Product design focus of gift and stationery show

Innovative and sophisticated stationery products took the limelight at the Taipei International Gift and Stationery Spring Show, which kicked off yesterday at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall.

With a booth set up within the trade show's Innovative Cultural Products Gallery, Franz Collection Inc (法藍瓷) introduced its latest porcelain tabletop in the form of Papillion Butterfly, Slipper Orchid, Vanilla and Flowers.

Another company, Lucoral & Lupearl Co (大東山), showcased pearls, coral artwork, amber jewelry and decorative items.

Both firms were recognized by the show's organizer, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會), which awarded them the 2004 Taiwan Promising Brands award.

The award aims to boost the nation's competitiveness by encouraging Taiwanese companies to build their own brands

One exhibitor stressed that Taiwan has a valuable asset -- a lot of talent for product development and design.

"Even though we have moved our factory to Shenzen, due to its cheap labor, we still have 20 people in Taipei for R&D," said David Huang (黃大誠), sales supervisor of Findgifts International Cultural Co (泛古國際文化).

His company, established eight years ago, specializes in manufacturing eye-catching figurines and models of motorcycles, cars, trains and airplanes.

"Half of our products are exported abroad. The US market shows the strongest purchase power," Huang said.

According to TAITRA statistics, the export value of the nation's stationery products from January to October last year reached US$382.33 million.

Exports to the US accounted for 27.57 percent of the total, or US$105.43 million. Hong Kong, Japan and China took a combined share of 33.65 percent of total exports.

Another exhibitor was optimistic about the outlook for this year, saying his company's sales doubled in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, when the SARS epidemic led to a drastic downturn in business for nearly all trades and professions.

"We have high hopes on the trade show securing us more orders from foreign buyers," said Mark Fan (范清富), sales director of Lion Pencil Co (雄獅鉛筆), one of the largest stationery companies in the country.

Although TAITRA has tried to enhance the show's image by describing it as "international," one market insider expressed concern that the show has become too "localized."

"When the show was first held around 30 years ago, some interested foreign exhibitors could not set up booths due to the limited space. The show then gradually became a `national' event, not really an international exhibition," said Lin Cheng-chieh (林成杰), managing director of Taiwan Gift & Houseware Exporters Association (台灣區藝品禮品公會).

"It seems that the center [of the stationery sector] has shifted to Hong Kong as the upcoming trade show there will have more than 4,000 booths occupying a much bigger venue," he said.

More than 2,100 Taiwanese and foreign buyers visited the gift and stationary show on its first day yesterday, compared with some 2,200 people who attended the first day of the autumn show last fall.

According to TAITRA, the four-day show features 533 exhibitors, 16 from abroad, occupying 970 booths.