ZHONGSHAN, China, Oct. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of businesses gathered this golden autumn to pursue a shared vision of progress. On October 26, the 31st China (Guzhen) International Lighting Fair, a five-day event, concluded successfully. Serving as a comprehensive exhibition and trade platform, both online and offline, the Fair brought together top-quality brands from the origin of the lighting industry. It attracted global buyers and leading experts to this grand autumn event and paved the way for a new future in the lighting industry.
With the theme "Guzhen Lights up the World," this year's Fair emphasized professionalism, market orientation, and internationalization. The main venue—the Guzhen Convention and Exhibition Center —teamed up with eight sub-venues and covered a total exhibition area of over 1.5 million square meters. The event showcased a comprehensive range of over 3,500 top-quality brands and unveiled around 100,000 innovative new products. This formed a "1+8+N" large-scale fair model which integrated front exhibitions with backend factories, connected displays with retail, and merged online and offline channels.
As of 2:00 PM on October 26, the main venue of the 31st Guzhen Lighting Fair had welcomed a total of 98,736 professional visits. Among them, 91,021 were Chinese mainland visits, while 7,715 were international visits from 141 countries and regions worldwide. The number of overseas visitors saw a record-breaking 35.39% increase compared to 2023. The eight sub-venues collectively welcomed over 140,000 visits, while the nine venues together recorded a total of nearly 240,000 visits.
Over 150 specialized and mass media outlets, along with popular video creators, captured and promoted the Fair's highlights through diverse formats, including photography, interviews, short videos, and interactive livestreams. The footage showed companies striving to showcase products, expand their markets, and attract customers, while buyers were actively scouting for quality products, seeking partnerships, and gathering industry insights. Both parties expressed great satisfaction with the event's high popularity and success and looked forward to the 32nd Guzhen Lighting Fair in March and the Guzhen Outdoor Lighting Expo in May 2025.
Leveraging Cluster Advantages: 3 Billion Yuan Industrial Projects Signed
Focusing on technological innovation and expanding emerging markets, Guzhen, the lighting capital of China, is set to elevate its trillion-yuan industrial cluster to new heights. During the opening ceremony on October 22, a total of 41 projects were signed in stages, involving nearly 3 billion yuan in fixed industrial investment. These projects are expected to generate an annual output value of approximately 5 billion yuan and potentially drive more than 10 billion yuan in upstream and downstream industry value.
The successive introduction and implementation of manufacturing and service projects signal the acceleration of Guzhen's strategy for high-quality development. The comprehensive initiatives, including plans to welcome billion-yuan enterprises and the "Settle In," "Return Home," and "Build New Homes" campaigns, are in full swing, sharing opportunities for growth and creating a brighter future together!
Expanding Scale + Embracing a New Landscape
Deep Integration of Shenzhen and Zhongshan Boosts Industry to a New Level
This year's main venue featured a new addition, the comprehensive Hall H, bringing the total to eight halls, covering over 58,000 square meters, and entertaining 1,029 exhibitors.
The exhibits spanned the entire industry chain: from smart lighting, residential lighting, and commercial lighting to outdoor lighting, accessories, and machinery, with a wide array of popular and new products on display. The event also highlighted specialized sectors such as IoT systems, new energy, education and office lighting, decorative lighting, and display screens, each showcasing its unique characteristics. These exhibits perfectly captured the three main industry trends: "Smart Lighting, Green Low-Carbon Solutions, and Integrated Innovation."
The cooperation model of "Shenzhen as the Supply Chain Leader + Zhongshan as the Support," and "R&D in Shenzhen + Production in Zhongshan" was further deepened at the Fair this year. The "Shenzhen-Zhongshan Brand Zone" in Hall A underwent significant upgrades, with more than 60% of exhibitors returning from the Guzhen Lighting Fair last autumn and a 26.67% increase in participating companies. This comprehensive showcase highlighted the forefront of "Product Intelligence," "Industry Digitization," and "Trade Innovation" achieved between Shenzhen and Zhongshan.
