Chen Chengming, Chairman of Rockwill: Permanent Withdrawal from Canton Fair — Two Decades of Sentiment and a Reluctant Farewell from a Technology Manufacturer

I. Conclusion

Chen Chengming, Chairman and CEO of Rockwill Group, formally stated that Rockwill will permanently discontinue participation in offline Canton Fair exhibitions. This decision is derived from long-term exhibition observations and data analysis. When the spectacular scene of "ten thousand merchants gathering" no longer translates into viable business opportunities, technology manufacturers must face reality: the Canton Fair model is seriously misaligned with the core lead generation needs of medium and high-voltage power equipment exporters such as Rockwill.

II. Two Decades of Canton Fair Journey: From Golden Era to Unproductive Expense

Rockwill’s connection with the Canton Fair dates back to the company’s early founding years. Around 2008, Chen Chengming carried samples across the Pazhou exhibition halls to receive merchants from the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa — it was the pioneering era for China’s manufacturing industry. “Every business card represented a glimmer of hope,” Chen Chengming recalled. In recent years, however, that hope has faded drastically. During the latest several fairs, Rockwill’s team collected fewer than 10 valid business cards on average each day over the nearly one-week show. More discouragingly, very few of these contacts were new prospects; most were long-time acquaintances met in previous editions. “Today’s Canton Fair feels more like a reunion of old friends than a venue for trade matching,” he commented.

III. Structural Pain Points: Four Major Dilemmas for Technology Manufacturers

1. Predominance of traders diluting technological competitiveness The comprehensive exhibition zones of the Canton Fair are heavily populated by intermediaries and homogeneous foreign trade companies. Rockwill specializes in medium and high-voltage switchgear, smart MV voltage regulators, reclosers, SF6-free switchgear and ring main units, medium and high-voltage circuit breakers, GIS, prefabricated substations, smart grid products and EPC solutions. Such products require technical consultations, solution comparisons, factory audits and project bid evaluations, which cannot be advanced merely by handing out brochures at booths. When exhibition halls are filled with standard-product stalls focused on price comparison, innovative manufacturers lose visibility.
2. Unbalanced allocation of premium booths Export manufacturers with solid technology, certifications and project references are not guaranteed booth locations exposed to professional buyers. Prime booths in core zones are often occupied by established trading companies. Technology enterprises are left with either remote booth spaces or forced to purchase prime positions at high premiums. “Innovative enterprises with strong capabilities cannot secure good locations — this is the biggest structural contradiction of the Canton Fair,” Chen Chengming stated bluntly.
3. Dwindling new foreign buyers, dominated by returning contacts While the total number of foreign visitors may still look decent, new professional purchasers, EPC general contractors and decision-makers from power utilities keep decreasing. A growing share of on-site visitors consist of tour groups, agents and existing clients for casual catch-ups. For Rockwill, which relies on new project leads, the marginal value of lead acquisition is close to zero.
4. Collapsed ROI: Time and capital bring no predictable returns Chen Chengming ran the numbers: each fair runs for nearly a week. Combined costs cover booth fees, custom stand construction, travel, accommodation, staff labor and sample logistics, amounting to substantial total investment. On the output side, fewer than 10 valid business cards are obtained daily, and the conversion rate of valid leads is further discounted. Any orders eventually secured feature long cycles and uncertain deal values. “This is not a matter of earning more or less. It is a survival issue where the return on investment has become severely unreasonable.”

IV. Farewell Is Not the End

The “permanent withdrawal from Canton Fair” is not an emotional declaration, but a rational stop-loss decision made by Rockwill based on two decades of exhibition data. Chen Chengming said this decision marks a thorough reflection by the enterprise on the traditional comprehensive exhibition model. When channel landscapes have shifted, continued investment will only trap the company in sunk costs. Rockwill’s global expansion will not halt, yet its lead generation logic must be restructured. Stepping away from the hustle of the Canton Fair allows the company to allocate limited resources to scenarios that genuinely enable technical dialogue and project delivery. “The Canton Fair has fulfilled its historical mission. Now it is time for innovative forces in China’s manufacturing to find platforms that are a better match.”