SHANGHAI, China, May 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. announced today that the International Exhibition on Die & Mould Technology and Equipment (Die & Mould China 2006), which is the World's No. 2, and Asia's No. 1 die and mould exhibition, closed successfully in Shanghai New international Expo Center (SNIEC) on May 12. More than 1,200 exhibitors from 16 countries and regions showcased their latest equipment and products in a space covering an area of 60,000 square meters.

Die & Mould China 2006 is a gala for the Chinese Die & Mould industry, attracting attention and participation from its peers from both home and abroad. The event also received warm responses from many prestigious manufacturers of other metal cutting equipment and precision electric processing equipment, cutting tools, materials and software, from all parts of the world. Domestic manufacturers presented more Die & Mould products in more varieties and with higher levels, signaling that the Chinese Die & Mould industry has risen to a new high.

Zhu Sendi, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Machinery Industry Federation; Huang Guancong, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Committee of CPPCC; Gu Jiaqi, Senior Vice Chairman of the CFIE; Liu Zhi, Director of the Department of Industry Policy Under the State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC); and Lin Yulong, Vice-Director of SDRC Bureau of Economic Operations all participated in the ribbon cutting for the opening ceremony. The Korean Trade Promotion Agency, ICE, the Japanese External Trade Organization, AMT, TAGMA, Die & Mould associations of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other overseas organizations sent representatives to the opening ceremony. Other participants included leaders from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Information Industry, China Electronics Corp., China South Industries Group Corp., China North Industries Group Corp. and heads of local Die & Mould associations, Shanghai World Expo (Group) Co., Ltd. and Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai.

Die & Mould China 2006 also organized ''Day of Auto Die & Mould,'' which saw Auto Die & Mould manufacturing technology seminars and Sino-German Die & Mould Forums being held. Over 50 business professionals from VDMA of the German Machinery Federation and German Chamber of Commerce, together with some 80 enterprises organized by China Die & Mould Industry Association participated in the 2006 Sino-German Die & Mould Forum. As commented by Ruan Xueyu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Forum represented the highest level.

Despite May being Shanghai's rainy season, audiences attended the exhibition with great enthusiasm. 118,723 people visited the five-day exhibition from 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, as well as 45 countries and regions, including 4,523 people from overseas. In the exhibition, there were some 600 sets of large and middle digital control processing and measurement equipment of various kinds and approximately 2,000 sets of diversified die & mould products. The value of the exhibited products amounted to RMB300 million. 58% of exhibits were purchased on site with a total value of RMB175 million. Future deals were expected to reach RMB535 million, meaning total deals reached RMB710 million, a growth of 24.6% year on year.

In the exhibition organizers invited 16 experts to assess the technological level of the exhibited dies and moulds and die & mould standard components. 76 sets of dies and moulds and die & mould standard components were granted the title of ''Elite Dies and Moulds First Prize,'' with 113 sets awarded ''Elite Dies and Moulds Second Prize.'' Assessment was also made on the applicants of expellant die & mould equipment and device suppliers, expellant die & mould design and manufacturing software providers and expellant die & mould materials suppliers.

About Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. (SIEC)

Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd. (SIEC) is jointly invested by Shanghai World Expo (Group) Co., Ltd. and the Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Shanghai. The SIEC was founded on July 1st, 1984 with the approval of the Ministry of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation and the People's Government of Shanghai Municipality.

The SIEC is a full member of Union des Foires Internationales (UFI). The SIEC has held 500 international exhibitions of various themes and sizes. It also has successfully held a number of solo exhibitions at national level.

''AUTO SHANGHAI,'' ''SHANGHAITEX,'' ''CHINA CYCLE,'' ''FASHION SHANGHAI,'' ''ELE/PT COMM CHINA'' are among the first eight exhibitions approved excellent by THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE OF SHANGHAI CONVENTIONAL & EXHIBITION INDUSTRIES.