consumer groups of stationery and school supplies. The Chinese stationery and office supplies market is huge and has been expanding steadily. According to research[2], China’s stationery market reached USD 11 billion in 2019, of which student stationery accounted for USD 2.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.75%, while the office stationery market was valued at USD 8.3 billion, an increase of 4.4%. With ongoing improvements in the quality of Chinese products and the population’s increasing purchasing power, it is expected that the industry will continue to grow, with some forecasts exceeding USD 24 billion[3] by 2024.
[1] Ministry of Education, http://en.moe.gov.cn/news/press_releases/201812/t20181224_364525.html, published December 2018
[2] China Industry Information, https://www.chyxx.com/industry/202008/889582.html, retrieved August 2020
[3] China Industry Information, https://www.chyxx.com/research/202005/859042.html, published in 2020
