SLIDESHOW: FCI China Business Seminar

Posted by Jackie Pucci|16 September 2015

Mr. Li Hongjun of Xingfa Chemical Group poses a question for one of the presenters.

Dr. Andreas Wais, Global Regulatory Head for Eurofins, delivered a talk on understanding the international requirements for registration of agrochemicals with case studies for active substances and formulated products to facilitate exports.

Sun Heying of FCI and Target Exhibitions discusses some business etiquette questions with attendees. Sun gave a presentation during the conference on travel tips and how to get expedited visas to various countries.

Students received a certificate of completion, including Bin Xie, who was recognized by FCI Agribusiness Group Publisher Eric Davis for his participation throughout the event.

Dr. Nigel Uttley, CEO of Enigma Marketing Research, discussed barriers to entry that must be considered when developing new products for new markets, including process patents, special extensions, market analysis on use trends and relationship building.

Students from each working group share results of their group discussion on business pressures that affect their companies. Among the results were competition, finding and retaining quality employees, illegal trade, and relationship building with distributors.

Student teams interact during the workshop portion of Dr. Kai Pflug’s presentation.

Dr. Kai Pflug, CEO of MC – Chemicals, a management consultancy, discussed the expansion of the Chinese chemical industry and strategies for success in a crowded market. Some of the challenges facing the industry include commoditization of large-area AIs, environmental regulations, the need for consolidation, and heightened need for greater R&D investments, including data support.

Beta Chemical General Manager Eva Ho delivered a talk on how to build fruitful long-term relationships with overseas partners.

Chempro (Argentina) Managing Director Diego Taube listens to other speakers. His presentation on “Doing Business in Latin America” outlined cultural differences in Latin American countries, pitfalls and common mistakes when importing chemicals, and how to do research to identify and relate to customer needs.

Kleffmann Group’s Dr. Bob Fairclough discusses crop protection product global demand and use trends. “We are seeing a shift from older to newer AIs,” he told attendees. “The ability to offer crop solutions with new chemistries and specialized formulations that meet market need is becoming more important.”

FCI Editor David Frabotta discusses FCISourcing.com, a crop protection portal to research companies and products around the world.

Attendees enjoy a cocktail reception at the host hotel in the beautiful mountains of the Shennongjia District, home to unspoiled natural beauty and unique wildlife, including the elusive Sichuan golden hair monkey.

FCI Agribusiness Group Publisher Eric Davis and Meister Media Events Director Katie Smith presented "A Guide to Successful Exhibitions" that included how to budget for exhibition, how to make goals for each event, best practices for one-on-one meetings and other tips for trade show success.

Attendees asked questions to each other to generate feedback and consensus on topics.

The interactive forum allowed students to ask questions and address challenges that companies face.

Michael DeLuca of Meister Media, parent to FCI, opened the conference with a session on Western business etiquette, website design, advertising ROI, and how to analyze digital metrics.

About 150 export managers and traders signed up for the inaugural FCI China Business Seminar. The two-day conference featured global supply and demand trends by Kleffmann, regulatory information by Eurofins, doing business in LATAM, interactive workshops and more.

SLIDESHOW: FCI China Business Seminar

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