China a new frontier for the cleaning industry
January 1st 2006

By Mark Armitage, ISSA director of European Services

Many of us may realise that China is hosting the next Olympics in 2008, but how many of you are aware of the increasing importance of the Chinese market as we move into 2006? With seemingly exponential growth, a vast landmass and the world's largest population, the potential impact Chinese manufacturers have to influence the price of products in many UK markets, including the cleaning industry is considerable. According to the International Herald Tribune Chinese exports are already flooding the UK market, with an increase of 42% in the past year alone.

While the threats maybe obvious with smaller UK businesses trying to compete with cheaper imported products, the emerging markets also offer new opportunities.

Relocation to the Far East for example, can give UK manufacturers access to a large cheap pool of labour and in some cases closer proximity to raw materials, enabling them to reduce the price of their goods.

Penetrating markets also brings greater opportunities for manufacturers through increased distribution, achievable through either acquiring local distributors or expanding their own establishments.

The ISSA has already reacted to these new opportunities. With its partners Amsterdam RAI and AFIDAMP, the Italian Association of Manufacturers and Distributors of Professional Cleaning Equipment and Products, it recently acquired Clean Asia Media Pte Ltd, before establishing offices in Singapore and China. This acquisition also signals the launch of Asia Cleaning Journal which incorporates the former Clean Asia magazine. The new title owned by Criterion Publishing Ltd., publishers of European Cleaning Journal, is both the official magazine for ISSA members in Asia and China and the ISSA/INTERCLEAN China tradeshow scheduled for 20th - 22nd September 2006, at the ShanghaiMart in Shanghai. For anyone interested in the huge potential this emerging market offers, the show will provide an excellent introduction and a great opportunity to network with well established local contacts.

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