The ISPO Beijing 2016 — the 12th Asia Outdoor & Sports Trade Show — and the concurrently held Alpitec China 2016 — the 8th China International Mountain & Winter Sports Machinery Expo — were grandly held from February 24 to 27, 2016, at the National Convention Center (CNCC) in the capital city of Beijing. The winter sports section saw a significant expansion compared to previous years. As one of the most important professional trade expos in the Asia-Pacific sports and fashion industry, this year’s ISPO Beijing 2016 gathered 490 exhibitors and over 700 brands, showcasing the latest products and technologies across various fields including winter sports, outdoor activities, extreme sports, sports fashion, and functional fabrics and materials. On-site at the expo, HowToTrip conducted an exclusive interviewwith Fenix President Cen Chaofan. The following is the full interview transcript:
HowToTrip:What were the key factors that helped Fenix maintain its leading position in the industry in 2015?
Cen Chaofan, President of Fenix:There were mainly two key factors: R&D and marketing.
First, we invested heavily in R&D, focusing primarily on product innovation and changes in consumer needs. We launched several competitive products, such as the award-winning CL25R, which won the ISPO Global Award and the ISPO Asia Gold Award. The core of our success comes from continuous investment in product development and the ability to organize advanced technologies to meet consumer demands.
In terms of marketing, we currently have Fenix distributors in over 80 countries worldwide. In 2015, we did a lot of work in the U.S. market and achieved more than 20% growth there last year. We also established a joint venture in Europe, allowing us to get closer to the European market front-end and enabling localized marketing and services.
HowToTrip:Compared to outdoor lighting equipment in Europe and the United States, what are Fenix’s core competitive advantages?
Cen Chaofan, President of Fenix:Our products rank among the top three in both quality and price among mainstream outdoor lighting brands. Fenix initially targeted the U.S. and German markets, which are highly competitive. Consumers in these regions have high standards for product quality, so you could say that our products were designed from the very beginning to meet the highest requirements. Whether it’s reliability, independent R&D and innovation, or the application of new technologies, we maintained the highest standards. After more than ten years of persistence, our products have not only won over consumers in the international lighting field but have also made us one of the industry leaders.
HowToTrip:We know that Fenix has award-winning products ranging from headlamps to camping lights. So, in 2016, which area of product design will Fenix focus on?
Cen Chaofan, President of Fenix:Fenix started with flashlights and then gradually expanded into the outdoor sports and military lighting markets, broadening from flashlights to headlamps, bicycle lights, and camping lights. In 2016, Fenix will not expand excessively but will adhere to a “dual-focus strategy”: the first is to focus on the outdoor sports lighting market, and the second is to focus on lighting products. Across our four product lines, in 2016, we will continue to prioritize flashlights, vigorously develop headlamps, while also supporting camping lights and bicycle lights.
HowToTrip:What offline and online events will you be holding in 2016?
Cen Chaofan, President of Fenix:Over the past few years, Fenix has held many events. We’ve worked with the Leading Climbing School to offer intermediate and advanced ice climbing and mountaineering training, and we will continue to promote outdoor sports development in 2016. On the other hand, in 2016, we will invest more in outdoor environmental protection and foster environmental awareness among domestic consumers.
HowToTrip:At the recently concluded ISPO Munich show, Fenix’s CL25R won the ISPO Global Award and the ISPO Asia Gold Award. Can you introduce this product to us?
Cen Chaofan, President of Fenix:CL25RThe reasons for winning the award are mainly as follows:
First,the CL25R is a rechargeable camping light designed for extreme cold environments. It features an innovative, cold-resistant structural design and can use either one 18650 battery or two cold-resistant CR123A lithium batteries, enabling it to operate effectively even in temperatures as low as -35°C or even -40°C.
Second,The CL25R features both white light and red light modes, equipped with a professionally optical soft light shade. It delivers a maximum brightness of 350 lumens, with an effective illumination range of up to 25 meters, and offers multiple lighting levels.
Third,Among its settings, the moonlight mode can last up to 600 hours on a single charge. It has an IPX-6 waterproof rating, a magnetic tail cap, and a tripod thread mount, making it an extremely cold-resistant camping light with outstanding performance and functionality.