30 Apr 2014
Top Right Group celebrates first anniversary of its Greater China Sales Headquarters in Shanghai with new partnership deal and three trade show launches
• Partnership signed with CTIC to enable WGSN to better serve retail and apparel customers in mainland China
• Three new trade show events launched in the past year
Shanghai, April 29th, 2014 – Top Right Group, an international, business-to-business, multiplatform media group, yesterday celebrated the first anniversary of the opening of its flagship office on the top floor of the Grand Gateway in Shanghai.
China is a key territory for Top Right Group and its operating companies, which provide trusted information, proven analysis and access to new customer groups through world-class events. In 2012, Top Right Group reported 33% of revenues were from international operations. Thanks in part to initiatives in China over the past 12 months, the percentage of revenues from international is expected to rise to around 40% in 2013. Top Right Group’s strategy to deliver this growth has been to consolidate local partnerships and enhance and localise their world-class services and content.
Over the past 12 months, four strong local partnerships have been established and three major events have been launched, each specifically to address both the local market and global issues in the sectors they serve.
WGSN Group, a leading provider of trend forecasting and retail analysis, yesterday signed a partnership agreement with CTIC (China Textile Information Center) which will enable the company to further accelerate the introduction of local content and services. WGSN has been active in China since 2002. The company today serves more than 450 companies in China and has over 6,000 users of its services. According to AT Kearney’s retail Apparel Index, China’s apparel market is valued at 940bn RMB, and has grown an average of 19% CAGR over the last five years, and is ranked as the top apparel market globally due to its strong growth potential.
Dan Cotton, General Manager, Asia Pacific, WGSN Group, commented: “China is set to be the second largest fashion market by 2020, accounting for 30% of the global market growth over the next five years. As a leading provider of local and global trend information and analysis, WGSN is already well positioned to partner manufacturing companies seeking to develop their own brands and direct-to-market strategies. Our partnership with CTIC will enhance our level of service and ensure we remain both highly relevant and ahead of the market in terms of reach, insight and value to our customers”.
WGSN launched its Chinese website in 2011, one of the first localised websites of its kind. In partnership with CTIC, Stylesight - a WGSN trends product - created an in depth textiles and garment library for its customers in China, which is embedded in its website portal. This provides China’s style industry with highly relevant online content with designer tools to make jobs more efficient, and promote further creativity and inspiration.
China is a key strategic growth market for i2i Events Group, a global standalone events company. It launched CWIEME Shanghai to serve the vast coil winding market in China in partnership with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Electronics & Information Industry Sub-Council (CCPITECC). Held at the Shanghai International Exhibition Centre, INTEX, from 2-5 March 2014, the inaugural event welcomed 153 exhibitors, 422 seminar attendees and 3,750 visitors. China represents the largest market for electric motors and transformers, which is projected to grow to $26bn by 2016, and CWIEME Shanghai is now poised to become the key industry meeting place for the region.
Later this year i2i will launch World Retail Congress China in Shanghai, developed in association with the China Chain store and Franchise Association (CCFA). World Retail Congresses are the unmissable global meeting places for senior CEOs. WRC China expects to bring together more than 250 prominent retailers, including Huishang, LVMH, Nestle and Lacoste to discuss local and global issues facing the sector. Confirmed speakers include: Habu Yuki, CEO China, AEON; Tian Wang, Chairman Better Life; Junzhou Wang, President, GOME; Tao Shi, Vice President JD.com, Vincent Hsieh, Executive Director, Feiniu.com (RT-Mart); Xiaodong Chen, CEO Intime and Mars Liang, CEO, YOHO!
Pure Shanghai & PH Value ‘P&P’ will launch in October 2014 in partnership with China Council for the Promotion of International Trade for the Textile Industry (CCPIT TEX), supported by the China British Business Council. Pure is the UK’s leading trade show for the fashion trade industry and the China edition, to be held in October, will be the first time Pure has been held outside the UK. Over 200 brands are expected to attend, seeing Pure Shanghai & PH Value ‘P&P’ as a trusted vehicle to address this $98bn sector.
In the wider Asia Pac region, Bett Southeast Asia Leadership Summit, addressing the Education technology sector will launch in Singapore this year, where the 4th WRC Asia Pacific was held in March and WAF, the World Architecture Festival will also take place later this year. Plans to bring other i2i events, such as Bett and Waste Management (RWM), to China are progressing.
The dedicated Shanghai base has enabled i2i Events to better service to its customer base in China, and has also facilitated 450 companies from China to attend and trade at other i2i events in the UK and around the world.
Duncan Painter, Chief Executive, Top Right Group, said: “China is a key territory for Top Right Group and the Shanghai office has had an exceptionally busy and successful year. Our local presence and collaborations with local partners have enabled us to accelerate the introduction of relevant information products and events that best meet the business needs of our customers in China. Our aim is to help them to exploit local and global opportunities, and support companies from other parts of the world to exploit opportunities in China and across the APAC region.”
“Our largest operating companies – i2i Events Group and WGSN Group - are trusted by thousands of Chinese subscribers, exhibitors and delegates to provide valuable information, insightful analysis and access to new customer groups that help them stay ahead.”
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Top Right Group is a leading international, b2b, multi-platform media group. It powers a portfolio of businesses including:
i2i Events Group, delivering leading exhibitions and large scale events such as Bett, World Retail Congress, RWM and Pure www.i2ieventsgrou.com
Lions Festivals, managing six world-class festivals, including Cannes Lions, the International Festival of Creativity www.lionsfestivals.com
WGSN Group, providing strategic intelligence, insight and trends to the style and retail sectors www.wgsngroup.com
4C Group, providing niche expertise and high quality data for the construction; environmental and political industries www.4c-group.com and
EMAP, a content and subscription business offering websites, magazines, apps and events with strong recurring revenue streams. www.emap.com
Top Right Group Limited transforms knowledge businesses to deliver exceptional performance. www.topright-group.com