(I) Industry Overview
Railway transportation is recognized by the world as a “green transportation” with low energy consumption and less pollution. After entering the 21st century, energy crisis and environmental pressure have increased day by day, and green rail transportation has become the world’s preferred mode of transportation. High-speed railway construction has developed rapidly, with the fastest growth in China, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries. According to the survey statistics of the European Railway Industry Association (CER), the world’s top railway industry organization, the total global railway market exceeds 100 billion euros. In the next 10 years, the railway industry will show an upward trend, with an annual growth rate of 1.5% to 2%. The railway market will increase by about 20% in 10 years. In addition to Western Europe, Japan and China, which focus on the development of high-speed railways, many countries and regions, such as India, Brazil, Russia, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and even the United States, have also begun to accelerate the construction of trunk railways and urban rail transit.
The advantages of railway transportation are becoming increasingly prominent. In recent years, cross-border railways have also entered the public eye: Eurasian Railway, Singapore-Malaysia Railway, China-Nepal Railway, South Asian Multi-country Railway Network, etc. These railways are either researched and designed, or tendered for projects, or constructed and electrified. Railways connect each other more efficiently than aviation and roads, and drive the economic development of various places along the line. In particular, in recent years, my country’s rail transportation has developed rapidly. With its comprehensive advantages in cost, technology, efficiency, etc., it has gradually won the recognition of the international market. In 2017, the export volume exceeded 20 billion yuan. Many developing countries have also followed suit and gradually increased the construction of infrastructure such as rail transportation. At the same time, most developed countries have carried out comprehensive integration and upgrading of rail transportation products. The rail transportation export market faces development opportunities. With the improvement of my country’s rail equipment export competitiveness, the desire of related companies to participate in exhibitions abroad has also increased year by year.
(II) Key Exhibitions
1. Berlin International Rail Transportation Technology Exhibition (InnoTrans)
Exhibition Overview: The world’s largest, most influential and representative rail transportation exhibition. Founded in 1996, it is hosted by Berlin International Exhibition Co., Ltd., Germany, and has received strong support and assistance from the European Railway Association, the German Railway Association and other institutions. It is held every even-numbered year. The exhibition has developed rapidly since its inception. In just 20 years, it has developed into the world’s largest international exhibition event in the railway and rail transit industry with the largest number of exhibitors and trade visitors.
In 2018, the 12th InnoTrans had 3,062 exhibitors gathered in Berlin, exhibiting their products in 41 exhibition halls with an area of more than 200,000 square meters. There were more than 140 trains on display on the 3,500-meter-long track outdoors, and the number of professional visitors to the conference reached more than 130,000. 62.3% of the exhibitors came from overseas, and overseas exhibitors came from 60 countries and regions including Egypt, Bahrain, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Belarus.
2. Rail transit exhibitions in other regions
South America (Sao Paulo) Railway Industry Exhibition (NT Expo), Australian Railway Industry Exhibition (Aus-Rail), Russian Railway Equipment Exhibition (Expo 1520), Middle East (Dubai) Railway Exhibition (MES), Indian Railway Exhibition (IREE), Spanish Light Rail Exhibition (RAIL LIVE), etc.