15th Year of Prolight + Sound Guangzhou -- Largest Edition to Date

Held February 22 - 25, 2017 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, the 15th anniversary of Prolight + Sound Guangzhou surpassed industry expectations with a shattering attendance of 73,986 visitors, marking an 8.1% increase from 2016. A total of 1,250 exhibitors also staged a full spectrum of pro audio and lighting advancements across 130,000sqm of exhibition space in 13 thematic halls and the extended area of Y Channel.

Commenting on the success of this year, Judy Cheung, deputy general manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. shared, "Since the formation of the strategic partnership between Messe Frankfurt and the Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company (STE) in 2013, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou has envisioned bridging the local and international markets by introducing conceptual and structural changes. As we celebrate the fair's 15th year, we are humbled by the strong industry support and positive feedback to our show changes."

Cheung added, "The show's success underlines the effective partnership that we've been committed to building, as well as the pioneering position of the show in the industry. In the future, we will continue to act in the interests of the pro audio and lighting community to deliver a more international business platform for our exhibitors and visitors."

This edition was supported by a strong line-up of key players representing 26 countries and regions, many of whom had positive comments about the vibrant atmosphere in the exhibition halls and the high-caliber visitors they met during the four-day event.

Yamaha Music & Electronics (China) Co. Ltd. is one of the many companies that benefited from the huge visitor flow. Lijun Yao, manager of the company's PA marketing department explained, "To further expand our business for professional speakers in China, we launched our new CL series digital mixing consoles and TF-Rack digital mixers at this year's show. The event is getting more influential in the industry, which attracts more professional buyers and distributors from China. We are pleased with the visitor flow and have successfully connected with our target customers, including distributors from the live performance, installation, and entertainment sectors."

Bose Professional Systems is also seeking to expand sales in China for its home and professional speakers and has returned for the second year to showcase its latest ShowMatch DeltaQ array loudspeakers. Equally pleased with the strong visitor turnout, Joyce Tang, marketing manager of the company remarked, "We regard this show as one of our key marketing channels to meet with quality distributors and partners from the upper and lower supply chains. One of the biggest benefits of joining this fair is the high amount of professional visitors we can reach."

Relacart Electronics Co. Ltd. was also overwhelmed by the influx of quality agents, distributors, and engineers from all over the world who enquired about their newest TDN1 Microphone Desk Stand with Dante network output and WMS1 wireless frequency control system. A representative of the company Tingfei Wu remarked, "As this show boasts an esteemed position in the industry, especially in the pro audio sector, we rely on a professional, authoritative, and market-oriented platform like Prolight + Sound Guangzhou to highlight our strengths and connect with our global buyers. The show is undoubtedly getting bigger and better, and we were surprised by the remarkable increase in quality buyers this year."

Sharing the same sentiment regarding the visitor professionalism was Alice Lee, export manager at Nightsun Pro Lighting Equipment Co. Ltd. She commented, "Through the fair, we hope to meet existing and new distributors and agents from all over the world. Apart from attracting a large pool of audience, the show also gathers a fair mix of domestic and foreign visitors who are professional and target-oriented. Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is a fair we can't miss."

This year, the show organizers further broadened the fair's product profile in response to the burgeoning demands for the karaoke and theatre markets in China. The new "Theatre K. Pub" at Y Channel bolstered the product line-up, offering buyers the latest advancements in the sectors of mini and home theatres, customized installations, smart digital AV, and system integration.

Hu Liao, sales manager from Mian Yang SCR Technology Co. Ltd. who came for this specific zone, was content with the diverse technologies on display. "We were here to acquire the latest market trends in the karaoke sector to apply in our engineering projects for mini theatres, private clubhouses, and resorts. This zone is an accurate reflection of the current market and provides more defined product categories that facilitate our sourcing experience."

Other visitors were also happy with the number of exquisite brands presented in the 13 thematic halls and zones, including the Audio Brand Name Halls, Pro Audio Halls, Lighting Halls, KTV Hall, Enping Microphone Hall, together with the lighting zone at Y Channel and product zones for conference and PA systems, headphones, as well as microphones.

