What made the Shanghai flooring show a different story from any other show in the world was once again the energy and positive spirit pouring out from the big halls of the Shanghai New International Exhibitions Centre, a high-standard infrastructure occupied by 1,122 international and domestic exhibitors for a total gross exhibition space of 130,000sqm this year.

The show positioning in its developing regional market The special location, Shanghai being the business centre of China, and the leading role this unique show conducts within the wide Asian Pacific region, combined with the expertise and deep involvement of the show organizers in the Chinese and regional industries were key success elements for this 2013 edition of show serving the industry since 1999.

As officially announced during the Wood Flooring Forum, held one day before the show opening at the Jumeirah Himalaya Hotel and hosted by both DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR and the Chinese National Forestry Industry Association, the floor sales volumes certified in China in 2012 were alone 377 million sqm (performed by 1,518 Chinese manufacturers), while the actual estimation of total sales amount would be around 500 million sqm.

Flooring industry players should never forget that the Chinese market (both the construction and flooring market) is developing fast and facing important changes. From a world’s main production base, China has become one of the biggest consumers of floors in the world, with products and services quality consumers’ standards rising very fast as well.

In general, China’s economic transformation resulting from urbanization and industrialization is happening 10times the speed of the first country to urbanize (UK) and at 100 times the scale, which is an historical renowned record.

By 2025, cities all around the world will need to construct floor space equivalent to 85% of all of today’s urban residential and commercial building stock. All regions of the world are contributing to growth in urban flooring demand, but China’s share will be the highest one (38.3%) between 2010-2025 (McKinsey, June 2012). The potentiality of this market is thus evident, with the rest of Asia also developing at outstanding, promising rates. DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2013 has once again been the place where to meet the above mentioned Asia Pacific region’s opportunities.

An in-depth insight into the 3-day show Professional visitors this year were positively impressed by the interesting new products exhibited at the 15th edition of show, platform of a not yet mature but more and more exciting flooring industry. The show itself, attentive towards its attendees’ needs, launched an original marketing campaign focused precisely on the new flooring products and materials on the market.