Author: Helmi Aziz

The 29th edition of the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE) concluded on 12 June 2024, at the China Import and Export Complex in Guangzhou, concurrently with Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology (GEBT). Running under the theme of “Light – The Power of Infinity” GILE 2024 gathered industry players to explore the diverse applications of light, and was met with much positive feedback from participants.

Key figures from GILE and GEBT 2024:

• Visitors: 208,992 from 150 countries and regions
• Exhibitors: 3,383 from 20 countries and regions
• Scale: 260,000 gross sqm (26 halls in areas A and B)

Ms Lucia Wong, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, conveyed her gratitude for the unwavering support from the industry towards the event: “In the era of ‘Light +’, the lighting industry is poised to expand its horizons with an array of new applications. The theme of this year’s show, ‘Light – The Power of Infinity’ symbolises the boundless possibilities of light, encompassing AIoT, optical communication, big data, healthcare, lifestyle, low carbon and new energy solutions, aquaculture, new media arts, extended reality, and countless other domains. It is at events like GILE where this can be made into reality, and the huge number of participants at this year’s show along with the incredibly positive feedback we’ve received proves that we are indeed succeeding in this effort. I would therefore like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the industry for their invaluable contribution in making GILE possible and helping the show to reach new heights.”

3,383 exhibitors presented innovative lighting technologies

The 2024 edition of the fair stands as one of its most substantial to date, with 26 halls and 260,000 sqm of exhibition space hosting 3,383 exhibitors from diverse industries. Throughout the fairground, GILE 2024 garnered widespread acclaim from all manner of participants.

Exhibitors’ comments

“I believe GILE is one of the most significant events in the lighting industry. It carries the responsibility to promote sustainability because of its broad influence. Being part of this platform is crucial for us to communicate our commitment to sustainability to all our industry partners, customers and suppliers. This year’s show is enormous in terms of the number of visitors and unmatched in the quality of those visitors. We are here because we have a strong belief in the local Chinese market, which is evolving in ways that align with Vossloh-Schwabe’s interests. That’s why we continue to invest in this exhibition every year.”

Mr Kenji H.P. Lau, General Manager, Vossloh-Schwabe Hong Kong Ltd

“I’ve been with the company for just over a decade, and during that time we’ve been coming every year. In the early days we attended the show in order to have a stronger presence in the China market, but now this has become one of the biggest international shows for lighting. The turnout has been very good this year, with people from all over the world and from all different types of lighting applications are coming through and visiting our booth. We’re marketing to our direct customers, many of whom have booths here themselves, but also to specifiers and lighting designers, we want them to know who we are and what we have to offer.”

Mr Tom Jory, VP Power Device Marketing & MARCOM – Marketing, Luminus Devices Inc

“Among the many lighting exhibitions in China, GILE stands out with its unparalleled scale and influence. We attend the show every year in order to reach more potential customers and expand our business network in the South China region, as well as the rest of the country. At this year’s edition, we have begun to collaborate with a number of exhibiting companies in power supply and light source manufacturing sectors in China.”

Mr Huang Xianbo, Head of Marketing Department/Chief Designer of Smart Lighting Solutions, Jiangsu inSona Communication Technology Co Ltd

“General Lighting specialises in linear lighting, mainly LED strip and neon, and we’re looking for customers ranging from manufacturers to architects and lighting designers. We’ve been coming to GILE every year, and this year we’ve improved the design aspect of our booth, and seen more customers come as a result, so it’s been a very positive response overall. We’ll definitely come back here next year, as it is a meeting point for the industry. For us the benefit of participating is that it attracts serious buyers, who not only attend the show and visit our booth, but also visit our factories, which makes all the difference as they can truly understand our company.”

Mr Richard James, Regional Business Development Manager, General Lighting Electronic Co Ltd

“For many years, we have participated in GILE, which we believe is a driving force for the entire industry. This year’s exhibition has had a very large flow of visitors, and we have also clearly felt an increase in overseas visitors, from countries in the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative as well as from Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia. We will continue to participate in GILE in the years to come, because we believe it is a very good platform that allows us to promote our brand, exchange industry expertise, and expand our network.”

