CLT Canton Fair 2019 VIP Preview

Date: March 21, 2019

Location: Show map

Global Chamber
222 South Church Drive
Packard Place
Charlotte, NC 28202
USA

VIP Preview of Canton Fair - March 21st, 8am ET

Charlotte, North Carolina USA

Welcome to the 125th Spring Canton Fair 2019 April-May! We're previewing the Canton Fair in this Charlotte event with speakers experienced with China and the Canton Fair to give you and your team the information you need to be successful.

This event will be held at Packard Place, 222 South Church Drive in Charlotte. In addition some of the speakers will be simulcast from Guangzhou to our attendees in Charlotte.

Canton Fair, or the China Import and Export Fair, is the largest trade fair with the largest scale, the most complete exhibit variety, the broadest distribution of overseas buyers and the greatest business turnover held in Guangzhou (Canton) China.

More than 25,000 exhibitors, about 200,000 buyers will attend the fair at China Import and Export Complex.

The Canton Fair is divided into three phases, each with a different focus.

Phase 1: 15th-19th of April, 9:30-18:00 on electrical/electronic products, building materials, industrial products.
Phase 2: 23rd-27th of April, 9:30-18:00 on such labor-intensive products as groceries, ornaments, gifts, and furniture.
Phase 3: 1st-5th of May, 9:30-18:00 on clothing, footwear, bags, medicines and medicinal foods.

Agenda

Starts 8am Eastern Time

8-8:30am Gathering, Networking

8:30-10:20am Program

--- Welcome - Mark Lohsen, Global Chamber® Charlotte including introducing Doug Bruhnke (8:30-8:35am)

--- The Canton Fair VIP Preview - Ms. Tracy Mai, Senior Manager, Int'l VIP Service, China Foreign Trade Centre (Group) and Ms. Lucia Li, Int'l VIP Service, China Foreign Trade Centre (Group) (8:35-9:05am)

--- Succeed at the Canton Fair and in China - Todd Cornell, Cultur668 (9:05-9:30am)

--- Success Stories "How I Grew My U.S. Business at Canton Fair" - Robert Ross, Chamberlain Marketing Group and Trade Organizations: Industrial Components, Food, Furniture, Retail Products and Gifts (9:30-9:40am)

--- Practical Tips to Succeed at Spring Canton Fair - Vlady Cornateanu, Sino American Business Development Co. (9:40-10:05am)

--- Logistics Considerations for Selling in China - Omar Kazzaz, Sea & Sky Shipping (10:05-10:20am)

--- Next Steps / Going to the Fair / Getting Ready

10:20am Close of Program

10:30am Close of Networking

Speakers on March 21st

Ms. Tracy Mai, Senior Manager, International VIP Service, China Foreign Trade Centre (Group) and Ms. Lucia Li, International VIP Service, China Foreign Trade Centre (Group) - China Foreign Trade Centre (CFTC), a government-sponsored institution affiliated to Ministry of Commerce of PRC, is responsible for organizing China Import and Export Fair (also known as the Canton Fair). At the meantime, CFTC boasts for having and operating the modern Canton Fair Complex in Pazhou Island of Haizhu District and National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in western central business district of Hongqiao, Shanghai. Moreover CFTC plays a dominant role in China’s exhibition industry for its professional exhibition experience and service as well as outstanding performance for 61 years.

Todd Cornell - Business Consultant at Cultur668. Todd is a Chinese Culture Authority, Business Consultant, and Interpreter. He has lived over 20 years in Chinese speaking countries and possesses above average China cross-cultural skills and fluency in Mandarin Chinese. He negotiated and managed multi-million-dollar technology transfer projects, joint ventures, and manufacturing businesses in Taiwan and Mainland China. Todd maintains profound insight into best practices for success with China that are found within the culture and philosophy of the Chinese themselves.

In our session on the 19th, Todd will discuss China Business Best Practices. Business in China can be challenging. Most people who have worked with Chinese companies tend to say that the biggest challenge, next to language, is culture. However, the Chinese work well amongst themselves. So, what is the difference? The Chinese have practices that they have depended on for thousands of years, one of which is the importance of learning about the people they are interacting with. Today you will gain insight into strategies and practices the Chinese apply in business and to achieve success in life.

US/NC Company Executives - Robert Ross, VP of Ops, Chamberlain Marketing Group & TBA

US/NC Regional Trade Group Leaders - Industrial Components, Food, Furniture, Retail Products and Gifts

Vlady Cornateanu - Founder/President at Sino American Business Development Company.

Vlady's professional life in the apparel industry started in the mid-'80s as a side job while working in real estate but developed very fast into a passion and a full-time profession. He has been developing his own brands as well as brands for other companies. The necessity to find the best factories brought him to China and the Canton Fair in the early '90s. The old Canton Fair venue on Lihua Lu was an extraordinary fair for a first time visitor like Vlady. He realized that this fair could accomplish all his sourcing needs in one trip no matter what the product category might be. He placed his first orders there and when received in the US, he knew that Canton Fair would be the only int'l sourcing trade fair for his business.

When the new venue opened at Pazhou, the Canton Fair became even better with a wider international audience and increase sourcing capabilities. He never skipped a fair ever since the first trip, arranging his entire sourcing and production needs around the Canton Fair's twice a year schedules. Guangzhou and the Canton Fair became his home away from home. His knowledge of trade fairs and the deep understanding of the Chinese culture, Chinese economy and its manufacturing base gave him the privilege to be asked to lecture business teams of different US companies on the intricacies of China manufacturing. He conducted many business-sourcing trips over the years to the Canton Fair for members of the Fashion Business Incorporated, California Fashion Association, MBA programs, and other Los Angeles trade organizations, promoting sourcing and facilitating relations between Chinese companies and US manufacturers ready to open their China markets.

Omar Kazzaz, Sea & Sky Shipping

More on Canton Fair 2019

"Welcome to China and the 125th Canton Fair," said Lucia Li, International VIP Service Executive at China Import and Export Fair. "For a fourth time we appreciate the opportunity to work with Global Chamber® on this special, insiders view of the Fair." The Canton Fair and Global Chamber® teamed up last year multiple times to share special information to companies looking to succeed at the Canton Fair and in China. Our members successfully attended, including speaker Todd Cornell.

The Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Center (Canton Fair Complex for short) is the largest modernized exhibition center in Asia. It is located in Pazhou Island, Guangzhou, China.

Address: No. 380, Yuejiang Zhong Road, Guangzhou, China

Join us on March 21st to learn more! 8am ET

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