CeMAT Asia expects about 380 exhibitors to present their products at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 25-28 October.

CeMAT organiser Deutsche Messe thinks the resilient Chinese economy will benefit CeMAT Asia and expects nearly 400 exhibitors to participate in the October trade show.

Deutsche Messe AG director Wolfgang Lenarz says Asian companies are increasingly interested in exhibiting at CeMAT Asia and European and US companies also want a presence at the show. "During the early stages of planning CeMAT Asia, we were reminded of the increasing importance of China for the intralogistics sector," he notes.

"Current market conditions have made it essential for SMEs to step up their activities in foreign markets and taking part in trade shows remains the single most efficient marketing tool for companies seeking business in new markets," Lenarz explains.

China is one of the first economies to recover from the global economic crisis. According to the International Monetary Fund, China's GDP is expected to grow by about 10% this year. China also surpassed Japan as the world's second-largest economy last quarter. The Japanese Cabinet Office said this week that while Japan's GDP for the second quarter totalled USD1.288 trillion compared to China's USD1.337 trillion, Japan remained the bigger economy in the first half of 2010.

CeMAT Asia expects about 380 exhibitors to present their products and services in over 23,000sqm (247,570sqft) at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 25-28 October. The expo's key display categories are handling equipment like forklifts, cranes and lifting equipment; conveying and warehousing systems; loading equipment; and related software and accessories for goods and cargo handling.

Deutsche Messe spokeswoman Brigitte Mahnken-Brandhorst says 118 exhibitors from 19 countries have so far signed up for CeMAT Asia.