High quality buyers meet high quality exhibitors at APLF

Audited buyer attendance figures have been released for the recent APLF -Materials, Manufacturing and Technology (MMT) exhibition, held in Hong Kong from March 28 - 31, 2006. Over the four day period 27,819 buyers visited the event. Of that number 9,896 were listed as returning for a second or subsequent return. The number of buyers returning for subsequent visits is significant because, as APLF director, Michael Duck, explains, 'these are the buyers who go to the event, take a good look round, assess which exhibitors they would like to talk to, then come back to visit those stands that caught their attention on a following day. This often develops into solid business and lasting contacts.' As always, buyers at APLF came from all over the world. Representatives from 'Top 10' visiting countries and regions were China, India, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, USA, Italy, Thailand, Bangladesh and Australia. Further analysis of the attendance figures showed that 49% of buyers were looking primarily for hides, skins and finished leathers, while 20% stated components and accessories as their main interest. John J. Reddington, President of US Hide, Skin & Leather Association noted, 'Our members do very good business at APLF. They collected US$20 million worth of orders on site and an additional US$30 million worth after the fair. Most of it comes from China but around US$10 million are placed by companies from Korea, Taiwan and the rest of the Asia Pacific region.' The next edition of APLF -MMT 2007 will run for three days, 28 - 30 March 2007 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.