Reed and CFTC join hands to put on a better show

UK exhibition service provider Reed Exhibitions signed a strategic alliance agreement in Shanghai with China's largest exhibition venue operator in terms of building area in China on Jan 13.

Reed says the agreement with the State-owned China Foreign Trade Center will strengthen its operations in the Chinese market. CFTC is the owner of the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center and the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center, and the total building area of the two venues spans 2.6 million square meters.

According to Reed, the two parties will conduct regular executive meetings, share resources and cultivate professional talent, as well as cooperate on exhibition projects.

"The new strategic alliance agreement between Reed Exhibitions and the China Foreign Trade Center is 'a powerful statement of intent' between two strong partners with one common goal to continue building world- leading exhibition events in China," said Mike Rusbridge, chairman and chief executive officer of Reed Exhibitions.

"This new partnership will prove mutually beneficial with the joint projects that we intend to undertake together in China. This alliance will remain instrumental to the modernization and sustained success of the industry," added Rusbridge.

Rusbridge revealed that Reed's three medical and healthcare industry events, the China International Medical Equipment Fair, API China and PHARM China, will be held at National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai for the first time this May.

Wang Zhiping, the chairman of CFTC said the alliance is a good opportunity for CFTC to learn from a foreign company in areas such as overseas expansion and online business.

Currently, Reed organizes over 500 events in 43 countries and it is expanding quickly in e-commerce sector. Rusbridge said in 2014 that Reed plans to increase its investment so all its exhibitions are available online so people can make appointments, and find and talk to buyers and sellers without having to visit an exhibition in person.