Canton Fair helps enterprises achieve qualitative leaps

Canton Fair helps enterprises achieve qualitative leaps

In films set in Europe and America, manors and courtyards are common elements, with people gathering around a grill chatting and eating being a frequent sight. Inspired by these scenes and bolstered by onsite market investigations, Fuzhou Top Quality Ceramic Technology Co Ltd was established.

Since its founding in 2014, the company, which specializes in outdoor ceramic grills, has aimed to become a world-class supplier of ceramic grills. From the outset, its target market was precisely positioned in Europe and America. For an export-oriented company seeking to efficiently enter the international high-end market, participating in the China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, is undoubtedly an efficient way.

“The Canton Fair is an important channel for China’s foreign trade and an essential platform for companies to showcase their capabilities and achieve cooperation. We have long dreamed of exhibiting at the Canton Fair, and this time we finally have our own independent booth. This is the biggest achievement since the company was founded,” said Su Jianmin, deputy general manager of the company, at the 135th Canton Fair.

Su had every reason to be pleased — on the first day of the exhibition, the company’s booth was visited by numerous buyers expressing strong purchasing intentions. Over 30 buyers arranged further discussions, signaling the start of more business collaborations and market expansions.

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‘We decided to exhibit without any hesitation’

In its early days, Fuzhou Top Quality Ceramic Technology focused intensely on research and development. After refining their outdoor ceramic grills, the company shifted its focus to international market expansion. Lacking the qualifications to exhibit at the Canton Fair at the time, it had to travel worldwide, attending various overseas trade shows to explore foreign trade channels.

“The results were there, but the process was very arduous, prone to fraud, and costly. These factors combined made overseas exhibitions a reluctant choice,” said Su, adding that this reluctant choice was not sustainable in the long run.

Fuzhou Top Quality Ceramic Technology refocused on the Canton Fair, meeting the exhibition requirements through persistent efforts, and eventually achieved sufficient export performance to qualify for a booth. However, Su was surprised when, despite their successful application, the booth was not immediately granted.

Local commerce department officials explained that due to the large number of outstanding enterprises in Fujian and the limited booth resources at the Canton Fair, companies often have to queue for a spot even if they are qualified. The commerce department would do its best to secure more booths for local companies.

Just before the 134th Canton Fair, Su finally received good news — the company could participate, but not with an independent booth. They had to share an outdoor booth with other local companies, in a relatively remote location.

“Despite this, we decided to exhibit without any hesitation,” Su said, “I knew that many well-known companies that grew at the Canton Fair had similar experiences.” At this Canton Fair, she had her first intensive interactions with sincere buyers from around the world, opening up several untapped overseas markets with surprising results.

Equipping company to soar in global market

The invaluable experience of participating in the Canton Fair not only rapidly expanded Fuzhou Top Quality Ceramic Technology’s overseas sales channels, but also equipped the company to tailor its products to international market needs.

“At overseas exhibitions, picky buyers often walked away without any feedback if our products didn’t meet their requirements. At the Canton Fair, however, many buyers had a strong willingness to cooperate, patiently discussing ways to improve product details and quality with us, and even visiting our company for onsite inspections. This benefited us greatly and led to many collaborations.”

Su provided two examples. At the 134th Canton Fair, a German buyer showed interest in the company’s products and used a portable measuring instrument to check the moisture content of the ceramic grills. When the measurement showed 16 percent, the buyer suggested reducing it to below 12 percent to prevent expansion or mold during sea transportation and storage. Su promptly instructed her R&D team to address this issue, and they resolved it in a short time.

Another American buyer, after expressing purchase intentions, visited the company with Su. While testing the product, he used bamboo charcoal to light the grill, which took nearly half an hour, whereas charcoal ignited quickly. Both parties realized that while bamboo charcoal was excellent, it was only suitable for adding after the fire was lit. This experience provided the company with valuable insights for future product demonstrations.

“From outdoor booths to indoor booths, from shared displays to individual displays, the evolution of our booth at the Canton Fair reflects the evolution of our company. Through exhibiting, our product market adaptability and transaction outcomes have significantly improved,” said Su. “Next, we will strive for a branded booth. With the support of the Canton Fair platform, our company’s development is sure to achieve qualitative leaps.”