Participate in exhibition is a very interesting experience, it gave me chances to traveled to many countries, meet different people, food ,and culture.

• The first exhibition I have attended was Plasticasia in Bengaluru, India. There was a Japanese guy who ran into my booth, grabbed one of my sample and said, “I make this part as well”. then I leant that he’s a Japanese tier-1 automotive supplier in India. We started discussing and left contact information to each other. I received inquiry from him after I came back to Taiwan and we started our cooperation since then.
• The biggest exhibition I have attended was the K show in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is almost the biggest plastic show in the world and only happens per every 3 years, I was so fortunate that I had the chance to participate the show. And I got the chance to have a cooperation with Toshiba and Milacron. It also provided me a chance to go to the Kölner Dom, and it was so beautiful. The culture and food of Germany is very much different to Taiwan, and it was a great experience.

Exhibition is an assembly at particular time and place by people who are in common in particular aspect, it is a chance for participants to know each other and get very much new information in a very limited time period.

The exhibitors and visitors are the main role of an exhibition, the exhibitors show what they want to sell, and the visitors comes to what they are interested in. For international exhibitions, they could be divided into:

• International buyers (visitors) come to looks for local supplier (exhibitors)
• International supplier (exhibitors) come to looks for local customer (visitors)

Generally I am the second type of exhibitor who looks for more oversea customer for me and my suppliers in Taiwan.

Exhibitions are always surrounding to a particular subject such as art, product, technology……etc. Some exhibitions are limited to particular visitors since the subjects are not very popular to the public or the business model is B2B, normally it is about machinery, industry, particular field……etc. This is the exhibition type I was always attended, the subject of exhibitions is usually regarding plastic industry. The exhibitors are usually coming from injection molding machine makers (such as Engel, KM, Toshiba…etc.), Machinery makers (such as CNC machining, EDM, wire cut…etc.), mold makers like me. Many countries host this exhibition and I have been as an exhibitor in India, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Germany……etc. approximately ten countries.

After participated some exhibitions, there are some principles I will follow and hopefully it can give you some idea regarding the same.

• Bring a pad
  Prepare a pad full of introduction of your company in all aspect (such as mold making experience for automotive, furniture, thin wall…etc.), send the required information to your visitor during your conversation. Stop providing paper flyer to visitors. It is not a good idea any more in the perspective of cost and environmental protection, and really easy to be forgotten and throw away.

• Bring enough name card and notebook
  One of the major purposes of exhibition is to exchange information. Name card is the fastest way which helps you to provide your most important which is contact information to the people you meet, and you will receive name card from the people you meet. Furthermore, you may receive inquiry and other important information, notebook is necessary to help you remembering. Some people make notes in the pad as well.

• Maintain your style
  Exhibition is runway letting you to show the best part of your company and best part only. It means you have to choose which are the best and most suitable part for the exhibition, bring them and leave the rest at home. I have seen too many companies tried to bring their whole life/history to the exhibition and made their beautiful booth into a low-end grocery store. Do dress/bring/keep everything appropriately.