The Tyrexpo series of exhibitions has been running for more than 25 years across selected venues around the world, first, trading under ECI (Singex), and later, as part of UK’s Tarsus range of shows and exhibitions. Finally re-emerging after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Tyrexpo show series has changed hands again, now operating under Informa Markets – one of Informa’s B2B Markets divisions.
An international business, with a significant presence in the US, Brazil, the Middle East, India and China, the company focuses exclusively on emerging, specialist and international markets, with products ranging from Health & Nutrition, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Packaging, Aviation, Beauty & Aesthetics, Infrastructure & Construction, Fashion, Agriculture, among others.
This year, Informa Markets expanded into the tyre and accessory equipment sector, with the acquisition of the Tyrexpo Exhibition Series, from UKbased Tarsus. Live events, including major annual business-to-business exhibitions plus other specialist content and services – all with the aim of helping buyers and suppliers connect digitally – make up the company’s mainstream business. We caught up with Deputy Event Director, Alwin Seow, on the last day of Tyrexpo Asia – Bangkok, in May, to get his initial thoughts on turn out and whether expectations were met.
Thank you for taking the time to chat to us, on this, the third and final day of Tyrexpo Asia Bangkok. Tell us what led up to the decision for Informa Markets to acquire the Tyrexpo Exhibition series from Tarsus.
The decision for Informa Markets to acquire the Tyrexpo exhibition series from Tarsus was driven by a strategic vision to enhance their market presence and expand their portfolio in specialised B2B events. Aligning Informa’s objective with Tarsus’ wellestablished brands, such as the Tyrexpo series – which is known for its significant industry reach and consistent revenue growth, promises to deliver enhanced value to our audience.
Why did you decide to host your f irst Tyrexpo Asia show in Bangkok, Thailand?
As the tyre and affiliated market is new to us, we decided to run a pilot event in Bangkok as a test bed for future events. We embarked on a number of new initiatives to assess general interest and response from both exhibitors and buyers, feedback that we intend taking forward to other shows. Tyrexpo Asia Singapore in 2025, which is next, is a well-established and widely respected event, and we did not want to tamper with what is regarded as a successful business model, without first testing the waters, elsewhere. So, we chose a location that was accessible, relatively inexpensive and in good proximity to the ASEAN region.
What were some of the new initiatives you introduced to the show this week?
First, in a bid to embrace the digital space, we developed a dedicated app to provide exhibitors and buyers with an informative, user-friendly experience. Registering on the app offers a host of different functions, including setting up meetings, meeting reminders, a schedule of each day’s proceedings and a summary of the day’s events at the end of each show day.
I, for one, have made good use of the app during my time here. It’s a great initiative. It offers opportunities to connect and network, and is easy to navigate. How was the app developed?
We developed the app with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the primary focus being to tailor-make an experience that connects exhibitors with the right buyers. This took a lot of preparation ahead of the show, and entailed one-on-one collaboration with all of our exhibitors to determine their specific needs and requirements. The next step was targeting and contacting the right mix and calibre of buyers from every region being represented at the show, and inviting them to attend.
So, pre-show collaboration between Informa, your exhibitors and their buyers were the selected formula. Was it successful?
Based on the feedback I am getting from our exhibitors I am happy to say that it was! Everyone I have spoken to thus far, appears to be in agreement that the show has attracted the right calibre of buyer and say that if we were to rerun Tyrexpo Asia Bangkok, they would return. Moreover, 94 percent of our exhibitors here in Bangkok have committed to Tyrexpo Asia Singapore, which takes place in March 2025. I believe all the pre-show work we put in, has reaped rewards.
Why is this important? Bear in mind, we are just the organisers. We are not tyre specialists and do not profess to be. We rely on industry experts and knowledge partners to guide us with respect to show content, who to target in our marketing campaigns and what both exhibitor and buyer are hoping to get out of the event.
What other initiatives did you pilot at Tyrexpo Asia Bangkok?
As you know, we invited industry specialists from across the world – yourself being one example – as international speakers to share their knowledge and provide insight into their respective markets. We did this via two separate mediums – The Tyre Retreading Conference and a Tyre Business Forum to explore two key themes, which covered the latest trends, technologies and innovations and looked at the forces that may well shape the future of the tyre industry. From what we can tell, the two seminars provided a valuable exchange of information from different world markets and were well received, so we will endeavour to include similar conventions in our upcoming shows.
What lessons have been learnt?
Primarily, that we need to address the issue of translating these presentations for our Thai-speaking attendees, as well as to explore the possibility of our speakers presenting in their home language, alongside providing English subtitles for the remaining members of the audience.
Are you considering returning to South Africa with another instalment of Tyrexpo Africa?
This is certainly under consideration, but a f inal decision will only be made once we have the back-up data. Tyrexpo Africa 2018 did not appear to deliver on expectations, so, if we do return, we would like to do things differently.
How so?
We have learnt that site location is very important in South Africa, which is something we are taking into account. And, based on feedback received regarding the local culture, it would appear that running the event over a weekend, as opposed to during a working week, might work better for your market. Should we decide to bring the show back, we will embark on a series of roadshows to identify and establish regional connections, an investment we believe would be beneficial for the long term. We also hope to engage with local banks to discuss possibilities around providing assistance for start-up businesses. And of course, as per the Bangkok show, we will enhance our new app to incorporate and provide relevant information to our African exhibitors and buyers.
Would you say your expectations with regard to Tyrexpo Asia Bangkok were met?
Overall, yes. I am happy with the turnout and am particularly happy to hear our exhibitors telling us their specific needs, by way of buyers to the show, actually attended. From what we can deduce thus far, relationships were forged and connections were made, which bodes well for both our exhibitors and visitors to the show.