SINGAPORE — Texcare Forum Singapore, an affiliated event of Texcare Asia, concluded successfully in early November, welcoming more than 200 delegates from 11 countries and regions, reports show organizers Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. and the China Light Industry Machinery Association.
The Forum took place here Nov. 9-10, consisting of a full-day conference addressing Southeast Asian market conditions and demands, as well as a factory visit to three local laundry plants.
“The Texcare Forum is an integral part of Texcare Asia, which is renowned for offering a wealth of opportunities through business networking and knowledge exchange,” says Richard Li, general manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. “In the past, similar events were successfully held in Hong Kong and Macau to connect industry players and foster understanding of the two cities’ laundry markets.
“This year’s Forum was strategically held in Singapore, a promising market landscape that benefits from rapid regional economic growth. The synergistic collaboration of both the exhibition and Forum under the Texcare brand encouraged industry peers to capitalize on market opportunities and reshape the business agenda of the industry altogether.”
Organizers say the Forum was supported by the Singaporean government. Lim Swee Say, the government’s minister for manpower, was the guest of honor. Say shared the current industry conditions and challenges posed by the progressive shortage in manpower and an aging workforce, according to organizers.
The event was also fostered by two Singaporean organizations: Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and the TCA Textile Care Training Centre, as well as backed by VDMA Garment and Leather Technology from Germany.
Collectively, more than 200 local and international industry professionals from equipment manufacturers, laundry and drycleaning businesses, hotel and healthcare sectors, research institutes and public agencies were in attendance.
Gilbert Tan, CEO of e2i, says, “In today’s fast-changing business environment, innovative ideas to improve productivity are one of the key differentiators and catalysts to progress in a new manpower-lean landscape. Understanding the fact that SMEs (small and medium enterprises) are an integral part of our economy, e2i is committed to act as an enabler to assist progressive SMEs in redesigning jobs and tapping into technologies to transform.
“We are pleased that Texcare Forum Singapore is a truly international platform that connects us with the overseas experts, who are potentially our partners helping us take our businesses to the next level.”
Representing the commercial laundry business in Singapore, Poh Wee Yong, assistant general manager, projects and engineering, of Systematic Laundry & Uniform Services Pte. Ltd., shared his insights on the topic of Reinventing Laundry Business with RFID Technology. He was impressed by the results, say organizers.
“It is our pleasure to give a presentation on our views at Texcare Forum Singapore, which is so well organized. Besides delivering my speech, I can learn about what is going on around Asia by meeting participants from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and around the world. The panel discussion also encourages us to set goals of what needs to be established now,” says Yong.
“It is essential to meet a pool of suppliers since they may have different strengths. And through this Forum, leading suppliers are gathered under one roof so that we can better understand how new solutions work and explore the possibility of having different systems and equipment integrated and applied in our factories. The Forum is very rewarding.”
In addition to the focus on the Singapore market, the Forum invited speakers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia to deliver the market overview of their respective countries. Virgilio Sia, chairman and CEO of Versia Corp. in the Philippines, was one of the members in the lineup.
“The laundry business in my country is in an early development stage. Texcare Forum Singapore serves as a valuable chance to elaborate on our expectations, particularly from the hotel suppliers’ point-of-view, to numerous industry peers and potential partners,” he says. “The event is interactive, and I have had interesting conversations with many attendees who gave me feedback on my speech. As a newcomer in the industry, there is a lot for me to learn and I am glad that I have actually learned a lot during the event.”
Coupled with the Forum, a networking area was set up in the neighboring hall to offer manufacturers and sales agents an extended sales opportunity, organizers say.
Long-term exhibitor at Texcare Asia, Jiangsu Sea-lion Machinery Group (Corp.) from China, also signed up for this event. Congxun Wu, the company’s general sales manager, says, “Texcare Asia is a significant communication platform, which enables us to reach our existing partners and meet new ones.
“Since the exhibition takes place every two years, we are delighted that the Forum is held in between each edition to help us maintain and even expand our sales network in some specific regions in Asia. During the event, I have talked to several existing local clients to learn about their feedback. It means a lot to our development and through this activity we can collect their in-depth ideas in an easy and timely manner.”
After Singapore, Shanghai will once again become the focus of the international laundry and drycleaning industry, as the next edition of Texcare Asia is set to commence at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in China. Running Sept. 27-29, 2017, the fair is expected to occupy an expansive space of almost 183,000 square feet, housing around 160 exhibitors from around the world, say show organizers.
Texcare Asia is a biennial event organized by Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. and the China Light Industry Machinery Association. It is also a sister event of Texcare International.
Every four years, Texcare International, the World Market for Modern Textile Care, provides an international venue for the textile care sector in Frankfurt, Germany. The next edition of Texcare International is scheduled for June 20-24, 2020.
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