معرض WEE 2026، قوانغتشو

احتفل معرض WEE هذا العام، الذي أقيم للمرة السابعة عشرة، بالذكرى الثلاثين لانطلاقه. وكان آخر ظهور له في مدينة قوانغتشو عام 2014، خلال عام الحصان، وعاد المعرض إلى المدينة في عام الحصان أيضاً، بعد مرور 12 عاماً بالضبط من دورة الأبراج الصينية.

by Peng Jie, EW Correspondent

The Landmark Tower, featuring its slim waist, loomed gray in a rainy skyline on the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China, the host city for the 2026 World Elevator & Escalator (WEE) Expo held on May 20-23. Outside on the streets, construction cranes, rotating or at a standstill, came into sight here and there amid old buildings or on the riverside. Obsolete structures had been pulled down for reconstruction, while some of the old buildings seemed to be under modernization, given the erection of additional hoistways for elevators. Your reporter walked past a jobsite bustling with activity in the Baiyun District near the airport. Guangzhou, the metropolis in southern China, plays a guiding role in the dynamic growth of the elevator industry, as well as in the development of the economy and ecology of the Greater Bay Area, which is also one of the leading market and manufacturing workshops for elevators and escalators in the country.

"The 2026 WEE Expo, themed 'Connecting Global E&E Market,' provided more than 100,000 m2 for roughly 1,000 exhibitors from some 40 countries around the world."

Despite the incessant rain, visitors from nearly all continents around the world, as well as from across China, stepped with enthusiasm into the Canton Fair Complex, where the WEE Expo was distributed on two floors. They visited the exhibits with interest and concern, talked to exhibitors and took photos. Industry veterans seemed to cherish this opportunity more than others, reveling in the opportunity to speak face-to-face to one another, which makes greater sense than an instant text by WeChat or a phone conversation. Friends and business partners seemed to enjoy the pleasure of calling up fading-away memories over a cup of tea, in addition to talking business.

This year, the WEE Expo—held for the 17th time—celebrated its 30th anniversary since the fair's inception. Last held in Guangzhou in 2014, during the Year of the Horse, the fair returned to the city in another Year of the Horse, exactly 12 years later, following the full Chinese zodiac cycle. The first WEE opened in Beijing in August 1996, with the participation of the ELEVATOR WORLD team led by Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ricia Sturgeon-Hendrick. Since then, as EW has reported at every expo, WEE has experienced more ups than downs, keeping pace with the growing rhythm of the country's elevator industry. Since its inception, the WEE Expo has been held in only four cities: Beijing in 1996, 1998, and 2002; Shanghai in 1997, 2000, 2004, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2023 (postponed from 2022), and 2024 in Shanghai; in 2006, 2008, and 2010 in Langfang; and in 2012, 2014, and 2026 in Guangzhou.

The 2026 WEE Expo, themed "Integrating the Global Elevator and Escalator Market," provided over 100,000 m² of space for nearly 1,000 participants from approximately 40 countries around the world. In addition to the Elevator Industry Development Forum held on the opening day, a dozen forums and workshops on specific themes were also conducted. Over the four days of the event, tens of thousands of visitors came to the exhibition halls to visit exhibitors, meet with them, and place orders. More importantly, the organizer, Langfang International Conference and Exhibition Center Co., Ltd., earned the trust of both domestic and international participants. Young Wu Peng, who was responsible for the setup of the EW booth—a source of great satisfaction for us—did an excellent job working alongside the company's engineering team on the eve of the opening day, printing and installing all of EW's logo-branded booth panels in just 20 hours.

EW would like to take the opportunity to express sincere thanks to the many decades-long business partners who share their stories with us. It is remarkable for SJEC to have installed thousands of escalators and moving walks in hundreds of RT-Marts in so many cities and towns in China that your author would take it for granted that these two names were synonymous. Canny Elevators continues its consistent efforts toward challenges of big mountains with more successful projects completed in dozens of cultural and tourist landscapes across China, such as the escalator series in Shangrao Lingshan and Liancheng Guanzhaishan, while maintaining perfect reliability and safety records of the equipment running in the wild open. Hanson Elevators displayed a live model of its unique embedded modernization escalators, which can fit into any existing trusses with limited size and space, thus offering cost-effective solutions to modernization jobs in old buildings by means of in-factory-assembled modules. FJZY, Shandong did an amazing number of jobs in modernization of old residential buildings by new elevator installations, winning a good reputation from numerous customers. Some exhibitors, like Otis and FJZY, presented impressive glass well models or attractive cars in hoistways. Dongnan Elevators held its certificate awarding at the expo, while other exhibitors held booth performances or organized factory tours.

