TPT September 2008

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› 38 September 2008
L ike a base jumper diving
into the Shanghai skyline
or an Olympian at the start
of a race, entering the Chinese
market can seem a daunting and
exhaustive prospect. It may be
difficult for a new company to
know where to begin, especially
in such a competitive market as
the tube and pipe industry.
The new regulations introduced
by China in 2004 to allow wholly
foreign-owned enterprise trading
companies are now beginning
to take full effect. With growing
market confidence, an increasing
number of tube companies are
establishing regional offices and
subsidiaries in China.
It is vital for small and mid-
size companies to first make an
agreement with reliable partners and
distributors in the supply chain. Key
considerations when establishing a
company in China include customer
proximity, local infrastructure,
human resources and skills base,
freight logistics, communications,
business development land, and
investment incentives (see the
China-Britain Business Council at
).
Another interesting fact is that a
Chinese company should always
be named in the same format:
location/town first, company
name, activity, and company
structure (eg Shanghai Tianyang
Steel Tube Co Ltd).
For a larger company with an
established reputation on the
Chinese market, the competitive
task is to sustain the reputation
and increase efficiency within the
market.
One of the most successful ways
to do this, as recently evidenced
by a number of high profile
companies such as Trumpf and
Tube Products of India, is to
construct and integrate larger
manufacturing facilities with
increased engineering support.
Tube China is the ideal event for all
companies to assess the Chinese
market, conduct a feasibility
study, forge a business plan,
promote a product, find reliable
partners, buy and sell products,
and a host of other activities. The
event takes place for the third
time from 23-26 September at
the Shanghai New International
Exhibition Centre in the iconic
city of Shanghai.
Over 300 exhibitors have already
confirmed their attendance,
making the show an absolute
sell out. With over 30,000 visitors
expected, the event will be the
perfect starting place for any new
company, a launch-pad for home-
grown Chinese companies, and
the best promotional tool for fully
established companies.
Taking the
the Chinese