Strong support from Singapore companies at major franchising event

Thirty-six companies from a myriad of businesses are coming together to form a Singapore pavilion at Asia's largest and most international Franchising trade exhibition and conference. Come next month, household names Barang Barang, Coffee Club, ERA, Expressions International, Informatics Holdings, Kinderland Educare Services, Melandas Casa Mobili, Popular Book Co., V-Kool Franchise International and many more will present their franchise concepts and investment opportunities at Global Franchising2000. The exhibition, which is into its second showing, will be held at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SICEC) from 20 - 22 September 2000 and is staged by Singapore's leading trade fair organiser, Singapore Exhibition Services (SES).

Statistics compiled from recent surveys indicate that franchising is the way to go for companies wanting to build up their international portfolios effectively and profitably. Three key local agencies have been instrumental in promoting franchising at home and abroad, namely the Singapore Trade Development Board (TDB), the Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) and the Singapore International Franchise Association (SIFA) who is hosting Global Franchising2000.

One participant of the TDB-led Singapore Pavilion is PrimaDeli. Launched in 1992, it is Singapore's first home-grown bakery franchise. Known for their chicken pies, egg tarts and wide variety of breads, buns, pastries and cakes, PrimaDeli uses information technology to increase operational efficiency. Also present at the pavilion are V-Kool Franchise International - a provider of clear solar heat control film to the automotive and architectural market and Melandas Casa Mobili - an award-winning total-home furnishings specialist and one of the biggest brands in South-East Asia.

"The Singapore Trade Development Board has always been proactive in bringing Singapore brands to the world and encouraging overseas Franchises to come to Singapore. Hence, we are very supportive of international franchise events like Global Franchising where there are ample opportunities for local and foreign businessmen to network and explore possible franchise partnerships. Over the years, the increase of interests in franchising business indicates that franchising is a powerful tool for business expansion. TDB is committed to internationalising more of the local franchises, work with companies to stay competitive in the IT prevalent economy as well as facilitate market entries of good foreign franchises into Singapore," commented Mr Malcolm Tham, Deputy Director, Lifestyle Business (Franchising), TDB.

Exhibiting on their own are several more home-based companies, bringing the total figure of local participants at the exhibition to 58. Among the independent exhibitors are Bee Cheng Hiang (BCH), a name synonymous with quality barbecued meat (bak-kwa), meat floss and Chinese sausages. The company has 20 outlets in Singapore to date, franchised outlets in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Thailand and Mauritius and is looking to further expansion.

Ms. Lindy Wee, project director (lifestyle events), SES adds, "An increasing number of local brands are taking their concepts overseas and we are optimistic that the event will help increase their reach. The event attracts regional entrepreneurs as well as visitors from further afield who make use of Global Franchising as a sourcing ground for investment opportunities."

Global Franchising2000 will also be the platform for the presentation of the prestigious Franchise Excellence Award (FEA), aimed at recognising the achievements of successful franchises. Jointly organised by TDB, PSB and Arthur Andersen Business Consulting, a total of four categories have been put together. The main award is the International Franchise Excellence Award and three additional categories are FEA (Promising Franchisor), FEA (Master Franchisee) and FEA (Foreign Franchisor). The FEA (Foreign Franchisor) is a new award introduced to reward foreign franchisors with innovative franchise systems that have global appeal.

International Conferences & Workshops
Adding to the appeal of Global Franchising2000 will be not one, but two conferences held concurrently - the Licensing Asia 2000 Conference & Workshop which starts on 18 September and the Global Franchising2000 International Conference & Workshops beginning 19 September.

Themed "Licensing & Technology Transfer - Creating Value in Business", the two-day Licensing Asia 2000 conference and workshop aims to inform and educate delegates on the fundamentals of licensing and how to make it work for them. A half-day workshop on the "Essentials of Licensing" will be conducted by the Licensing Executives Society (LES) - Singapore Chapter and international experts will speak on a host of topics including "Licensing Patents in the Life Sciences", "Technology Licensing" and "Branding in Asia". Delivering the keynote entitled "Recent Developments in European IP and Licensing Regulations" on 19 September is Mr Heinz Goddar, 1999/2000 President of the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI). Mr. Goddar is currently a senior partner with law firm Boehmert & Boehmert and Forrester & Boehmert in Germany, involved in international patent and licensing matters with a special interest in European Union questions. He also serves as an Associate Judge at the Senate for Patent Attorney Matters at the German Federal Supreme Court and lectures Patent and Licensing Law at the University of Bremen, Germany.

As Singapore forges ahead in the much talked about knowledge-based economy (KBE), one question that will be on entrepreneurial minds is, "What role will franchising play in the new KBE?". Addressing this issue at the Global Franchising2000 International Conference will be Mr Nitin R Garde, director of business development, Business Masters Pte Ltd, Singapore. His paper entitled, "Franchising in the KBE" will explore the factors needed to globalise a franchise for the international arena and provide tips on how to leapfrog a business. Other papers to be presented include "Trends in Franchising - What Are We Headed For?", "Importance of Branding in Franchising", "The Impact of eBusiness on Franchising" and a session of case studies entitled "Winning Franchise Strategies". A study of franchising potentials from China, Australia, Japan, Korea and Taiwan will also be covered in a Market Opportunities Workshop to be led by Franchise Development Services, Singapore, followed by an exploration of franchising opportunities in ASEAN by regional franchising associations.

To aid potential investors in the franchise selection process, a series of Franchise Opportunities Seminars have been arranged with key exhibitors from the food and education sectors, providing a platform for them to present their business formats, marketing plans and expansion strategies. Presentations have been scheduled for the following companies: Kinderland Educare Services, Cinnzeo Bakery & Cinnamon Treasures, Delifrance, Snoopy Place Theme Restaurant, Bee Cheng Hiang Hup Chong Foodstuff, Crestar Learning Centre, Snappers Food, Tutor Time Child Care Learning Centre, Learning Vision International and Skyline Concepts.

The Global Franchising2000 exhibition runs from 20 - 22 September 2000 with conferences commencing from 18 September onwards. For more information, log on to www.gfranchising.com

About the Organiser
Singapore Exhibition Services, a Member of The Montgomery Network, is a leading organiser of international trade fairs in Singapore. It has a portfolio of more than 35 trade shows, each of which is a premier event for its respective industry in the Asia Pacific region.

Serving a wide spectrum of industries and businesses, SES organises dedicated international events for each of these industries - retailing and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), franchising, food and hospitality, information technology and networking, communication, multimedia and broadcasting, machine tools, woodworking, plastics, chemical processing, instrumentation and control, environmental technology, oil & gas and petrochemicals, and manufacturing.

Many of these shows are recognised by the Union des Foires Internationales and endorsed by the Singapore Trade Development Board under the Approved International Fair (AIF) Scheme.