Practical and Thoughtful Innovations Dominate CIIE

The finest consumer-related innovation must be practical, people-oriented and cost-effective, according to Liu Liang, deputy director of the Institute of Applied Economics at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

"Imported products used to be out of reach for ordinary Chinese consumers, albeit their premium quality, but now they are more adapted toward the Chinese market after years of localization," Liu said.

"The Chinese market is enormous, but it is also complex and competitive. Only those who understand true local demand can have a seat in this market, and CIIE makes it easier to find one."

One notable product featured among approximately 300 exhibits at Amcor's booth, a packaging company based in Switzerland, is stick-pack packaging for Baoji Pills.

These pills are traditional Chinese medicine designed to alleviate stomach and motion sickness, and they were previously offered in bottles.

Guangzhou Wanglaoji Pharmaceutical Co Ltd has made a revolutionary change by putting the pills in sachets to make them "easy to tear," and this partnership with Amcor is expected to popularize the daily medicine because it is much more convenient to carry and swallow the pills, with guaranteed hygiene.

"China is one of the world's most dynamic markets for packaging innovation and offers the most diverse demands," said Chris Kenneally, president of Amcor Asia Pacific.

"Amcor aims to leverage the platform of the CIIE to intuitively convey to local customers and partners that Amcor can provide 'end-to-end' packaging solutions."

Practical and Thoughtful Innovations Dominate CIIE

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: The CIIE booth of Swiss packaging company Amcor displays Baoji Pills' stick-pack packaging, which was previously available in bottles.

Amcor signed cooperative agreements valued at more than 400 million yuan (US$56 million), including with companies like Wanglaoji, Yankee Shop, HALO and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, at the CIIE.

While the CIIE represents the best venue for Amcor to observe the local demand, it is the place for global hearing-care solution provider Sonova to get their innovative products and services better seen.

Emanuele Bianchi, vice president of marketing for audiological care at Sonova, said that the modern hearing aids utilize artificial intelligence to better automatically identify ambient noise and separate speech from noise. At the same time, their size is becoming increasingly smaller, even to the point of being completely invisible, thereby meeting the diverse needs of different consumers.

"China is one of the most important markets that we want to grow," said Bianchi. "We have established our solid presence in China through sustained investment, so it is time to get more awareness through big events like CIIE."

During CIIE, Sonova has launched the experience room, pioneering a new model for hearing testing. Individuals can undergo on-site professional services such as ear canal health examinations and hearing assessments to understand their current hearing health status. They can also interact in real time, try the latest hearing aids, and experience how technology optimizes listening effects across various scenarios.

Sonova has set up a comprehensive localized value chain encompassing production, R&D, sales, and services in China.

In 2015, Sonova established an innovation center in Shanghai. The enhanced capabilities of the Shanghai headquarters have significantly accelerated Sonova's local innovation while enabling efficient resource utilization.

To localize, the firm has developed the Phonak Chinese language processor tailored to the tonal characteristics of the local language and the listening environments in China.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Global hearing-care solution provider Sonova participated in the CIIE for the first time.

For food giant Nestle, which participated in the CIIE for eight consecutive years, the expo has become a place to spot the new trends and then select catered products through its global network.

Kais Marzouki, chairman and CEO of Nestlé China, said that the firm has been deeply engaging in and witnessing China's process of high-quality development through platforms like CIIE.

"New trends such as the pet economy, silver economy, and upgrading health demands have brought us growth opportunities," Marzouki said. "We will continue to connect global resources, bring more innovative products and services to China, and resonate in harmony with the Chinese economy."

Among the hundreds of exhibits sourced from 12 countries in Nestle's global network, there are milk powders tailored for seniors with enhanced nutrition but less fat to meet the demands of the silver economy and pet food that can adjust the health of pets to alleviate the risks of human allergies.

Such care for the senior and the pet lovers is also presented at the booth of US-based elevator maker Otis, which displayed a carriage at CIIE designed for Chinese residential communities that has become more user-friendly. For example, it has enlarged buttons on the board of the elevator to allow the senior better sight, and it sets up a button to remind people of pets inside.

Judy Marks, CEO of Otis, said that Otis is committed to contributing to China's high-quality development drive with a customer-centric and innovation-driven spirit.

"Elevators in the future need to incorporate more thoughtful designs, such as age-friendly and accessibility features, to ensure smooth mobility for people and efficient operation of cities," Marks said, adding that innovations and safety are the cornerstone, and technology is the engine driving safety upgrades.