The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service has granted Trade Fair Certification to Vertical Expo Services Ltd in Hong Kong to organize the official U.S. Pavilion at AFE 2010 – Asia Funeral Expo (www.asiafuneralexpo.com), Hong Kong, May 13-15, 2010. The show is a major event of the National Funeral Directors Association (NDFA), the leading funeral service organization in the world.
Companies participating in the U.S. Pavilion are provided with an excellent venue to establish or expand overseas distribution, generate sales leads, identify licensing and joint venture partners, find new customers, meet with existing clients, introduce new products, assess the needs of the Asian market, and evaluate competitors. AFE 2010 has the support of the Department of Commerce staff in the United States and Hong Kong.
By supporting this event, the U.S. Commercial Service recognizes the capability and exhibition experience of the organizer of the U.S. Pavilion, Vertical Expo Services Ltd, and the potential of this market for U.S. industry exports. In addition, NFDA is a very professional organization with vast experience in organizing trade shows.
AFE 2009, which was also certified, proved to be a well-organized event with extensive international attendance from the region and elsewhere around the world. The show theme includes funeral-related products, equipment and tools, services, components and parts, and materials and technology. The concurrent NFDA Asia Conference covers cutting-edge topics and will bring together funeral industries from East and West for networking, exchanging ideas and seeking business opportunities. Other concurrent events include funeral home and cemetery visits and viewing an Oriental traditional bone packing demonstration.
Strong, sustained growth in Asian economies is driving residents to increasingly large-scale, expensive funerals, reflecting strong local and family ties so valued in these cultures. Aging populations in Asia are expected to grow more than fourfold, to almost 1 billion, by 2050.
The DOC’s Trade Fair Certification (TFC) Program is a cooperative arrangement between private sector show organizers and the U.S. Government. The TFC Program seeks to broaden the base of U.S. exporters, particularly new-to-export and new-to-market companies, by introducing them to key trade fairs where they can meet their export objectives.
For additional information about attending or exhibiting at AFE 2010, contact Mr. Wilson Tong of Vertical Expo at Wilson.tong@verticalexpo.com or Ms. Deborah Andres of NFDA at dandres@nfda.org
For more information about the Trade Fair Certification Program, contact Ed Kimmel of the Commerce Department in Washington at 202-482-3640 or edward.kimmel@mail.doc.gov
