We had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Aida Cuko, International Business Director of Globus Events, co-organizer of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR, about the upcoming 2025 edition. As the largest dedicated event for the carpet and flooring industry, the show continues to evolve, offering new business opportunities, market insights, and networking experiences. In this interview, Ms. Cuko highlights the exhibition’s growth, its role in driving sustainability, and how it remains a key platform for companies looking to expand in the Asia-Pacific region. She also shares insights into the event’s new joint venture and its vision for the future.
1. Can you share some key highlights of DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR 2025 and what makes this edition special?
DOMOTEX asia will open its doors in Shanghai from 26 to 28 May as the world’s largest dedicated gathering of the carpet and flooring businesses for this year. This edition promises to be another strong one, returning with its usual size and reinforcing show’s leading role in the industry.
Notably, this year’s edition takes place amid a volatile and uncertain global landscape, shaped by everchanging complex trade policies between major economies. In such times, dedicated international tradeshows like DOMOTEX asia, serve as vital hubs for the industry players seeking business opportunities in new markets, gain insights into the recent dynamics and anticipate what the future withholds.
The last 2 editions of our event have seen a surge in international visitation, particularly from emerging markets. In 2024, we welcomed more than 17,000 international visitors, the highest number since show’s birth. There was a notable growth recorded from the Southeast Asian countries, India, Middle East, while visitor numbers from Far East (South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong) as well as Oceania remained strong too. We have just opened the visitor registration online portal a month ago and the trend anticipates similar progress and expectations for this upcoming edition.
Located at the heart of a massive and growing region, characterized by an innovative and advanced technology approach, our event will present great opportunities for the global companies to explore and keep up with the latest trends in the industry.
2. The exhibition has grown significantly over the years. What do you see as its biggest achievements so far?
Since its inception 27 years ago, the event has grown rapidly, mirroring the growth of China as a flooring manufacturing powerhouse as well as a huge consumption market. Being part of DOMOTEX family and leveraging on its international network and resources built through decades, have also been crucial to the success of DOMOTEX asia. We worked very hard to create a hub that allows companies to tap into opportunities in some of the fastest growing economies worldwide in the last 20 years.
Our biggest achievement has been exactly that: providing the flooring industry with a comprehensive, reliable and professional platform that has helped many businesses grow and expand.
Another great milestone achievement for DOMOTEX asia is to have earned the position of an innovation hub in the flooring industry. In the recent decade, major flooring innovations are coming from Asia, especially from China. The clichés on Made in China products are changing.
Chinese and Asian producers are capable to bring amazing innovative products that satisfy the latest lifestyle trends, while fully respect the environmental protection standards. We are proud to have created a platform that promotes these achievements and gives the international audience the opportunity to witness in person what Asian carpet and flooring manufactures can offer to the world.
The show has also succeeded in showing a strong ability to adopt fast to the market and customers’ needs. Despite of various challenges we have faced throughout the years, with the covid closure or the recent difficult geopolitical situations, we have shown resilience and maintained our strong position in these changing environments with a flexible and open mindset. I believe, these are traits that characterize Chinese and Asean businesses in general.
3. Sustainability is a major topic in the flooring industry. How is DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR promoting sustainable solutions?
China has set very ambitious goals regarding environmental issues and is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. The government has announced coordinated efforts to reduce carbon emissions, control pollution, expand green initiatives and promote growth. As part of these efforts, China has also sharpened its focus on green and ESG regulation. These policies induce changes and clear actions required at business level, among all the industries. The construction and building materials sector, which has an important impact on the environment, is also adjusting at fast speed and flooring companies aim to fully adhere to these new standards.
It is our goal to highlight these aspects at our show. Most of the onsite events organized by us or by exhibitors themselves, have a key focus on sustainability. We have also put in place several campaigns, among which “Live with Nature” which offer particular exposure and targeted visitor guidance for the Chinese brands whose products align with the sustainable development objectives, from the choice of the materials and throughout the entire production process. The stands of these selected companies are labeled as “Must-Visit” during the show and their products are promoted through frequent communication before and after the show.
