Chinese company representatives at a trade show in Nairobi. (Photo/China Daily)
Chinese companies from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan made their way to Nairobi in the past month for a series of trade shows.
Four events, all at the Kenyatta International Convention Center in Nairobi on different dates, brought together participants from more than 50 countries to exhibit their products while looking for willing local partners.
The Kenya Homes Expo 2015, the Auto Expo 2015, the Oil and Gas Expo 2015 and the Solar Energy Expo 2015 were all run by the Expogroup company and attracted more than 20 Chinese companies, mainly from Shandong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, as well as Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The companies included Qingdao Bigbiz Tire Co, China Tyres Distribution and Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group, Mega Decor Interiors, Shandong Ruiyu Accumulator Co, Flame Rubber and Tire Co, Roogoo Tire Co and Sultan Palace Development.
Exhibitors at one of the biggest events, the auto expo, seemed divided on the show's results.
Cindy Wang, overseas manager at Qingdao Bigbiz, said the event had not really lived up to her expectations but nevertheless she was happy to market her tires in a new market with great potential.
Location was a problem because most Chinese companies were in the basement and signs directing attendees to the basement were insufficient, she said.
Wang, who was on her first visit to Africa, said Qingdao Bigbiz commands a big share of the Colombian market and is looking to repeat the same feat in Africa.
Another exhibitor, who gave her name as Linda, the sales manager at Ningbo Hengxiang Auto Parts Co, said the event would have received more visitors if it had been marketed aggressively.
"On the first day we hardly got any serious visitors. However, the last day has been the best. It is very strange because in most exhibitions I have attended, the first and second days are the ones best attended."
She was taken with Kenya's beauty and had the chance to go to Lake Nakuru National Park in Nakuru county before the exhibition to see wild animals and birds.
Ningbo Hengxiang makes automotive wheel parts. Its main export markets include Europe and the United States.
A department manager at Shandong Ruiyu Accumulator Co, surnamed Liu, said her company has already cut a niche in East Africa by shipping batteries from Qingdao to Mombasa. The batteries are also sold in Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia, she said.
Max Wang, marketing director at Roogoo Tire, said he was on his third visit to Nairobi for the auto expo and had previously attended similar events in South Africa, Algeria and Las Vegas in the United States.
"We have not received many serious visitors but we are still hopeful ... many more people will show up."
Robin from Zhejiang Antai Auto Parts Co Ltd, based in Fuyang, Zhejiang province, said he was pleased with the organization of the event.
"I have received very positive responses to my products on display here today. I have also got many contacts of potential partners. Those exhibitors who said the event was poorly attended were probably showcasing products not popular in Kenya."
Charles Zhang, a sales manager of Shaanxi Automobile, said the SHACMAN trucks on display at the event attracted many people who were interested in knowing more about them.
The events are all part of the Kenyan government's plan to bring more visitors to the country by hosting international forums in an effort to grow inbound visitors in East Africa's largest, albeit ailing, economy.
In a welcoming speech to exhibitors and guests to the 18th Auto Expo Africa 2015, Fred Simiyu, managing director of the Kenya International Convention Center, hailed the exhibitors from different countries. Exhibitions and trade fairs are the surest way of positioning brands and ventures in markets, he said. The center is providing the necessary platform for organizations to realize that need, he said.
"MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) is a niche that has great potential. The industry has received tremendous growth in Kenya. The country has hosted numerous big and high-end international conferences and high-profile events and expos such as Expogroup exhibitions and still has a high number lined up."
Indian companies at the event included Shriram Pistons and Rings Ltd, Penta Auto Equipment PVT Ltd, Roger Motors Ltd, Malhotra Rubbers Ltd and Omoto Import and Export Co Ltd.
