TCMA Membership Growing;

Show Participation Expanding

A Taiwan pavilion, consisting of nearly 200 toy manufacturers from the island, will be set up at the upcoming Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2006 to be held on Jan. 10-13 at the Hong Kong Conventions & Exhibitions Center.

Making the announcement in an exclusive interview with iG Trade Winds, a Taipei-based publisher of English-language trade publications mainly for export, Susan S.C. Chien, secretary general of the Taiwan Toy & Children's Article Manufacturers Association (TCMA), revealed that a Taiwan Image Area will also be established at the Hong Kong Fair, with Taiwan firms exhibiting 11 toys which have acquired awards at home and abroad. The Taiwan Image Area will be jointly set up by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and TCMA to promote Taiwan's outstanding toys.

In terms of the number of Taiwan exhibitors, the TCMA secretary general said Taiwan will be represented slightly less at the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair 2006 than 2005. She did not elaborate on the drop in exhibitors compared with a year earlier.

Taiwan Image Area

In conjunction with the opening of the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, the TCMA has prepared English pamphlets introducing the award-winning toys made by Taiwan manufacturers. The pamphlets will be distributed at the Taiwan Image Area during the four-day Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, according to Susan Chien.

Every year the Taiwan Toy & Children's Article Manufacturers Association organizes a domestic toy show at the showgrounds of the  Taiwan External Trade Development Council in July when all levels of  Taiwan's schools are on summer vacation. "This year's toy show was a great success, and we were overwhelmed by more than 100,000 visitors, mainly school children. We had never seen such a record breaking attendance over previous shows," commented the TCMA secretary general.

Brainstorming seminars

Susan Chien said in September every year the TCMA organizes seminars in Taipei and Taichung on a rotation basis for members. Successful entrepreneurs are invited to give presentations on their respective success stories. Topics include research and development, brand building, international sales and marketing, etc. She said the seminars have been given favorable feedback from TCMA members who have participated. "The seminars held over the last six years have been very stimulating. Attendees said the seminars are very beneficial," said Susan Chien. "Every year we have to think of something new and useful for our members in an attempt to attract more members to take part in the experience-sharing sessions where information on new technologies and international market trends are introduced," noted the TCMA secretary general.

Global toy shows

Encouraging members to participate more actively in international toy shows, Chien said the association has expanded its participation in toy-related shows globally. For the first time in 2005, TCMA led several toy makers to participate in the Kind & Jugend toy fair in Cologne, Germany. "This is a significant show for Taiwan manufacturers of baby items and others. We will take part in the same show in 2006," the secretary general added. "We will keep on searching for more worthwhile toy shows in which we encourage our members to participate." She added that every year her association and some of its members take part in the International Toys Fair in Nuremberg, Germany. "The Nuremberg show, held in February each year, is the biggest toy fair in the world and we cannot afford to miss it," she continued.

Chien said the membership of the association has increased slightly  over last year, with the current membership standing at 250. She attributed the membership expansion to the friendly attitude of the new chairman, who was elected more than a year ago. "We will continue making efforts to attract more toy makers to join our association."