Nidec Elevator’s elevator, powered by linear motor technology and showcased for the first time at the exhibition, was a new product that stood out for its ability to operate both vertically and on inclines—a feature that sets it apart from traditional elevator solutions.

Otis’s Smart Cab II cabin, with its modern, sleek interior design and buttons, along with a floor indicator projected onto the lobby floor, created the sensation of being in a space station. Undoubtedly, one of the fair’s most eye-catching booths was that of cabin manufacturer FUAM, which featured a booth design that appeared mysterious from the outside yet embodied a modern art concept, complemented by elegant and beautiful models showcasing its cabin designs. With each cabin’s visual presentation modeled by a live model, the booth had the atmosphere of a fashion show.

Zynoe and NBSL, meanwhile, succeeded in drawing attention with the massive, 8-meter-wide operational doors they displayed at their booths. In particular, Zynoe’s fully operational automatic door—8 meters wide and 4 meters high—became one of the must-see attractions for visitors.

HEPU Power, one of China’s leading manufacturers of electric vehicle and elevator motors, welcomed its international guests with a highly attended and enthusiastic ceremony prior to the fair. At the dinner following the ceremony, all guests had the opportunity to sample the unique flavors of the rich Chinese cuisine. 

Guests who missed this pre-exhibition ceremony were treated to factory tours and a dinner throughout the exhibition. Bülent Yilmaz from the EW team was among those who visited the factory during the tour organized on the third day of the exhibition.

However, the most significant achievements came from face-to-face business meetings conducted via order forms. Opposite the EW booth was a small booth belonging to KTon, a Cixi-based company (near Ningbo); the company manufactures screwless terminal block connectors, and its two booth attendants managed to secure a large number of orders by engaging intensively with customers throughout the fair. It is reported that KTon’s factory employs 50–60 people to supply over 100 domestic and international customers. This situation can be viewed as a microcosm of the vast supply chains concentrated in the three major elevator and escalator production regions: the Yangtze River Delta, Guangzhou, and the Bohai Coast. Each region consists of thousands of large and small suppliers for various parts and components—ranging from guide rails to drive motors, from sensors to artificial intelligence controls, and from field technician training schools to logistics services. What makes the magnificent projects of all well-known local and global brands possible—and turns them into successes—is the incredible efficiency and reliability of so many companies and factories working together.

Over the four days of the WEE Expo, EW met with Zhu Weibin, general manager of SJEC, Qin Jiancong, founder and chairman of Dongnan Elevators;

Chambrey Zhang, Chairman of Hanson Elevators (we were both young when we worked at the same elevator joint venture in the 1980s and 1990s); and Zhu Ruihua, General Manager of Shanghai Fuji; and also met with many old friends and very important people. William C. Sturgeon, the founder of EW, used to say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Over time,I’ve come to realize that this holds true not only when preparing news stories but also when working in the office, the workshop, and on-site! For this reason, I will continue to take photos at events whenever I deem it necessary. I believe the photos will better convey what was seen both inside and outside the massive exhibition complex in Guangzhou.

Additionally, a short poem I wrote to describe the event is included below. Finally, the next WEE Fair—the 18th edition—will be held in Guangzhou from May 17–20, 2028.

The WEE Expo: A Poem

(يونيو 12، 2026)

by Peng Jie, EW Correspondent

Up or down to Floor One passengers go,

Come exhibitors of the Elevator Expo.

Hurry to the booth with manner in grace,

Welcome visitors to look at our showplace.

Wireropes’re long and the pulley’s round,

What are in need we have already found.

Tour the halls looking for all material supply,

Always greeted warmly by a lady’s smile.

Purchasers arrive from all parts of the globe,

For machines, controls and everything they hope.

Over a cup of tea business talks at the table,

Four days are short, but we’ve got orders out of scale.

Fashions and trends here are for everyone to see,

Take a ride in the shining car and some photos for me.

The event opens a door as well as a window,

Let’s rejoice here in May, 2028 again in Guangzhou

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