Drinktec, CBB partner in China

In September last year, organizers of drinktec 2009 said they have signed a cooperation agreement with China Brew China Beverage (CBB).

Wang Xin, CBB GM and Petra Westphal, drinktec exhibition director, tell us more.

Q: In September 2009, on the last day of drinktec, you surprised everyone by announcing a marketing partnership. How did it come about?

Westphal: We had been on the look-out for some time for a strong partner abroad, especially in China or the Asian region.

B+D Shanghai, which we organised up to 2003 in Shanghai, was not financially viable in the end, and unfortunately we had to discontinue it.

Since then we have not had a foothold in the region.

Approaching CBB was the obvious thing to do.

I have been following the successful development of CBB very closely for many years, we have been there as visitors on a regular basis in the years before drinktec, and last time, in 2008, we were even exhibitors with our stand.

Important drinktec exhibitors have also been involved with CBB for many years, as has our conceptual sponsor, the Food and Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association (Fachverband Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen) affiliated in the VDMA (Germany’s engineering federation). So everything was pointing to a partnership with CBB.

Wang: CBB has developed outstandingly since it was founded in 1995, and this success story has gone hand in hand with the rise of the Chinese beverage and liquid food industry.

After the US, China today is not only the most important beverage market in the world, but also one of the most significant manufacturers of technical equipment for the beverage and liquid food industry.

More manufacturers are offering the necessary technology and so are able to compete on equal terms in the global market.

While CBB plays a leading role in China, we will also need to continue to develop, penetrate new markets and open doors, especially in the Asian market.

It makes life easier for us if we can count on a strong partner who enjoys a global reputation, has access to virtually all markets and who has the necessary expertise when it comes to marketing abroad.

Q: What tangible objectives are you pursuing with the partnership?

Wang: We are confident that CBB 2010 will benefit from our partnership with drinktec.

We are aiming at having 10% more exhibitors and 20% more exhibition space this year.

Our aim is to make CBB a kind of drinktec in the Asia-Pacific region.

Westphal: We want to reach China and the markets in Asia even more effectively and strengthen the drinktec brand in this region.

Q: How will the cooperation work?

Westphal:We have made suggestions on the design of the CBB exhibitor catalogue, and have also helped with marketing.

A joint newsletter has also been issued.

Our public relations department will use its distribution channels to pass on information on CBB to trade media worldwide and initiate marketing cooperations.

Wang: The most eye-catching result of the cooperation is without doubt the phrase ‘powered by drinktec’, which CBB now adds after its header.

This header communicates that we are operating jointly with drinktec, which gives us a positive impact in the market.

This partnership has proceeded extremely harmoniously so far.

Q: How this alliance will proceed in the future?

Wang: Our marketing cooperation should lead to a joint venture, which of course that requires careful preparation.

This process has already begun and we are all optimistic that we will be able to announce the joint venture in 2010.

Westphal: The project is proceeding well, even if there is still a lot of work ahead of us.

We are currently carrying out intensive talks with our subsidiary MMI Shanghai, which is to be involved in the joint venture, on behalf of drinktec, as it were.