These are difficult times but, for some, they are times of opportunity too. It’s a cliché, easy to say but harder to do and yet ..... it’s true. At APLF we will continue to offer everyone in our industry the very best opportunities to meet and greet new customers and suppliers, and retain personal contact with old friends. For Fashion Access (and for APLF - Materials, Manufacturing and Technology too), we are committed to offering more of the very best facilities, which is why we refer to them as The Growing Shows.
And there are companies out there who appreciate the opportunities offered by a truly multi-national trade exhibition. Luen Fung, a major producer of cow hides, based in Hong Kong and with factories in China, are expanding their booth size for the up-coming 2009 MM&T event. The company acknowledges that times are hard but they have confidence in the future.
In fact, this confidence in the future is quite widespread, surprisingly so perhaps given the messages of gloom and doom that appear everywhere. Fully 85% of exhibition space has been booked already in Fashion Access and 80% in MM&T. For any doubters here are seven opportunities for companies to benefit because of (or despite) any economic slowdown.
Many footwear companies are considering new markets in Asia. There are some basic considerations to consider. In ‘General product characteristics and guidelines for exporting footwear to China and other Asian countries’ we cover some of the most important.
The theme of opportunity extends to Prime Source Forum, held concurrently alongside both Fashion Access and MM&T (March 31 - April 2, 2009 in Hong Kong), where the mood is decidedly bullish. Here’s the heading, ‘Financial Turmoil? Turn Risk into Opportunity’.
If you ship leather products from Asia to North America or European markets it’s likely you have encountered mould. The recent scare over fungicides associated with leather furniture has added to the problem.
Help is on the way.
BLC held its first Mould Workshop recently and, it was so successful, that a second half-day event will be held in Hong Kong on January 21, 2009.
