New format for APLF

The April 2002 edition of the Asia Pacific Leather Fair (APLF) will adopt a new format which will give all exhibitors and visitors full coverage of the whole spectrum of the global leather industry. The two sectorial fairs - APLF Fashion and Finished Products Show and Raw Materials and Manufacturing Show, which have for the past six editions been held in sequence, will in 2002 overlap by two days. The Fashion and Finished Products will run from Monday to Wednesday and the Raw Materials and Manufacturing will run from Tuesday to Friday. The complete Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will be used and the move will help the many foreign visitors whose visa only permits a short stay in Hong Kong. Perrine Ardouin, senior event manager of Asia Pacific Leather Fair Ltd, said: 'we received very positive feedback from the industry on the new positioning of Fashion and Finished Products Show before Raw Materials and Manufacturing Show in 2000. This encouraged finished goods manufacturers to source materials at the Raw Materials and Manufacturing event as they had previewed the upcoming trends and had orders booked. 'Creating the two days overlap should increase the opportunities for buyers and generate more business at the show. The product sectorisation has worked well but we know the whole industry will gain from bringing all sectors from raw materials suppliers to finished product manufacturers under one roof for part of the APLF. We have, for instance, found many components and leather manufacturers who wish to be at the same event as the shoe manufacturers. Now they will be. As the industry will be closer together, we expect the synergy to be that much greater.' Asia Pacific Leather Fair 2002 will take place as follows: Fashion and Finished Products: April 8-10, 2002 (Monday to Wednesday) Raw Materials and Manufacturing: April 9-12, 2002 (Tuesday to Friday).