2016 the 17th China International Laundry Industry Exhibition (China Laundry Expo 2016), the most influential and authoritative annual show in laundry industry were held in Shanghai New International Expo Center from July 12-14. This year, the show covered nearly 20,000 sq.m, attracted 16,010 attendees to visit and purchase. The exhibition showcased about 400 brands from 16 countries and regions including the U.S., Japan, U.K., Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, South Korea, HongKong and Taiwan, etc.

Since first held in 2000, China Laundry Expo, organized by China Laundry Association and Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd., has gone through 16 years. Keeping up with the laundry market, China Laundry Expo promotes rapid development of laundry industry with its global perspective and dedicated effort.

As an international professional trading platform, China Laundry Expo with about 400 native and foreign well-known brands, devotes to presenting the most advanced and latest technology, equipment, apparatus and chemicals for laundry and dry-cleaning, leather conditioner, laundry franchise, design and construct for laundry factory, and other relevant services.

Exhibit brands of China Laundry Expo 2016 include Kannegiesser, Primus, Speed Queen, Unimac, Jensen, Unisec, Milnor, Sankosha, Bowe, Dowper, Seitz, Kreussler, SAN-AI, YAC, Multimatic, Hydro, Renzacci, Fenice, Anghinetti & Camptel, Everstrong, Shinlon Banner, Valmet, Ebisu, Cliffton, Angeline, Sea-lion, Weishi, Sailstar, Oasis, CSM, Topoly, Laundrymate, United Electric, Yasen, Shanghai Jieshen, Eliza, Sanhe Jieshen, Chengde Huawei, FHE, Ao Hao, Yilan Jie, Bonnych, Sovell, Huahai Zhibang, Teda, Finove, Churun, Sunshine, Tianjin Weili, Solunar, Billion, Greaterbio, Junping, Top System, Youte, Shengxuelianhua, Sheng Jin, Feniky, Jie Bao, Zhongxin Weiye, etc.

China Laundry Expo continuously expands towards industry segmentation, absorbs potential enterprises and supports emerging forces, paving the way for industrial cross-border development. According to the statistics, this year, the number of new exhibitors accounts for nearly 40% of the total, compared to last edition held in Shanghai. With today’s sluggish real economy, service-oriented laundry industry developing vigorously proves that China Laundry Expo is sensitive on industry development based on market research.

Economic growth is gradually slowing down since this year. However, in the wave of O2O, increasing demand on clothes washing, caring and maintenance presents an optimistic market sight and attracts great investment into laundry O2O. Although the venture capital boom is thought to be passing and O2O does not completely turn over the industry, it is still an important driving force for industry upgrade and progress.

Among new exhibitors of this year, amount of companies in laundry management software accounts for higher proportion such as Laundrapp, Youxi, Quanjia, etc. Main products include self-service locker, online laundry collection software, laundry factory management system, etc. Certainly, the mode of “central laundry factory + laundry collection shop” will be in a trend of expansion.

With rising amount of laundry outsourcing for hotel linens and community laundry services and higher standard on linen cleanness, centralization and energy conservation are required for central laundry factory. Moreover, some insiders call for formulating linen laundry standard to strengthen industry management. These require higher performance on R&D and technical innovation of upstream laundry.

Large capacity tunnel washers are more intelligent with less water and energy consumption. The white-hot competition in laundry and dry-cleaning equipment is in the proof of diverse and intense product types. The innovative products are the core strength of finishing equipment. The number of display equipment required for the construction of the central laundry plant is also rising.

At the same time, the number of exhibitors in leather care industry greatly increases. As a professional market segment in laundry and dyeing industry, the leather care industry is developing rapidly in recent years, and moving into an independent and professional industry, compared with the subsidiary of dry-cleaning and luxury shop in the past. The specialized equipment and chemicals for leather care are prospering. Thus, the 4th China Leather Care Technology and Product Exhibition were held together with this year’s expo, to provide a diverse platform for the professional buyers.

China Public Textile Laundry Exhibition and China Laundry Franchise Exhibition were taking place simultaneously. In light of exhibitors, power-oriented enterprises prefer to highlight their advantages on whole line optimization and supporting services; overseas enterprises are actively promoting their products to better adapt Chinese market; while small- and medium-sized companies and new enterprises focus on the demonstration of single equipment and proprietary technology.

The biennial China Laundry Industry Award Ceremony has been highly concerned by the industry, as it helps to establish industry benchmark through recognition and promotion to the people and enterprises who make significant contribution to the industry.

In order to enhance communication and cooperation, the committee organize the first “China Outstanding Laundry Service Companies Show”. The show is recognized as a presentation of excellence in laundry service area, and it has been positively supported by 26 industry associations of 21 provinces and cities from across the country and participation of 156 laundry service companies. It is a review on China laundry service industry’s performance during the past twenty years, to fully present the industrial overall development level. The show is widely appreciated by the insiders.

Photo with guests of China Outstanding Laundry Service Companies Show

“It was interesting to see the Chinese PTC (Professional Textile Care) industry coming together during this year's China Laundry Expo. The number of visitors, the increased attention from International suppliers and the many Chinese suppliers leads to the conclusion that the Chinese market is still developing very well. We had a number of interesting and constructive conversations during the show, whether it is meeting new (potential) partners or catching up with familiars.” Said Mr. Léon Wennekes, Secretary General of CINET.

China Laundry Expo has developed to be a world-class fair in laundry industry whether in terms of scale or the number of participating brands and attendees. Next year, the show will be held in Beijing.