Smart Technologies + New Energy
Strengthening New Quality Productive Forces
The standout highlights of the exhibitors' displays were "smart lighting, green and low-carbon solutions, cross-industry integration, and specialized and innovative solutions." These trends not only align with the latest industry demands and brand needs but also showcase the diverse and vibrant ecosystem of the Guzhen Lighting Fair as a platform originating from the heart of the industry.
With advancements in AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things), lithium batteries, and photovoltaic energy storage technology—along with decreasing costs—smart lighting and low-carbon new energy have become the central themes connecting various unique features. These technologies are now deeply embedded in niche sectors such as eye-care lighting, home, classroom, agriculture, landscape, and healthcare and inject unprecedented vitality into the field, with high enthusiasm from attendees.
Many exhibitors launched their annual new products, which incorporate AI platforms, and precise sensors, and extend applications to scenarios like smart cities, whole-home automation, emotional lighting experiences, full-spectrum eye-care spaces, and smart security. These innovations highlight the rapid acceleration in developing new quality productive forces within the lighting industry.
For example, in indoor parking scenarios, exhibitors applied smart dimming and radar sensing to LED lighting, significantly reducing energy consumption. They also integrated with major platforms such as Tuya, Huawei, Tmall, and Baidu and shifted from single-product sales to comprehensive smart living solutions.
In the areas of "Low-Carbon + Lighting" and "Low-Carbon + Energy Storage," exhibitors combined "Solar Power" and "Cloud IoT" systems to upgrade traditional street lighting and landscape illumination. They introduced a matrix of product systems, including new home energy storage and power generation systems, cabinet-style tower energy storage, and emergency startup parking power sources.
By focusing on "smart" and "energy," exhibitors have broken free from the traditional low-end, price-driven competition, highlighted their core competitiveness through higher added value, and attracted more new customers and orders.
Many creative exhibitors showcasing innovative technologies also drew significant attention from professional buyers. Examples include original designs of all-copper and glass decorative lamps, creatively flexible silicone strip lights, AI-powered IoT self-learning LED tubes offering high efficiency and energy savings, flexible LED display screens suitable for various venues and buildings, integrated light strips combining cooling, lighting, sprinkling, and audio functions, full-spectrum eye-care lighting spaces that protect against myopia and align with human biological rhythms, and comprehensive online and offline platforms that integrate lighting, bathroom fixtures, appliances, hardware, and general household categories.
Facilitating Transactions + New Models
Hosted Buyer Program Upgraded
The Fair's signature program, the Hosted Buyer Program—was a highlight, which featured four high-value activities: Welcome Reception, Business Matching, VIP Sourcing Tour and Networking Party. These events focused on addressing the three most important factors for businesses and buyers: genuine needs, accurate matching, and efficient transactions. The Business Matching, held over several days, created a lively atmosphere. In addition to pre-show matches between buyers and sellers, the sessions featured detailed listings of buyers' requirements and led many to reach preliminary cooperation agreements with exhibitors on the spot. This significantly shortened negotiation times and facilitated more efficient transactions. The organizers also introduced a dedicated session for buyers specializing in lighting exports coming from Yiwu and further enhanced the effectiveness of the fair.
The "VIP Sourcing Tour" segment was held at Huayi Plaza, featuring a combination of a "Exchange Meeting + Free Store Exploration." The highlight of the event, the Networking Party, attracted brand executives, Chinese lighting market representatives, and distinguished international buyers. The evening also included an awards ceremony for the short video competition of the 31st Guzhen Lighting Fair, "Good Lights in Guzhen." Guests were invited to immerse themselves in Chinese culture, thereby fostering deep interactions in a relaxed and casual atmosphere and creating ample business opportunities.
