China Glass Bigger, More International Than Past Years

The 23th China International Glass Industry Technology Exhibition of 2012, at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Shanghai, China, was a clear improvement over the past shows, according to attendees."The show is going well for Glasstech with customers continuing to show interest in our automotive products," says Jay K. Molter, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Glasstech Inc. in Perrysburg, Ohio. "There has been particular interest in our Auto Glass Inspector system as well as our EPB-L Press Form windshield system and the normal amount of high interest in our Deep Bend 4 system for backlites. The conflict with the Chinese holiday has perhaps decreased traffic somewhat, but we have still had quite a few of our Chinese customers visit us this week."Eric Mi, China market development and applications manager at Solutia, agrees. "Despite the holiday period this week, the 23rd China Glass exposition is larger than ever, with additional halls added to the footprint of the show to accommodate the growth in exhibiting companies," he says. "What strikes me is how the exposition has really grown into an international event with visitors not only from China and the broader Asia Pacific region, but from Italy, the U.S., France, Germany and Brazil as well."The booths are bigger and more sophisticated than past China Glass shows, says Earnest Thompson, director of corporate marketing and brand management for Guardian Industries of Auburn Hills, Mich., "in size, dazzle and presentation, like glasstec," he says.According to Douglas Dame of Dame Associates in Brighton, Mass., the North American agent of the show, approximately 13 North American companies are exhibiting in the North American pavilion. "That´s not to say that there aren´t more North American companies at the show," he says.Products being exhibited at China Glass this year include glass products and applications, production machines and lines for float and container glass, equipment for processing glass, solar glass and processing equipment, and refractories, raw materials and subsidiary materials, according to the China Glass website.Seminars at the show included a variety of topics, such as coating and color inspection, development of tempering technology, domestic situation and development of structural glazing and response to national energy saving and low carbon policy in the glass industry. 13.04.2012, China Glass