Global Sources spring 2011 electronics shows to feature record 3,260 booths - up 23 percent year-on-year

HONG KONG, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Global Sources' (NASDAQ: GSOL) largest-ever spring electronics sourcing trade shows open today at Hong Kong's AsiaWorld-Expo with more than 3,260 booths – an increase of 23 percent from the spring events last year. China Sourcing Fairs: Electronics & Components and Security Products are running from today through April 15 along with the newly launched China Sourcing Fair: Solar & Energy Saving Products.

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Combined, the events are showcasing the largest group of mainland China suppliers to exhibit at any electronics trade show in Hong Kong with over 2,700 booths featuring mainland China suppliers. This is followed by Hong Kong and Taiwan with over 460 booths. Exhibitors from Australia, India, Italy, Japan, Germany, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea are also taking part in the Fairs.

World's volume buyers set to attend the Fairs

Among the tens of thousands of buyers pre-registered to attend the shows are Best Buy, Black & Decker, Bosch Security, Chubb, Dell, Flextronics, General Electric, Honeywell, Hyundai, Kaufland, Lexmark, LG Electronics, Logitech, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, Monster, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung and TCL.

"Quality attracts quality. And, so, we continue to see growth in both the number of top electronics exhibitors as well as big name buyers participating in the Fairs each season," said Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions. "Buyers know that each supplier they meet through our online marketplace, our magazines and our China Sourcing Fairs has been verified by Global Sources.

"In an effort to meet fast-growing global demand for quality green energy products, we have also launched the China Sourcing Fair: Solar & Energy Saving Products. In 2010, the world added 16 gigawatts of new solar power – double the growth seen in the previous year. This new sourcing trade show will help exhibitors and buyers profit from this booming industry."

The new Solar & Energy Saving Products show features nearly 200 booths exhibiting energy-efficient lighting & accessories, LED displays & commercial lighting and solar & wind power products.

China Sourcing Fair: Electronics & Components includes pavilions for consumer electronics and accessories; networking products; electronic components; GPS; in-car electronics; interconnection technology; mobile phones; power supplies; and telecom and wireless products and iProduct accessories. Pavilions for tablet and mobile device & accessories and bags and cases have been added this year.

China Sourcing Fair: Security Products' pavilions showcase access controls & RFID; alarms; CCTV and digital surveillance and home security products. New pavilion will feature home & system integration offering insights into the development direction of security products.

Enhanced value-added services and conferences to help buyers and suppliers trade

To help buyers and suppliers meet and do business more effectively, Global Sources is providing these value-added services at the Fairs:

• Online Sourcing Fair. Digital trade shows that extend the reach and value of the company's highly successful face-to-face trade shows. Buyers can view exhibitor booths and products – even if they are unable to physically attend the show, whereas exhibitors can get more inquiries and enhance their branding through their presence in the digital show. The Online Sourcing Fair is scheduled for Security Products show.
• Global Sources Product Galleries. Multiple physical and digital product galleries, featuring innovative products from hundreds of verified suppliers unable to attend the shows, allow buyers to send direct inquiries on the spot – greatly extending their sourcing reach and efficiency at the shows.
• Global Sources Show Guide Magazines. Fourteen enhanced sourcing magazines that incorporate the Fair show guides – featuring the exhibitor list and floor map – and a CD-ROM that contains a copy of all Global Sources' eMagazines, will be distributed to buyers on-site. This one-of-a-kind initiative puts in buyers' hands information on hundreds of additional verified suppliers and their products, boosting the productivity of their show visit.
• Private Sourcing Events. Offering exclusive opportunities for pre-selected exhibitors at the China Sourcing Fairs to meet large global companies in private during the shows. A record breaking of 20 sourcing teams from buyers include Casino, Canadian Tire, Fujitsu, Intelbras, Metro, Monster and Sima Products are scheduled to participate in this April's events, with a combined annual sales of more than US$175 billion.
• Free Conference Programs. Featuring international experts speaking on up-to-the minute issues affecting the industry. Topics this year include intellectual property issues, compliance solutions, strategic buying, project management, China sourcing and negotiation tactics.

Opening times for the China Sourcing Fairs: Electronics & Components, Security Products and Solar & Energy Saving Products are:

• April 12-14 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• April 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Buyers can register for free and find more information at http://www.chinasourcingfair.com.

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with Greater China. The core business uses English-language media to facilitate trade from Greater China to the world. The other business segment utilizes Chinese-language media to enable companies to sell to, and within Greater China.

The company provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers. It helps a community of over 1 million active buyers source more profitably from complex overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing the most effective ways possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in over 240 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. It delivers information on over 5.5 million products and more than 262,000 suppliers annually through 14 online marketplaces, 13 monthly print and 18 digital magazines, over 80 sourcing research reports and 73 specialized trade shows a year across nine cities.

Verified suppliers receive more than 127 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online (http://www.globalsources.com) alone.

Global Sources has been facilitating global trade for 40 years. Global Sources' network covers more than 60 cities worldwide. In mainland China, Global Sources has about 2,700 team members in more than 40 locations, and a community of over 2.8 million registered online users and magazine readers for its Chinese-language media.

SOURCE Global Sources