Jointly organised by Messe Frankfurt and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 14th Eco Expo Asia was held in Hong Kong from 30 October to 2 November at AsiaWorld-Expo, welcoming over some 10,600 visitors from 93 countries and regions.
With 51 per cent of visitors coming from outside of Hong Kong, Asia’s leading industry event for environmental protection displayed the region’s strong and unwavering appetite for environmental technologies and products.
Under the theme “Less Carbon, Less Waste • Green Innovation”, the 2019 expo showcased innovative green solutions developed by over 300 exhibitors from 17 countries and regions to promote environmental protection, waste reduction and energy efficiency. The official launch of the Greater Bay Area Environmental Industry Alliance placed great importance on the sustainable development of a green low-carbon economy in Hong Kong and Mainland China, while the Greater Bay Area zone gathered near 100 exhibitors from all nine municipalities, as well as Hong Kong and Macao, to present the latest environmental technologies and a comprehensive range of green products.
More highlighted zones at the expo included the test driving of an electric truck at the Green Transportation zone, and the Startup zone, which featured 18 startups which attracted potential buyers and investors with their inspiring green technologies. International exhibitors from Austria, Canada, Europe and Switzerland also participated at the expo to connect with local and overseas visitors, especially those from within the Greater Bay Area. Despite the recent public incidents in Hong Kong, exhibitors reflected that visitor flow and quality were better than expected, with a significant number of visitors coming from outside of Hong Kong and the opportunity to reach a variety of target clients, from government officials to property developers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs.
Eco Asia Conference discussed cross-industry environmental innovation
Throughout the three-day Eco Asia Conference, industry experts presented new innovative ways for governments and corporations to address pressing environmental concerns while achieving sustainability goals and boosting business opportunities in the environmental sector. In particular, many speakers emphasised the role of green technologies in the development of circular economies that applies to different industries.
Ir Cary Chan, Executive Director of Hong Kong Green Building Council, said that the conference was an ideal platform showcasing how innovative technologies and government policies can work together to promote environmental protection: “By combining support from professionals, governments and investors, a great driving force can be formed. People may have been slow in showing concern for the environmental industry in Asia, but now the demand for environmental protection has finally exploded, and this demand will only increase more and more in the coming years.”
Ms Carmen Ng, Director of Sustainability at Langham Hospitality Group, also commented on how she was surprised by the full-house audience for her conference session: “This shows the importance of our theme. People are eager to learn about environmental protection. The audience asked very relevant questions, and I hope my answers were helpful and gave them some inspiration. The conference is an enjoyable, dedicated platform for conversations about environmental protection to take place. Most importantly, it’s free for industry experts to participate in and learn about new products and solutions!”
Asia’s leading Eco Expo recognised by returning and new exhibitors
“We are organising the Swiss Pavilion for the seventh time. Hong Kong is a very important market and also the financial and business centre of Asia. Hong Kong attracts people from the whole of Asia. It is a very modern city which has put a lot of efforts to solve different waste and water problems. My clients told me that Eco Expo Asia is good in terms of the visitor flow and quality, and they can meet many target buyers here. Our companies made some good contacts on the first day,” states Mr Urs Heutschi, CEO, Swissenviro.ch (Switzerland).
“This is our first time participating in Eco Expo Asia and we have brought some LED lighting and solar energy solutions. Visitor feedback has been positive. We have met some buyers from Kuwait, Iceland and Germany. I think 75% of visitors are from outside of Hong Kong. I think the green-tech industry here in Hong Kong has a tremendous future and many opportunities. Also, Hong Kong has a fabulous geographical location that connects us with worldwide customers. We will certainly be back next year,” states Mr Job van der Noord, Managing Director, JNLED (The Netherlands)
High-value business meetings and latest market trends for buyers
“My first day was quite successful and I will continue my negotiations during the fair. I visited eight companies today – I’m expecting to get emails with very interesting news from them. We have visited a lot of places in Southeast Asia and Mainland China recently, and I think Hong Kong is worth visiting. If you want to find new things and business development, you have to come here. The development in Southeast Asia is so rapid, it can speed up your activities as well,” states Mr György Kovách, Sales Director, Kis-Izolátor (Hungary)
“We came to visit Eco Expo Asia because we want to know the latest market trends and technologies in the green-tech development field. Apart from waste-to-energy products, we are also looking for waste management solutions. The business matching programme is very useful for me as a buyer. Before the fair started, the organiser sent us information about some potential business partners. This saved us a lot of time in screening suitable suppliers, and we could schedule immediate and high-value meetings with the exhibitors,” states Mr Du Zhong Wen, General Manager, Guangdong Canvest New Energy Investment (Mainland China).
The next edition of Eco Expo Asia will be held from 28 to 31 October 2020 at AsiaWorld-Expo.
Source: Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
