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59th API and Interphex China

After Interphex India, its now turn for API and Interphex China. While India and China both have emerging pharmaceutical industries, such exhibitions are always productive for the industry world over. Sushmi Dey surveys the event

The 59th API China was held in Shenzhen, a sub-provincial city of Guangdong province in southern China. The three day event which started with a traditional opening ceremony on November 13th continued till November 15th. Interphex China, an international event brand was co-located with the API China show for the third time this November. API and Interphex China are China's leading exhibitions for the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector covering the complete spectrum of products from raw material, fine chemicals, intermediates, ingredients, processing machinery and packaging machinery. Hence, the show is a one stop platform for the manufacturers of raw material drugs from all over the world. Major domestic and international players like Shijiazhuang Pharmaceuticals, Harbin Pharmaeuticals, Qilu Pharmaceuticals, Colorcon, Roussselot and Pall Lifesciences participated in the event.

Best of locations

Shenzhen being one of the best developed market economies in China, a centre of foreign investment and one of the fastest growing cities in the world, proved to be a favorable venue for the event, API and Interphex China. Reportedly, Shenzhen is the busiest port in China after Shanghai and in the past two decades, outsiders have invested more than $30 billion in Shenzhen for building factories and forming joint ventures. Interestingly, the city is also the earliest of the five special economic zones in China. Besides, Shenzhen is very well connected and can be reached by air, train, sea or road. All together, the city added to the business value, convenience and participant's overall experience of the event.

Going Global

Remarkably, the exhibition was spread over an area of 45,000 square metres and attracted over 30,000 visitors from 49 countries, informed Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions, the organisers of the event. "The database for the pool of international visitors who visited API and Interphex China is over 20,000," said Hu Kunping, Vice President, Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions. It is estimated that the number of overseas audiences increased most by 22.35 percent compared to the last fair. API and Interphex China efficiently created a platform for international buyers to meet Asian sellers, especially Chinese ingredients manufacturers. The Chinese drug market is estimated to be $ 16 billion. While China is the world's most populous country, its economy is the fastest growing economy in the world. The drug market in China is growing at an annual rate of more than 15 percent. The country, through its massive workforce and consumer base, offers a vast array of opportunities for overseas investors. Besides API and Interphex China provided international companies with a single destination for buying and selling engineering solutions, raw ingredients and manufacturing services. The co-located events during the exhibition also providethe ideal venue for global organisations to connect with Chinese decision makers. The exhibition is a significant step towards efficiently trying to bridge the gap between Chinese raw material drugs manufacturers and the rest of the world.

Opening doors to opportunities

While the Interphex China exhibition provides international companies with a trusted platform for doing business in China, API China was a platform for most domestic manufacturing players in China, who are interested in exchanging relevant information and look forward to establishing international platform through this exhibition. "One of our main goal is to promote the low core pharmaceutical industry and get more exposure. We want to internationalise this exhibition and bring top manufacturing pharma companies under one roof," said Kunping. To fulfill the motive, Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions is also planning to exhibit country pavilion in the exhibition during upcoming years.

Statstistics say that China is also the second largest raw material drugs producing country in the world. Therefore, domestic manufacturers strongly demand of exchanging relevant information through such international platforms. API China and Interphex China provide a huge platform to such Chinese drug manufacturers to extend their already existing export market.

The exhibition also opens wide opportunities for domestic players to seek better technology and developed means for their products. The organisers have an attitude of improving and trying best to provide professional services, and hence, meeting the demands of its customers. A series of advanced conferences with relevance to the current status and need of the Chinese raw material drugs industry were also organised during the event.These conferences provided abundant information to industry insiders attending the exhibition. "API and Interphex China's leading edge conference programming and world class exhibition will help international participants gain a critical understanding of the regulatory direction and business opportunities in the Chinese pharmaceutical industry to help speed their entry into this high growth market," avers Kunping.

sushmi.dey@expressindia.com