Key Figures from GILE and GEBT 2025:
- Visitors: 211,173 from 151 countries and regions.
- Exhibitors: 3,188 from 20 countries and regions.
- Scale: 250,000 sqm across Areas A and B of the China Import and Export Fair Complex.
Ms Lucia Wong, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, reflected on the success of the event, remarking: “This year’s GILE introduced the concept of ‘Light-enhanced Living’, demonstrating how lighting technologies can transform fields such as cultural tourism, smart agriculture, intelligent health ecosystems, and home design. As we celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary, we are proud of its significant contribution to the development of the global lighting industry over the past three decades. The exhibition provided an exceptional platform to showcase these innovations and foster collaboration among industry players. The enthusiastic response from participants underscores GILE’s vital role in driving the adoption of new ideas and technologies, and we remain committed to supporting the growth and evolution of the lighting industry.”
Exhibitors’ comments
“Our company’s showcased products focus on health and intelligence, including full-spectrum human-centric lighting and RGBCW light sources with auto-dimming capabilities, targeting the home and high-end commercial lighting markets. For 30 years, Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition has been a key platform for industry collaboration, connecting upstream and downstream enterprises, inspiring innovation, and driving product development. We’ve long participated in GILE to introduce our new products and connect with buyers from Europe, North America, the Middle East, and India, making it an invaluable event for expanding our global reach.”
Mr Bing Ye, Procurement Manager, Optoelectronic Semiconductor Department, Ningbo SUNPU LED Co Ltd
“GILE remains an essential platform to connect with target customers and showcase new technologies. This year, we introduced AI-integrated LED lighting solutions designed to simplify operations and enhance user experience, such as sensors that automatically adjust lighting in retail settings based on displayed colours. Intelligent control systems, particularly AI-driven solutions, will shape the future of lighting, especially in commercial applications. GILE provides us with a unique opportunity to engage with end users, lighting designers, and industry trends all in one place, and we look forward to returning next year.”
Mr Michael Yuan, Vice Sales Director, Caimeta
“GILE has been instrumental in opening up opportunities for our company, connecting us with new international clients and local partners while providing a platform to improve our R&D and quality control capabilities. Exhibiting at GILE not only strengthens our brand image but also helps maintain relationships with domestic and foreign customers, building confidence in our technical capabilities for new clients.”
Ms Amanda Zhang, General Manager, General Lighting Electric Co Ltd
“With 21 years in LED strip lighting, our company has grown into a leading name in Guangdong Province. This year, we showcased our RGBIC light strips, featuring smartphone controls, dynamic programs, and music-sync functionality, attracting significant attention from domestic and international buyers on the first day alone. As a long-term exhibitor of over 15 years, we regard GILE as Asia’s premier platform for connecting the supply chain, fostering innovation, and driving global business opportunities. Its influence continues to support industry growth and collaboration.”
Mr Jackson Zuo, Sales Manager, Jiangmen HUAPU Lighting Co Ltd
“We value GILE as the leading event in the region for connecting with international and domestic visitors. Each year, it allows us to meet new partners, reconnect with long-standing clients, and explore emerging trends. The increasingly international nature of the event, supported by streamlined travel policies, has made this year especially dynamic and engaging. We look forward to continuing our participation in the years to come.”
Mr Kenji HP Lau, General Manager, Vossloh-Schwabe Hong Kong Ltd
Visitors’ insights
GILE 2025 welcomed a diverse range of visitors from 211,173 countries and various industries. The event featured several buyer matching sessions through the Power Match programme, providing tailored opportunities for professionals to connect with suppliers and explore targeted solutions. Visitors praised GILE 2025 for its impressive scale, diverse exhibitor base, and valuable networking opportunities. Many highlighted the event as a key platform for discovering innovations, building connections, and exploring the latest industry trends:
“My first visit to GILE has been impressive, with a vast range of suppliers and innovations spanning various lighting fields. Brazil’s market relies heavily on imported components, and we need everything from high-quality architectural fixtures to regular incandescent light bulbs. GILE provided an excellent opportunity to explore a variety of solutions, including automation systems and stage lighting, which stood out as particularly noteworthy. The diversity of exhibitors and innovations at the show offered valuable insights into how lighting trends are evolving globally. GILE has proven to be an essential hub for connecting with Chinese suppliers, and I would certainly return for the opportunities it offers.”
