Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition opens its doors
Four day lighting exhibition in China will be a live face-to-face event with the theme 'Connect and Rebound Together'
The four-day Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE) will open its doors on 10 October, marking the show’s 25th anniversary.
This year, the fair introduces the theme ‘Connect and Rebound Together!’ to encourage the industry to regather and revive in the midst of the pandemic recovery.
GILE 2020 welcomes 2,028 exhibitors from eight countries and regions spanning 18 halls and 190,000 sqm. With more than 100 concurrent seminars and forums, the show also provides a platform for the industry to communicate, cooperate and create valuable business opportunities.
Commenting on the show, Lucia Wong, deputy general manager of the organisers Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd said: “Thanks to the input and dedication of our industry peers, the lighting sector is moving forward positively, despite the challenges faced this year. And as we celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary – a tremendous achievement for us as the fair organiser and for the industry as a whole – we are proud that even during these unprecedented times, GILE continues to serve as a leading platform to facilitate business exchange, communication and knowledge sharing.
"This year, the fair will showcase products from the entire supply chain along with new technologies in the midst of this current transformative period for the industry. Some exciting, new innovations to be explored at this edition include: lighting digitalisation, smart lighting solutions, human-centric lighting, LED miniaturisation and integration, and more.”
In addition to displaying the lighting supply chain, the show will also host a concurrent event programme titled ‘Entrepreneurship – To Think & To Act’. The event aims to encourage the industry to face current changes with confidence and positivity and will boost the exploration of new technological innovations and breakthroughs. Thus, under the theme ‘To Evolve, To Accomplish, To Prevail’, the programme invites distinguished entrepreneurs to share their industry insights.
Some topic areas are as follows:
The digital transformation of lighting
The 5G era has reshaped business strategies in the industry, with innovative smart lighting products consistently being launched, welcoming rapid growth. By embracing new technologies, the industry has unlocked opportunities to develop smart, sustainable and connected lighting which is able to collect data and communicate. Intelligent lighting controls, predictive management, space and occupancy analytics, and beacon networking among other applications have created additional values to the basic functions of a lighting fixture.
Niche market development
New lighting applications such as automotive LEDs, small interval LEDs, horticultural lighting, and UV and IR LEDs offer new possibilities for the industry. Meanwhile, as the demand for hygiene and sanitation products surges amid the pandemic, UVC LEDs with their disinfecting functionality have become extremely popular.
New business models
Lighting vendors no longer sell just light bulbs, but a new form of lighting-as-a-service based on IoT connectivity as the industry continues to evolve and develop. To address these changes, a seminar focused on lighting digitalisation will discuss the needs of the global lighting production chain and invite brand owners, traditional business channels, innovative B2B platforms, factory owners and digital account service providers from upstream and mid-stream companies to discuss practical sales and marketing ideas to project a full picture for businesses.
Different new fields such as LED technologies, smart control systems and human-centric engineering are emerging rapidly, bringing more innovative varieties for lighting, technologies and designs. Thus future lighting trends will range from low to high-quality products, be personalised and enable cross-platform integration; while miniaturised lighting will be used on engraved and personalised designs for customisation and for the convergence of human-centric and natural lights.
In addition to presentations from individual speakers, industry experts have also been invited to participate in panel discussions about the future of the lighting industry. Conversations will revolve around issues such as the future strategic roadmap of the industry’s development as well as how businesses should evolve with the market.
PowerMatch business matching event adds extra opportunities
The most effective way of expanding a business network is to have face-to-face communications. During the four-day show, overseas and domestic buyers are invited to have in-person, as well as online business meetings with suppliers, widening the scope of business opportunities on offer.
The Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition is a part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs headed by the biennial Light + Building event. The next edition will take place from 13 ‒ 18 March 2022 in Frankfurt, Germany.