Malaysian visitor Xinmei Tan, assistant manager in product management from Acoustic & Lighting System Sdn Bhd said, "I am impressed by the quality of some of the PA systems here. The scale of this show is astonishing and the fact that it houses the most prominent brands reflects its importance to the industry. Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is definitely one of the most professional and influential exhibitions of its kind in China."

Francisco O. Pinheiro Jr., managing director from TEC PORT, a Brazilian distributor for stage lighting equipment, saw the rising potential in Chinese products. "I am here to seek cooperation with local manufacturers and introduce their products to Brazil. Overall, my trip has been fruitful as I was able to meet Chinese companies providing quality LED display screens at a competitive price range."

With extensive support from industry associations and organizations from Asia, Europe, and the US, this year's program gathered an international profile of speakers who imparted knowledge on a broader range of topics related to audio engineering, sound production, KTV, stage design, installation, and system integration. Events also placed a stronger focus on market trends, technical knowledge, and business strategies to help participants navigate the evolving pro audio and lighting landscape.

The PLSG Annual Training Course, a highlight of this edition, successfully opened up constructive dialogues between international and local specialists. Topics covered in the course include the application of sound systems and acoustic technology, enhancement of event and stage performance, as well as real-time networking and media networking technology.

Bernie Farkus, senior technical sales engineer of Australian company Audiante, was thrilled to conduct a training course on Dante technology to a full house of attendees. "This was a very successful experience for us as we had so many participants requesting us to do further training in China afterwards. Training courses like these are an indispensable part of the show because people not only want to see the products, but also learn about the technologies evolved. China is full of tremendous opportunities and the fair has presented us a great opportunity to introduce the usage and configuration of Dante technology to the Chinese audience."

Jaime Welton, technical director of Wukesong Arena (Beijing), who shared his insights on the safety of live events, also asserted the importance of the training course. "As China is one of the fastest growing markets in the world, this show presents a perfect platform for us to initiate safety awareness and preach safety practices among manufacturers and professionals. We are very glad to be here."

Hongbing Hua, general manager of Guangzhou Shituo Liheng Audio Technology who attended the Guangzhou Recording and Multimedia Technology Forum 2017, praised the effectiveness and relevance of the content. "As a company working for cinema engineering and stage sound reinforcement, we are often faced with challenges in presenting the best sounds at live events. I've benefited greatly from the forum through understanding how the location of microphones can affect the optimal sound output. The quality of the program is improving, and it's good to hear relevant and practical tips from professional speakers."

The highly-rated Vision X Network continued to offer a business platform that facilitated business and technology exchange in a relaxing setting. Ziqian Chen, technical manager from Sennheiser Electronic (Beijing) Co. Ltd. who spoke at the event for the first time, was delighted by the opportunity to directly engage with the company's clients. "This is an excellent platform for us to give an in-depth introduction of our latest XSW1 and XSW2 series. This event is more than a product presentation as we can also interact and share technical knowledge with participants. I am happy to see that many attendees expressed genuine interest and stayed to enquire about the recording solutions of our products."

Participants who visited the Outdoor Line Array, which featured 30 local and international brands across three demonstration areas, also applauded the high quality of speakers. One of the attendees Xiaoyu Guan, deputy general manager of Beijing Goharston Technology Co. Ltd. exclaimed, "I really enjoyed listening and comparing the sound quality of speakers here. The overall quality is very high this year, and I can visit the desired booths directly after the demonstration to learn more about their technologies, which saves a lot of my time and effort."

A number of technology-oriented forums and seminars were also well-attended by expert speakers and attendees representing various facets of the pro audio and lighting world. These events include the Audio Engineering Design and New Acoustic Technology, Audio Technology Forum 2017, Audio Technology in Digital Age -- Development and Opportunities, China Mini Theatre and KTV Industry Forum 2017 (Guangzhou Section), and Outstanding Mini Theatre and KTV Brand Award Presentation Ceremony, Guangdong Association of Performing Arts Meeting (Performance Venues), as well as Practical Measurement for Pro Audio Equipment. Together, they provided industry peers with business ideas, networking opportunities, and market insights.

Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is organized by Messe Frankfurt and the Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company (STE). For more details and information about the show, please visit the URL below or email plsgz@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com.