BAU to expand its network in Asia

• From 2020: strategic cooperation between BAU China and China National Building Waterproof Association (CWA)

World-leading trade fair BAU expands its network in Asia: Messe München acquired Glasstech Asia / Fenestration Asia—the leading trade fair for glass manufacturing, processing and machinery in the ASEAN region. The first edition directed by Messe München will take place in November 2020 in Bangkok. And the cooperation between BAU China and the China National Building Waterproof Association (CWA) is of equal strategic importance: the agreement provides that CWA’s China Roofing & Waterproofing Expo will be integrated into BAU China from 2020.

Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Messe München is convinced that BAU thus consistently pursues its efforts in Asia: “The acquisition of Glasstech and Fenestration Asia as well as the cooperation with CWA contribute to the expansion of our BAU network in the strategically important Asian market. Both strengthen BAU China as the leading industry platform in Asia as well as the world’s leading trade fair BAU in Munich.”

The annual Glasstech Asia / Fenestration Asia rotates between several countries in the Southeast Asian region (2018 in Malaysia, 2019 in Indonesia). As “The Glass Hub of Southeast Asia”, the three-day event incorporating a top-class supporting program brings together the Southeast Asian glass and glazing sector. “This makes Glasstech Asia the ideal complement to BAU China with its Fenestration BAU China sub-brand,” says Reinhard Pfeiffer.

Gan Geok Chua, Executive Director of the Singapore Glass Association hopes that Messe München's involvement will lead to greater participation by European companies in Glasstech Asia: “This will allow opportunities for more European companies to gain access to the growing Southeast Asian market for glass and facades solutions and for Southeast Asian customers to be introduced to new solutions created by new technologies and capabilities of European companies.”

Edward Liu, Founder and Owner of CEMS, the previous organizer of Glasstech Asia, explains: „The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously disrupted the Singapore and global economies. Like most organizers, we had to overcome these challenges and difficulties with alternative and practicable solutions.

As we had worked with Messe München International in organizing the BAUCON series in Singapore in the 1990s, we are confident that MMI is a good partner in not only maintaining the growth of our Glasstech Asia series, but to bring the event to greater heights under the “new normal”.

With the concurrence of the Singapore Glass Association, we are happy to divest our interest to MMI which will bring fresh vigor, new and more exhibitors to the Glasstech Asia series. At the same time, CEMS would be delighted to act as consultant to MMI to ensure that the Glasstech Asia series will continue to flourish and develop as the signature event for the glass industry in Southeast Asia and beyond.”

The cooperation with China National Building Waterproof Association (CWA) opens up another important segment for the BAU China portfolio. Matthias Strauss, Exhibition Director for the BAU network in Asia and digitalBAU explains: “With China Roofing & Waterproofing Expo we are integrating another new exhibition sector into BAU China. Building waterproofing is very central to the region and the demand for both structural and architectural solutions is correspondingly high.”

Zhu Dongqing, General Secretary of China National Building Waterproof Association (CWA), explains: “The cooperation with BAU China will help both sides to integrate resources, share customers, remove barriers, reconstruct the industrial chain of building envelope systems. We can also jointly benefit from the high-quality development of the industry in China.”

In 2020, China Roofing & Waterproofing Expo will take place at the same time as BAU China in Beijing. From 2021, it will then be co-located with BAU China at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC).

Since its premiere as FENESTRATION BAU China, BAU China has successively expanded and developed its trade fair portfolio—in line with the world’s leading world trade fair BAU in Munich. With China's construction industry increasingly focusing on holistic solutions, BAU China and its varied portfolio and segments offers important added value—for exhibitors and visitors alike.

BAU China: the figures

BAU China 2019 attracted more than 61,000 visitors (more than 120,000 visits) from 78 countries (2018: 68). Main visitor countries apart from China were (in this order): Korea, Japan and Thailand. The 778 exhibitors (2018: 656) came from 20 countries. Top exhibiting countries apart from China were (in this order): Germany, Japan and Italy. Net exhibition space grew by six percent compared to the previous year.

The next BAU China will take place from October 29 to November 1, 2020 in Beijing. More information is available at www.bauchina.com.