Bigger than ever and earlier in the year than its previous editions, the major international Feed to Food trade fair platform VIV China returns to Beijing in September when it will form an important part of a week full of activities and information for professionals from the global animal protein industries.
VIV China 2016 takes place at the New China International Exhibition Center (NCIEC) in the Shunyi district of Beijing, close to the airport. The show opens on Tuesday 6th September and runs until Thursday 8th September.
Strategic partnership
The dates allow the 9th edition to run in parallel with the 2016 World’s Poultry Congress. This congress of the World’s Poultry Science Association is held every four years. The latest is organized by the Chinese branch of WPSA to be in Beijing on dates of 5th-9th September 2016.
A strategic partnership agreed between VIV worldwide and the congress organization will see two events co-operate closely. Indeed, World’s Poultry Congress 2016 has chosen Wednesday 7th September as industrial day, with an afternoon session of company-sponsored seminars and activities that actually occurs at the VIV China venue.
To cement the link even more, free shuttle buses are being arranged on 6th and 7th September to carry congress delegates to VIV China and return them later in the day. “It means that poultry scientists from around the world can learn all about the latest research and new thinking on technological developments at their own scientific forum and discover at VIV China 2016 how these ideas are being applied in a practical way,” comments Anneke van Rooijen, show manager at VIV worldwide.
More exhibitors, more nationalities
On the trade show itself, VIV China 2016 will now fill three complete halls at the NCIEC showground because it has needed to accommodate more exhibits for suppliers from both inside and outside China. In 2014 it had 140 international exhibitors; this has now increased to 550. Including the home contingent, Anneke van Rooijen calculates that 27 nationalities will be represented by the exhibitors in September. The number is boosted by various national pavilions that include one for the USA which is about 33% larger than in 2014.
Clear navigation, bi-lingual signage
As in 2014, the organizers are creating zones of exhibits according to theme of pork, poultry or aquaculture. Clear navigation to these zones is provided by bi-lingual signage and a visitor pocket guide that is also in English and Mandarin.
About one-third of the international companies who will be represented on VIV China 2016 stands are suppliers of feed ingredients, additives or animal health products. Another 28% specialize in housing or production equipment, mainly for poultry. Those offering processing equipment for meat or eggs comprise about 12% of companies present, approximately 9% provide feed manufacturing systems and 6% are genetics companies. Within the domestic Chinese representation, half of all companies are in the feed materials or animal health business and 41% in housing or equipment for pigs and poultry. Most of the remainder is made up of suppliers of feed milling, breeding and processing systems.
Conferences highlight pork and aquaculture
“VIV China has always been strong on poultry,”says Anneke van Rooijen,” and that will certainly be true again for the 2016 edition, but the pig sector is also strongly represented and the show additionally will reflect the fact that China has the world’s largest aquaculture industry.”
In fact, pork and aquatic production share the headlines on the programme for the VIV International China Conference that joins to the Beijing show. The pre-show day of Monday 5th September brings the Pork Production Conference segment, being organized by Watt Global Media/Pig International China with Shanghai Lyja Cultural Media Co. It discusses sustainable and efficient pork production in a Chinese context and it will be located at the China National Convention Center venue of the World’s Poultry Congress 2016.
Then the scene shifts back to VIV China’s venue for the Aquatic China Conference that will occupy a complete day on Wednesday 7th September. Assembled by Perendale/International Aquafeed with VIV worldwide, this second Aquatic China Conference at NCIEC Beijing looks at Chinese aquaculture production through aspects such as sustainability, feed management, health control and new technologies.
Attracting visitors from other countries
A VIV China 2016 promotion campaign in Asian focus countries including South Korea, Philippines and Indonesia is emphasizing the information value of the week in Beijing also for non-Chinese visitors. Foreign visitors at VIV China 2014 comprised around 20% of the total attendance. The aim this time is to at least equal that percentage, within a growth of overall visitor numbers to exceed 15,000 over the three days of the show. VIV show manager Anneke van Rooijen says, “VIV China 2016 and its international conferences will be co-located in Beijing with the latest World’s Poultry Congress. It promises to be an excellent week, for science and business!”
