Paper Expo China 2026

Paper Expo China 2026 is positioned as the 21st edition of a long-running Guangzhou-based platform that connects the full pulp-and-paper value chain with downstream paper users and converters. The event is scheduled for May 13–15, 2026 and brings together professional buyers and suppliers in a concentrated three-day format designed for sourcing, technical comparison and business matchmaking. The official overview highlights a multi-topic structure with 5+ themed exhibition sections and a strong content component, including 10+ dedicated forums and featured activities supported by 50+ expert speakers, which helps procurement teams validate technology choices and investment priorities rather than only comparing pricing. Organisers also publish key scale indicators that reflect the show’s commercial focus: 11,000+ m² of exhibition space, 200+ participating brands and 15,000+ professional guests expected on site.

The exhibition scope is built around practical production and sourcing needs across the paper industry, combining both supply-side manufacturing capabilities and application-driven demand from printing, packaging and end users. Official materials describe coverage that spans pulp and papermaking equipment, finished paper categories including specialty papers, papermaking chemicals, tissue and household paper, and solution areas such as “paper replacing plastic” and paper packaging innovation. This structure is useful for buyers who need to compare complete production or supply programmes rather than single items, for example evaluating how equipment selection interacts with chemical formulations, process stability, energy consumption and final product performance. The show’s thematic emphasis also ties into sector priorities such as green low-carbon development and intelligent innovation, with attention to environmental processes, energy-saving equipment and digital production technologies that can improve competitiveness and compliance readiness.

Paper Expo China is framed as a one-stop procurement and cooperation venue for stakeholders ranging from pulp-and-paper producers to commercial channels and end users. Official descriptions explicitly reference target participant groups such as papermaking enterprises and brands, distributors, printing plants, paper packaging factories and downstream paper users, which indicates a strong transaction orientation and a broad mix of decision makers involved in both raw material selection and finished product sourcing. For exhibitors, this audience composition supports multiple deal types, from bulk supply discussions for paper grades and pulp through to cooperation on packaging substitution projects and supply of process chemicals and equipment. For visitors, the show environment is most effective when approached as a structured sourcing mission: validating supplier capability, reliability, and documentation readiness, while using on-site forums to benchmark technology direction and investment scenarios for upgrades or capacity expansion.

The product landscape presented by the organiser is intentionally end-to-end, enabling professional buyers to compare both commodity procurement and advanced process solutions in one venue. The show highlights paper products used for printing and packaging, cultural and industrial paper, and specialty papers alongside pulp supply options and equipment for pulping and papermaking, including supporting components, auxiliary systems and process instrumentation. Another important layer is the chemical segment, covering functional and process chemicals that influence strength, surface properties, runnability and cost performance, which is critical for mills and converters optimising quality under energy and raw-material constraints. In parallel, the expo promotes application-driven innovation areas such as paper-based packaging and paper-substitution solutions, supporting buyers who are shifting away from plastics and need supplier ecosystems that can deliver materials, converting capability and stable supply continuity.

The 2026 edition takes place in Guangzhou at the Poly World Trade Expo Center in Pazhou, a venue commonly used for professional B2B exhibitions due to its accessibility and mature on-site service infrastructure. The official English event information confirms the dates and venue pairing, which is essential for exhibitors planning booth build schedules and for visitors arranging procurement travel windows and meeting agendas. For international buyers, the Pazhou location is particularly practical because Guangzhou serves as a major manufacturing and trade hub in South China, and the venue setup supports high-density meetings, sample review and technical discussions across multiple product categories within a compact three-day timetable.

The organiser framework described in official materials includes industry associations as hosts and Guangzhou Auch Exhibition Services Co., Ltd. as the operating organiser responsible for execution and exhibitor/visitor services. This structure typically signals strong industry alignment and a focus on practical business outcomes, supported by procurement matchmaking and a conference programme designed to address technology and market shifts. For companies evaluating participation, the organiser’s positioning suggests that success depends on preparation for negotiation-ready meetings, including defined product ranges, supply capacity confirmation, quality documentation and a clear commercial model for distribution or long-term supply, so that on-site consultations translate into actionable pipelines after the show.