WEE Expo Held in Shanghai for the Last Time

The 16th China Worldwide Elevator Expo (WEE Expo) was held at Shanghai’s National Convention and Expo Center (NCC) for the last time on May 8-11.

Apart from being the largest lift and escalator industry market, China also has the largest production capacity in this field. In light of all these dynamics, the WEE Expo, which opened its doors for the 16th time, was reminiscent of its past glory days. 

According to data announced by the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) in May, the construction sector sub-index in the non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index PMI, which covers sectors such as services, construction, mining and agriculture, decreased from 56.3 to 54.4. Meanwhile, the decrease in the new orders sub-index in the construction sector from 45.3 to 44.1 was an indicator of the fact that problems in the real estate sector continue. The construction sector, which shrank with the pandemic, naturally reduced the domestic demand for lifts and escalators. For this reason, WEE Expo 2024 was held in three halls of Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Center, with fewer participants than previous editions. This year, approximately 500 companies exhibited their latest technologies and products in an area of 70,000 m² on the upper floors of the fifth, sixth and seventh halls.

The hall full of large OEM companies we were familiar with from previous fairs was absent this time. Various companies from among China’s top 10 did not open stands this year. The reason for this was not only the shrinking markets, but also the fact that the 2022 fair was held in 2023, delayed due to the pandemic. 

This year, the interest of foreign visitors, especially from the Middle East, Russia and Asian countries, was intense at the WEE Expo fair. Due to China’s geopolitical position and attitude toward Western sanctions, strong commercial relations with Russia and Iran were hinted at in the foreign visitor portfolio. In a conversation with a company owner from Iran, the owner said that they could visit the WEE Expo more easily than fairs in Europe due to visa convenience and direct flights. He even stated that almost half of the passengers on the plane were from the lift and escalator sector to visit the fair.

Compared to the practices before the pandemic, China’s visa policy became more practical and easier. The same situation presented itself at passport control at Shanghai airport. The fruits of a more hospitable attitude toward tourists and foreign businesspeople were positively reflected in the number of foreign visitors.

Many of the fair visitors had also made plans to visit supplier companies on-site before or after the fair. Since Chinese manufacturers are very hospitable, especially regarding factory visits, these visits are important in terms of strengthening bilateral relations.

During the fair, the leading and famous companies of the sector took part one after another with the stylish stands they set up. Several well-known lift companies such as SJEC, Kleemann, Theo MOD, Jiangnan Jiajie, Hengda Fuji, Hansen, Fuji Control, Franz, Coleman, Metis, Otrambo and Damingfu exhibited their expertise, leading technologies and innovative products in this field. And the component manufacturers such as Inovance Technology (Monarch ve BST), Best, Yiti, MATTO, Lidl, Severa, Olin, Montenelli, Jiangong Nylon, Zhanpeng, Tianjin Goldman Sachs and Xili Technology were in the spotlight of the visitors with their state-of-the-art products and designs. 

Home Lift: the Most Exhibited Product of the Expo

At the fair, various new home lift manufacturers and their new products attracted visitors’ attention. Two-stop panoramic and colorful home lifts, which are subject to machine directives and were exhibited with the presentation of beautiful stewardesses, were center stage. Additionally, two-stop lifts, which are subject to the lift directive along with the machinery directive, were among the most exhibited products in this category. International visitors were comfortable in this regard, as Chinese manufacturers exhibited their products by completing all the necessary certifications to find a place for their products in the world market, especially the EU standard.

Korean Pavilion

In the Korean Pavilion, which was opened in the fifth hall this year, teams from the Korean Lift Safety Agency, the Korean Ministry of Internal Affairs and Security and many Korean manufacturers opened stands. Hosting many manufacturers in the lift and escalator industry, especially Hyundai, Korea is one of the active countries in this field with the fair it organizes every two years.

Welcome Reception

On the evening of the fair’s first day, bureaucrats, associations, press and fair organizers from abroad were hosted at the welcome reception organized by the China Elevator Association (CEA) with distinguished guests at the Primus hotel, within walking distance of the NCC. The guests had a great time with the presentation of diverse and delicious dishes from the rich Chinese cuisine and local wine. Li Shoulin, president of the China Elevator Association, took the stage at the dinner, gave a welcome speech to the guests and then provided information about the fair.

WEE Expo, which first started in Beijing in 1996, was organized in Guanzu for a while and then moved to Shanghai. After four fairs held in Shanghai, the 2026 fair will take place in Canton between May 20-23.