Mr Li Quan, Brand Director, Guangdong PAK Corporation Co Ltd

 

Visitors’ comments

“GILE is one of the largest lighting fairs in the world, so I think if you are involved in the lighting business it’s obvious that you should come here. China is also the largest market for lighting, and lighting has been a huge development in the country because they have been building so much brand-new infrastructure. What is very interesting for my members, is that at this exhibition you don’t only have lighting fixtures manufacturers represented, you also have components manufacturers, and you can find many different technologies around luminaires on display at the fairground. So, from the perspective of French lighting manufacturers, it’s a very interesting fair.”
Mr Jean-Marie Croué, Executive Officer, Syndicat du Luminaire – GIL (France)

“This is our first time visiting GILE, and we are very impressed by the scale of the show. My association mainly focuses on the Internet of Things (IoT) and this time we are looking for suppliers in the fields of smart and commercial lighting, AI and other advanced smart technologies. The matchmaking programme has helped us to meet with a targeted selection of exhibitors, many of whom we will have further discussions with after the show. I will introduce the show to our association members in Thailand and I hope to organise another delegation next year.”  Dr Suthat Krongchon, President, Thai IoT Association (Thailand)

 Speakers’ comments

“Lighting design is evolving from functional and ambient lighting to interactive, data-integrated systems that go far beyond just illumination, much like how mobile phones have evolved from basic communication devices to multi-functional smartphones. China has been making rapid advances in this area, as I find that my clients here in China are more adventurous, they are more open to new technologies and new ideas, and as such many of the latest innovations are coming out of the country in recent years. However, I think for the global lighting industry to work together and function effectively, we must have dialogue between both sides, and that’s why I’m always happy to speak at GILE, to bridge the Chinese and Western lighting communities.”
Mr Martin Klaasen, Principal & Founder of Klaasen Lighting Design

“In my presentation today, I wanted to approach the topic of lighting design from the perspective of daily life, exploring the people and things that emit light in our everyday lives, and how lighting can improve our lives. Many audience members came to listen and I felt the passion and focus of everyone present. The speakers were all highly professional, and the expertise they shared was immensely beneficial to me. I found that the exhibition halls have exceeded my expectations, the venue was bustling with people, whose enthusiasm for lighting design was on clear display.”
Ms Lillian Tian, Founder and Design Director, WTL Design

Audience comments

“We had the privilege of listening to Mr Stefano’s presentation. As a designer with rich experience in the field of lighting design, his insights and works have helped us to understand the cutting-edge design trends worldwide. GILE is a very significant event in the lighting design industry, attracting many industry insiders every year to keep up to date on the current state of the lighting industry. This year, we feel that many of our fellow designers are very focused on GILE, and the participation of many well-known Chinese and foreign designers has made this forum more valuable to audiences.”
Ms Yina Situ, Partner/Operations Director, GODEN LIGHTING DESIGN

“Our company mainly focuses on operating indoor farms. The topic about Bio-optics and Plant Factory matches our business well and I have learnt a lot from the forum. For example, I learnt how to properly apply spectrums to place different impacts on plants. I also visited the booths at the show and was impressed by the large scale and the full range of products on display. I’ve found several suppliers in the agricultural lighting sector and will have further discussions with them later.”
Mr Leung Say Hao, Crop Scientist, Archisen Pte Ltd

The next editions of Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition and Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology will be held from 9 – 12 June 2025. Both shows are part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs headed by the biennial Light + Building event. The next edition will be held from 8 – 13 March 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Messe Frankfurt organises several trade fairs for the light and building technology sectors in Asia, including Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology, Shanghai Smart Home Technology and Parking China. The company’s lighting and building technology trade fairs also cover the markets in Argentina, India, Türkiye, the UAE and the USA.

For more information on Light + Building shows worldwide, please visit http://www.brand.light-building.com. For more information regarding the lighting shows in China, please visit http://www.light.messefrankfurt.com.cn or email light@china.messefrankfurt.com.