"Sharing Ideas" + Expert Gathering
High-End Forums Lead Industry Trends Daily
At the main venue, a series of engaging high-end forums took center stage and brought together industry experts, Chinese and international buyers, and renowned entrepreneurs. These events focused on the cutting edge of lighting technology, market trends, e-commerce expansion, and other hot topics.
Key forums included: "Green Low-Carbon Lighting for High-Quality Development," "Safeguarding Quality and Promoting Innovation—Product Quality Improvement Training," "Technology, Product, Opportunity—Lighting Industry New Product Launch," and "2024 Intelligent Lighting Industry Development Conference."
A new model of "Exhibition through Conferences" also made its debut at the Fair this year. The organizers, in collaboration with the Guangdong E-Commerce Association, hosted the "Guangdong (Zhongshan) Lighting Industry E-Commerce Resource Matching Conference," featuring two major events: the "Guangdong (Zhongshan) Lighting Industry Cross-Border E-Commerce Expansion Conference" and the "Guangdong (Zhongshan) Lighting Industry New Business Growth Conference." An exclusive "Guangdong (Zhongshan) Lighting Industry E-Commerce Resource Matching Zone" was established to bring together well-known Chinese and international cross-border e-commerce platforms and service providers, thereby achieving an innovative breakthrough in resource integration to seize global trade opportunities.
The "EZTalk" Livestreaming Forum was once again held in a futuristic metaverse virtual livestream studio, where several industry guests discussed trending topics such as "New Consumption Models," "Health-Focused Smart Lighting," and "AI Lighting Design."
Sub-Venues + Activity Surge
Diverse Events Boost Trade and Tourism
The eight sub-venues were buzzing with a variety of exciting activities, including themed purchasing festivals, new product launches, and livestream store tours, offering a multi-layered, comprehensive, and high-quality autumn procurement extravaganza.
Lihe Lighting Expo Center organized "October Value" events, along with a series of cross-border e-commerce and foreign trade activities, which delivered substantial benefits to both Chinese and international buyers.
Huayi Plaza hosted the "October Global Lighting Purchase Festival," blending lighting exhibitions with fashionable shopping.
The Star Alliance Global Brand Lighting Center held an eight-day (Autumn) Specialty Lighting Fair, bringing together brand enterprises and nationwide merchants.
At Era Lighting Center, an Autumn New Product Appreciation Season took place, featuring the Golden October Global Customer Incentives (with travel reimbursement and free accommodations).
Guyi Ruifeng International Lighting Fittings City and Guyi Qingfeng LED Lighting Trading City collaborated on the "Golden Autumn Peak Season One-Stop Shopping" festival, showcasing a full range of products from the Guyi Industrial Community.
Caosan International Lighting Parts City, in partnership with leading vendors, held the "2024 Autumn Lighting (Accessories) Procurement Festival."
Meanwhile, Guzhen Chang'an Lighting Parts & Electronic City created a lively atmosphere with surprise promotional events.
At the time of this report, all sub-venues continued to attract a large number of buyers and maintain a strong business atmosphere throughout the city of lights.
To better serve international buyers and activate new potentials in cultural tourism consumption, Guzhen simultaneously hosted the third Lighting Cultural Carnival. Highlights included the "Guangdong Cuisine Chef" Skills Competition, the Golden Earth Concert, the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Liufang Yunlong Dance, and a Cantonese Opera and Folk Art Gala, vividly showcasing the town's traditional cultural charm.
With a profound presence in the industry and a global vision, the 31st Guzhen Lighting Fair led the way through innovation, achieved new heights through shared success, and concluded with resounding success.
The 32nd Guzhen Lighting Fair will take place on March 18, 2025. We look forward to joining lighting professionals from around the world in moving toward innovations and achieving a quality-driven future!
Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to every exhibitor, partner, media outlet, and attendee for your participation and support. Thank you for being part of this spectacular lighting industry event and making this golden October a memorable and successful gathering!
