NEO striving to make “Architect’20 Expo” largest event in Asean for the industry
Exhibition organiser NEO is taking initiatives to make the “Architect’20” expo, the largest expo for architecture, building materials and construction technology in the Asean region. The event will include roadshows to meet major alliances and entrepreneurs, plus press conferences in neighbouring countries to promote buyer programmes and business matching campaigns.
Some 450,000 people are expected to attend the six-day event, and generate more than Bt10 billion worth of business transactions.
Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, president of NCC Exhibition Organiser Co Ltd (NEO), said that “2020 is regarded as the year of challenges for NEO because we have a mission to organise many events. One of them is the marvellous expo of Thai architects “Architect’20 Expo: Refocus Heritage”. We have been entrusted by the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage to manage the event for the second time.”
“With the capability and extensive experience in organising trade exhibitions, we have got hundreds of alliance networks in the building and construction industry from various countries across the world. This enables us to bring in existing and new entrepreneurs from those countries to exhibit products over 75,000 square metres, together with country pavilions from Europe, USA, Australia, Russia, South Korea, Japan and India, etc. It is expected that the Architect’20 Expo will generate total trade value of more than Bt10 billion.”
He said that to strengthen the positioning of the expo as Asean’s No 1 event, NEO has arranged to meet major alliances and entrepreneurs related to the building and construction industry across the region. Furthermore, they will hold press conferences to promote the event in Myanmar and Cambodia to attract new buyers in Asia. Thai entrepreneurs who want to be distributors can connect with foreign manufacturers through the online business matching programme. "The aim is to support the expansion of construction and building material businesses in Asia, and we expect more than 500 matches at the event,” he said.
According to Vasu Poshyanandana, the chairperson of Architect’20 Expo, “the global and Thai economy have gradually slowed down. This makes several sectors, especially in the industry of construction and real estate, pay more attention to the renovation of existing old buildings to adjust their functions for new usage. By doing so, however, it requires experts in all areas such as architects, interior designers, and contractors. The most important issue is, of course, materials for preservation works. To fulfil this, the coming Architect’20 Expo under the concept “Refocus Heritage” will collect all requirements within one place.”
Sakchai added that “consumers nowadays gradually turn to renovate, repair and restore old buildings, and this keeps the industry of building materials expanding constantly. We are willing to drive Architect’20 Expo as a dedicated expo that gathers materials for building renovation and covers a wide range of profiles, for instance, sanitary ware, kitchen, tile, stone, pipe, pump, waterworks, pool & spa, finishes, furniture, paint, wood, laminate, glass, curtain and decoration, door, windows, roof, metal and services, safety and security, lighting, electronic appliances and international building materials and decorations. More than 850 exhibitors from Thailand and foreign countries have already booked over 90 per cent of the exhibition space.”
Vasu added that apart from the trade fair, there will be consultation services on design and construction by architects, engineers and experts on building preservation via the activity “Mobaan ASA".
Another highlight is various exhibitions with different themes such as "A Crisis of Heritage on the Online World" that aims to present hot issues widely discussed on the social network and invites people to raise questions and find out answers together.
Regarding other exhibitions, they also involve preservation and make attendees refocus heritage with new perspectives and realise their role as the owner who wants to cherish and keep such heritage.
Regarding concerns about the outbreak of Covid-19, Sakchai said they have set up measures and vigilance against the spread of the virus such as hand-gel service points, temperature scanners, separation of suspected patients who need more follow-ups, medical rooms to exclude patients, an increase in frequency in cleaning the event’s areas and a campaign to ask attendees to wear hygienic masks to prevent the outbreak.
Architect’20 Expo: Refocus Heritage will be held from April 28 to May 3,at Challenger Hall 1-3, Impact Exhibition Centre, Bangkok. For more information, visit www.architectexpoasia.com or www.facebook.com/ASAArchitectExposition