Mr Donato Conte, Senior Lighting Designer, ALALUX (Brazil)
“I’ve attended GILE multiple times, and what keeps bringing me back is the unparalleled opportunities it offers as a networking hub, connecting suppliers, manufacturers, and buyers in one place. The in-person discussions and hands-on product demonstrations provide advantages that virtual platforms simply cannot match. My focus is on cutting-edge innovations like IoT-connected systems and AI-powered intelligent lighting, which are shaping the future of our industry. This year, several health-focused lighting solutions addressing wellness needs stood out to me. My visit to GILE has been highly productive, helping me make valuable connections with suppliers and exhibitors, and I look forward to exploring these collaborations further through factory visits.”
Mr Kriangkrai Pattanapakdee, Executive Secretary, Illuminating Engineering Association of Thailand (TIEA) (Thailand)
Lighting design forums and insights
GILE 2025 hosted over 100 exclusive sessions, providing a platform for professionals to explore the latest advancements in lighting design and technology. Highlights included the “illuminnovation lab”, which showcased innovative lighting solutions for hotels, commercial spaces, residential environments, and wellness. For example, the Asia Lighting Art Forum explored cutting-edge trends in lighting design, while seminars on smart agriculture and bio-optics highlighted the role of lighting in sustainable food production.
Speakers from a variety of disciplines shared invaluable insights during these sessions, demonstrating the transformative potential of lighting:
One of the key sessions was the Smart Lighting + International Smart Building Innovation Ecosystem Salon, held on 10 June. This forum focused on the integration of AI and IoT technologies into intelligent lighting systems, highlighting their potential to transform building management and enhance energy efficiency.
“The focus of my presentation at GILE 2025 was on how AIoT is driving innovation in lighting by creating new applications for building resource management, energy efficiency, and predictive maintenance. Through GILE, we’ve been able to connect with technology companies and software providers, fostering collaboration on advanced solutions. The event also provides a valuable platform to engage with professionals from adjacent industries, such as agriculture, automotive, and smart city development, allowing us to explore innovative applications like large-scale agricultural lighting and automotive testing solutions. This kind of cross-industry exchange is pivotal for expanding the functionality of lighting systems and aligning them with evolving environmental and technological trends.”
Dr Feng Huang, China Focus Group Chair, DALI Alliance (Speaker)
The Luce e Design International Aesthetic Design Forum, held on 10 June in the 10.1 Hall, explored the intersection of lighting with architecture, industrial design, and lifestyle aesthetics. Discussions revolved around trends such as human-centric lighting and the emotional impact of well-integrated lighting systems.
“The focus of my talk was on the workplace and how to enhance the employee experience by creating a more dynamic and diverse environment aligned with the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) framework. I believe the future of lighting lies in its ability to go beyond functionality and aesthetics, becoming a tool for creating immersive and emotional experiences. For example, integrating lighting into walls to form graphic elements allows designers to craft unique environments that respond to diverse needs and perspectives. Events like this are crucial for fostering innovation and shaping the future of the industry, and I look forward to seeing how lighting continues to evolve.”
Mr Paulo Guacchione, Senior Associate, Senior Design Director, B+H Consulting International Inc
The session “Chinese Designers Go Abroad: Blend in or Lead Out” examined how cultural integration and innovation contribute to global success. Attendees praised the event’s ability to connect professionals across sectors, emphasising its role in fostering meaningful exchanges and collaboration.
“The insights shared by the designers at this forum on innovation and cultural integration were truly inspiring, offering fresh ideas and valuable inspiration for our future development of our lighting products.”
Mr Shipei Xu, Manager, Jiangmen Hongyi Glass Technology Co Ltd
These sessions underscored GILE’s role as a vital hub for cross-disciplinary collaboration, inspiring innovation and influencing the future direction of the lighting industry.
The next editions of Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition and Guangzhou Electrical Building Technology will be held from 9 – 12 June 2026. Both shows are part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fairs headed by the biennial Light + Building event. The next edition will be held from 8 – 13 March 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Messe Frankfurt organises several trade fairs for the light and building technology sectors in Asia, including International Smart Space Exhibition, Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology, Shanghai Smart Home Technology and Parking China. The company’s lighting and building technology trade fairs also cover the markets in Argentina, India, Türkiye, the UAE and the USA.
For more information on Light + Building shows worldwide, please visit http://www.brand.light-building.com. For more information regarding the lighting shows in China, please visit http://www.light.messefrankfurt.com.cn or email light@china.messefrankfurt.com.
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Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,500* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2024 were around € 780* million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity. For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
*Preliminary figures 2024
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