The 2016 Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, put on by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened this week at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE; PPAI Board Chair Tom Goos, MAS, and PPAI Director of Public Affairs Anne Stone have travelled to Hong Kong to attend and speak at the show, meet with buyer groups and visit factories in the area.

The Gifts & Premium Fair opened on Wednesday, April 27, and runs through April 30. The concurrent Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair also kicked off Wednesday at the AsiaWorld-Expo and will continue through April 30. Together, the two events bring more than 4,700 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, and and will welcome 171 buying missions comprised of 13,200 buyers from 75 countries and regions.

Hong-Kong-Gift-Fair

Left: PPAI Board Chair Tom Goos, MAS, joined the Gift and Premium Fair's speaker lineup to discuss the value of the promotional products channel and importance of product safety and regulatory compliance. Right: The Hong Gift and Premium Fair featured more than 4,700 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions.

This year’s Gifts & Premium Fair also features four new thematic zones: Trophies & Medals, BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag), Photographic & Camera Accessories and Art & DIY Gifts. And owing to their popularity, more energy-efficient, green products are being exhibited in 2016. Both the Gifts Fair and Printing & Packaging Fair incorporate themed zones devoted to showcasing branded products and innovative designs.

Today, Goos joined the Gifts & Premium Fair’s speaker lineup. His presentation, “Leading Product Responsibility Challenges in Mature Markets,” focused on the value of the promotional products channel and the importance of responsible sourcing of products that are not only safe and compliant with all U.S. regulations, but produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

IPPAG-Group-Photo

(From left) Goos and Bellantone with Jeffrey Lederer, president of supplier Prime Line, at the IPPAG member meeting in Hong Kong presenting on the U.S. marketplace and growing business in a dynamic marketplace. Prime is a member of the Switzerland-based IPPAG.

In Hong Kong, Bellantone and Goos will be speaking at a meeting of the World Advertising Gift Exchange (WAGE), sharing the Association’s perspectives on the state of the promotional products industry. WAGE is a global network comprised of more than 20 international promotional products companies. Jo-an Lantz, MAS, executive vice president at Geiger and a past PPAI board chair, is president of the group. PPAI leaders will also join a meeting of the International Partnership for Premiums & Gifts (IPPAG). Switzerland-based IPPAG is an international consortium of companies specializing in promotional products. Bridgeport, Connecticut, supplier Prime Resources Corp. is one of the group's members.

Facility-News

While in Hong Kong, Bellantone, Goos and Stone toured the testing facility of AI Anseco, a third-party consumer products testing company.