(Yicai) April 27 -- The smart home furnishing and building materials area at the second session of the bi-annual China Import and Export Fair, better known as the Canton Fair, has drawn many international buyers interested in innovative Chinese products.

A Venezuelan customer placed orders for several containers of anti-slip tiles on April 15, the first day of the Canton Fair, You Minmin, overseas brand director of Kito Ceramics Group, told Yicai. The tiles use a new slip-resistant glaze technology suitable for swimming pools, gardens, and bathrooms, You noted.

Amid challenges including adjustments to export tax rebates and rising freight costs, the traditional low-price original equipment manufacturer model in the home furnishing and building materials market is no longer viable, with the sector shifting toward competing on value and customization. High-quality global expansion has become the prevailing industry development trend.

The cancellation of the 9 percent export tax rebate for ceramic tiles, the appreciation of the Chinese yuan, and rising freight costs have significantly increased expenses this year, You said. Kito Ceramics has countered these by enhancing premiums through new products, such as its foamed ceramics, which can be used for wall panels with fast construction and low noise, You pointed out.

Suofeiya Home Collection focused on innovative designs and smart features at this year's expo, including built-in concealed range hoods and smart lift-up appliances, Director of Foreign Dealers Development Wang Lizhi said to Yicai. The number of European and US buyers has increased, with previous years mostly pulling in Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern buyers, Wang noted.

Suofeiya's exports surged by double digits last year, mainly driven by growth in home renovation services for self-built homes in Europe and the United States, expansion of brand showroom operations by overseas dealers, and rapid growth in bulk supply business, Wang noted. The company plans to continue recruiting foreign dealers this year, with international markets becoming an increasingly important segment, Wang said.

Having largely completed its layout in Southeast Asia, Suofeiya is penetrating second-tier cities in the region while also stepping up expansion efforts in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Americas, Wang stressed.

Some companies showed new building materials featuring photovoltaics and light-emitting diode displays at the event, which were well received by overseas buyers.

Fumei New Materials has shipped PV marble-textured curtain walls to Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the US, said Senior Director of International Marketing Feng Liangcheng. The product is embedded with solar panels, allowing customers to generate power from building exteriors by simply adding inverters and energy storage systems, Feng noted.

Buyers from Bolivia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Guinea, Nigeria, and Oman showed interest in Chinese kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and water purification faucets at an overseas expansion exchange event held on April 24.

Ihsan Beser, president of the Türkiye-China Business Development and Support Association, expressed hope that the two countries could establish a comprehensive industrial ecosystem in green building materials and smart technologies.

Editor: Martin Kadiev