If you were to ask any commentator on global commerce, one of the most easily discernable features of the last decade or so has surely been the growing preponderance of China, as the country continues on its rapid trajectory of unprecedented economic development, both importing and exporting in ever growing quantities and truly defining the world markets when it comes to heavy industry and the trade in raw goods. As China’s position in the global marketplace becomes increasingly dominant, it should perhaps come as no surprise that the exact nature of China’s involvement in commerce is shifting, with growth in yet uncharted territories.

This year marks quite a sea-change for China when it comes to the international print business. Four years ago, the country was a clearly identifiable presence in printing but had not yet secured sufficient market-share to be considered among that handful of nations which are regarded as true global leaders. Well in just the time that has elapsed between two World Cups, astoundingly, China has managed to transform itself into a truly international player. If the figures that are emerging ahead of the 2010 International IPEX exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham are anything to go by, China is now one of just two or three countries, alongside the USA and Japan, who today can claim true global status in the printing industry. 11% of the floor space at this year’s IPEX will be occupied by Chinese companies, with a total of over 70 exhibiting. This figure represents an incredible increase of over 150% on 2006.

In this piece, we’ll look ahead to this year’s IPEX exhibition and the growing numbers of Chinese manufacturers exhibiting at the show. And we will be asking the question of the IPEX organisers, ‘Is "Made in China" a phrase we’ll all be becoming increasingly familiar with?’

To provide a snap-shot of the Chinese presence at IPEX 2010, We asked Marketing Director, Nick Craig Waller, ‘Who were the top five Chinese exhibitors at this year’s show?’ This was his list:

1. SEC – Shanghai Electric Group Corporation – Of all the manufacturer’s confirmed, Shanghai Electric Group Corporation and Goss International Corporation have secured the biggest footprint, with 1000 metres of floorspace. They will be using IPEX’ international reach to promote the merged business.
2. SPPM – Shanghai Electric Printing and Packaging Equipment Manufacturing Group. The company’s Chairman, Mr Chen Da Xiong has commented on its presence at this year’s IPEX

   As an important business unit of Shanghai Electric Group, SPPM has become an international leading supplier to the sheet-fed web offset and packaging printing sectors. We’ve attended several IPEX shows in previous years and have been extremely pleased..… IPEX 2010 is the ideal platform for us to showcase our strong capabilities and demonstrate our growing product portfolio and differentiating technologies to the international graphic arts community.

3. JMD Machinery – Post-Press manufacturers – will be occupying 170 square metres.
4. UP Group – printing packaging and consumables suppliers – will be occupying 135 square metres.
5. Shanghai Eureka Machinery Group – professional printing and packaging equipment manufacturers will also be taking a significant amount of floor space at the show.

While the Chinese presence in global printing has clearly sky-rocketed over the last few years, for many Chinese manufacturers, IPEX 2010 will be their second or third show. This not only demonstrates the importance of IPEX as an arrivals lounge in the global printing industry but also highlight’s the exhibition’s growing importance as somewhere to go to hold on to and build-upon existing market share.

IPEX 2010 organisers have been working with PEIAC, the Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China, to help this year’s Chinese exhibitors maximise their participation. Wang Demao, Vice Executive Chairman of PEIAC commented on the role of IPEX,

As organisers of two international exhibitions, China Print and Print China, we understand the tremendous contribution to the development of global printing industries that has been made by IPEX over the years. That’s why we are lending our support once again to IPEX 2010 by organising for Chinese companies to exhibit their products at the show.

It is clear from this, IPEX represents an invaluable platform for international print companies looking to explore global markets, and of course it also reveals the influential role of Britain as something of an international staging-post. So that’s how the Chinese and other global companies regard IPEX. But what, perhaps more importantly, we might ask, of the growing prominence of China, in the eyes of IPEX 2010 organisers. Nick Craig Waller, Marketing Director, commented,

IPEX is now a truly global show and the Chinese exhibitors are very important for the printing industry, as we have seen recently with the Shanghai Electric and Goss International tie-up. Chinese companies can now be considered serious players in the market.

It’s certainly no overstatement on IPEX’ part but many attending this year’s exhibition and passing through the increasing number of Chinese stands could be asking themselves "Just where will Chinese dominance in the print business stop?". For the moment at least, it looks as if the Chinese seem most sure of themselves in the large-scale commercial print and post-print categories, but perhaps it won’t be too long before the Chinese are making more serious inroads into digital printing as well. Then, we really would have something to talk about….