Expansion creates new and bigger trade fairs

Hong Kong's reputation as a leading international trade fair hub has been further enhanced with the official opening last week of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) Atrium Link Expansion. The 20th edition of the Hong Kong Book Fair was the first public fair to take advantage of the expanded space.

"We gather here to celebrate two important milestones – the Atrium Link Expansion and the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Book Fair," said Jack So, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), at the official launch. "With the new facilities made available, the Book Fair is sure to continue its expansion from the biggest fair in the Chinese-speaking world to becoming the biggest fair in the world." Mr So said that Hong Kong now hosts more than 100 industry exhibitions a year, many of which are the biggest in Asia.

Also officiating at the launch ceremony was Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang. "The meetings and exhibitions industry plays a significant role in maintaining Hong Kong's position as a leading international business centre," Mr Tsang said. "The completion of this huge expansion in less than three years demanded unmatched efficiency, creative planning, innovative engineering and seamless coordination. It marks another outstanding example of the ‘can-do' spirit of Hong Kong people."

New era
The HK$1.4 billion atrium link project adds 42 per cent more exhibition space – an additional 19,400 square metres – to the HKCEC. It will accommodate an additional 1,000 standard exhibition booths, providing relief for the many exhibitors who have waited years to participate in HKTDC fairs.

The construction project, which started in 2004, involved expanding the three levels of exhibition hall into the airspace above the water channel linking HKCEC Phases I and II.

"The HKCEC expansion marks a new era for conferences and exhibitions," said HKTDC Executive Director Fred Lam. "Hong Kong will become a world leader in the scale of its trade fairs."

The HKTDC organises more than 30 trade fairs each year, eight of which are the largest of their kind in Asia. "These are among the must-attend events in the world's sourcing calendar," Mr Lam said. "The completion of the expansion will give them, and other fairs, space to grow, enabling some to become among the world's largest."
About 20 new trade fairs are to take place at the HKCEC this year. They will cover a wide range of industries and sectors, including baby products, financial services, home textiles, lifestyle products, retail technology and tea.

Record-breaking feats
During the 34-month construction period, the HKCEC expansion project achieved several construction records, including the heaviest lifting operation ever undertaken in Hong Kong's building construction history, involving a maximum load of 4,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to 22 Boeing 747s. It also employed the largest metallic bearing ever used, measuring 2,830 millimetres in diametre. And the five steel trusses used were the world's heaviest, each weighing up to 2,100 tonnes.

To enhance the experience for both buyers and exhibitors, visitors can also expect to see further upgrades in exhibition services.
According to HKTDC Assistant Executive Director Raymond Yip, the expanded facilities will also allow HKTDC trade events to put more emphasis on the marketing side of the fair. 

"We will be organising more new-product launches, as well as marketing and branding seminars at events," Mr Yip said. He added that more international brands will be invited to join future trade fairs. The plans are part of ongoing efforts to build on Hong Kong's reputation as the world's leading exhibition hub.
 

Source: Transportweekly