Exhibition organiser IIR has announced that Chinese companies have already taken 1,600sqm of floor space for next year's Ipex, which will take place from 18-25 May 2010 at the NEC in Birmingham.
Trevor Crawford, Ipex 2010 events director, said: "For many Chinese manufacturers, Ipex 2010 will mark their second or third show... Equally, a number of Chinese suppliers less well-known internationally will use Ipex as a global launch pad.
"We've already exceeded the number of exhibitors from China that participated in 2006... demand remains high and we expect the overall numbers of exhibitors from this region to significantly rocket in 2010."
The involvement of Chinese companies in Ipex has been boosted with the help of the Printing and Printing Equipment Industries Association of China (PEIAC), which has been working in close partnership with IIR.
PEIAC vice chairman executive Wang Demao said: "As organisers of two international exhibitions, China Print and Print China, we understand the tremendous contribution to the development of global printing industries made by Ipex over the years.
"That's why we are lending our support once again to Ipex 2010 by organising for Chinese companies to exhibit their products at the show. We estimate that the total Chinese exhibition area will reach 2,000sqm."
Joint venture companies Shanghai Electric (Group) Corporation (SEC) and Goss International Corporation have secured the biggest footprint of any Chinese manufacturer so far, with 1,000sqm of floor space.
They will use Ipex's international role to promote the merged business.
Chen Da Xiong, chairman of SEC-subsidiary Shanghai Electric Printing and Packaging Manufacturing (SPPM), said: "As an important business unit of Shanghai Electric Group, SPPM has become an international leading supplier to the sheetfed, web offset and packaging printing sectors.
"We've attended several Ipex shows in previous years and are extremely pleased with the ROI achieved. Ipex 2010 is the ideal platform for us to showcase our strong capabilities and demonstrate our growing product portfolio and differentiating technologies to the international graphic arts community."
Chinese manufacturers that are already confirmed and allocated on the floorplan include post-press manufacturer JMD Machinery Corporation with almost 170sqm, as well as printing, packaging and consumables suppliers UP Group with 135sqm.
Others include Shanghai Eureka Machinery, Shanghai Hongjing Printing and Packaging Machinery, The Second Film Factory of Lucky Group, Shanghai PrintYoung, Chengdu Xingraphics, Zhejing Zhengrun Machinery and Zhejiang Konita New Materials.
Pre-registration for all those wishing to attend Ipex 2010 is now officially available via www.ipex.org/register and will result in a £30 saving off the entrance fee.
