Shanghai, China. Always a big part of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, carpets and textile floor coverings will remain the heart and soul of the show in 2017 (21 – 23 March). In all, there will be five exhibition halls dedicated to these core product categories, covering everything from hand-made rugs to fitted carpets, carpet tiles, machine-made carpets and mats to raw materials and the latest production technologies.

More than 400 manufacturers of carpets, rugs, fitted carpets and production technology from China and around the world have already confirmed their participation. In fact, the carpet section of the show is benefiting from increased participation by international brands. Highlights here include national pavilions from Belgium, the Netherlands, and the USA, which will be clustered in Hall W1 (machine-made carpets/fitted carpets).

Among the international exhibitors is Belgium's Balta Group, a leading European manufacturer of textile floor coverings. Marketing Director Geert Vanden Bossche explains his company's strategy: "Developing new markets is a key part of our strategy. We recently opened a new sales office in Singapore in order to facilitate sales of our carpet tiles in the Asia-Pacific Region. Other countries like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and the Philippines are also gaining in importance."

Vanden Bossche is also very clear about the key strategic role that DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR plays in the development of his company's markets in the Asia-Pacific region: "It is important for us to have a presence at DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR every year. The show is a hugely efficient platform for networking with existing and potential customers. Moreover, its visitor reach is not confined to China, but extends to the entire Asia region."

From Hall W1 it's a quick walk to Hall W5, home to exclusive, one-off originals and designer creations from the hand-made carpets sector. Hall W5 is also home to the InnovAction showcase – a celebration of the latest products and innovations.

Meanwhile, Hall W3 houses the Carpet Technology section, where visitors will find the latest carpet manufacturing technologies. There, Aquafil, Bonar, Freudenberg, Groz-Beckert, Kolon, Owens Corning, Trützschler, Universal Fibres, Van de Wiele and other providers will showcase the latest materials and machinery and carpet cleaning and care products.