4. What advice would you give to international companies looking to enter or expand in the Asian flooring market through this event?
Throughout the years, Domotex asia has grown to represent the entire Asia Pacific region, whose market remains crucial for the flooring businesses. It is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6%, reaching 190 billion USD by 2030, accounting for 45% of world’s total. 36% of this share belongs to China.
As China’s economy matures and companies try diversifying their sourcing strategies, DOMOTEX asia remains an essential platform for discovering new connections not only in China but also in the nearby Asian markets, which are actually the ones growing nowadays. Domotex asia brings together key players from the entire APAC vertical supply chain of the flooring industry, in numbers that are difficult to find at any other industry events elsewhere.
For international companies looking to expand in Asia, our show offers the opportunity to connect with the right partners, gain market insights and create brand exposure in new promising markets. We firmly believe that no other show in the region provides the same dedicated industry focus and extensive geographical reach as DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR.
5. This year, over 1,600 exhibitors from 40+ countries are expected. What strategies are in place to enhance the exhibitor and visitor experience?
As highlighted by its theme “More than Flooring”, the show will feature not only the carpet and flooring industry at 360 degrees, but also complementary products such as wall and ceiling decorations, interior finishings, cabinets and doors, outdoor, and more, reflecting the growing trend of product diversification among industry players.
Our goal is to provide a platform that aligns with our customers’ evolving needs, enabling them to showcase the full range of their product capabilities. Since some years now, the event is part of an eco-system of various related significant events, such as R+T Asia, the leading Asia-Pacific exhibition for sun shading systems and doors/gates, cadex, an event dedicated to contract, design and architecture community and others. All these events come together under BUILD ASIA MEGA SHOW platform, aiming to facilitate the conversation across different industries, enabling cross visitation and providing opportunities for exposure to new channels in the broader construction, building materials and interior design sectors.
We have also made it a mission to provide participants with unparalleled networking opportunities and business resources. We have recently launched the Buyer Club, an exclusive platform for flooring importers, distributors, agents or retailers with decision making authority and set budgets for placing orders during the event. The Buyer Club fosters high-level networking and engagement through tailored activities that enhance members’ experience at the event. Buyers accepted in the program will enjoy exclusive benefits such as free hotel accommodation, VIP status, business matching arrangements as well as exclusive networking and entertainment opportunities.
6. Can you tell us more about the new joint venture, DACF Exhibitions Shanghai Ltd., and how it will impact the future of the show?
The establishment of DACF Exhibitions Shanghai Ltd. was a natural progression in the long-standing and successful collaboration between the co-organizers of DOMOTEX asia – Globus Events (ex VNU Exhibitions Asia) that I represent and Hannover Milano Fairs China (the Shanghai based joint venture between Deutsche Messe and Fiera Milano). This new company has taken full responsibility for the organization and management of the show, ensuring a seamless transition with no disruption to the show’s current operations, and the project team has remained unchanged.
Amid significant transformations in the global flooring business, this investment underscores our commitment to further invest in strengthening DOMOTEX asia as an international platform, which aligns with the industry trends and creates new business opportunities in the region. By combining the resources and expertise of both partners, this joint venture will elevate DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR to new heights, delivering even greater value to exhibitors and visitors alike. A key focus will also be on exploring new development opportunities within China and across the broader APAC region.
7. What are your expectations for DOMOTEX asia/CHINAFLOOR in the coming years?
Predicting the future in today’s continuously changing situations is challenging. However, as it is evident, China, remains a major market driven by innovations, and is strengthening ties with emerging Asian economies. All combined, will continue to present strategic hubs for both manufacturing and consumption of carpet and flooring products. Companies will continue to seek development opportunities in these markets and DOMOTEX asia will continue to serve them as a platform focused on market needs and driven by business principles, maintaining its position as the leading trade platform for the flooring industry in the APAC region and beyond.
