Breaking numerous records, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2024 (PLSG) concluded on 26 May in Areas A and B of the China Import and Export Fair Complex. The 22nd edition saw an expanded exhibition area spanning 200,000 sqm (57.7% increase from 2023’s edition), encompassing 21 halls and Y-channel exhibition areas. 2,136 exhibitors from across the globe unveiled their latest innovations, representing a 52.2% growth. With overseas buyer numbers almost triple that of the previous edition, the show welcomed a total of 107,692 industry visitors. Over 100 enlightening concurrent events, forums and seminars were held during the fair, providing industry insiders with deep insights into the future development trends and innovative ideas.

Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd was impressed with the fair’s outcome: “As the world’s largest professional lighting and audio trade fair, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2024 reached new heights in both scale and visitor growth, reflecting its expanding strength and reputation. This edition not only kept pace with the latest industry trends and innovations, but also explored emerging application fields in audio, video, and new cultural tourism sectors. Its consistent ability to discover cutting-edge technologies and future development trends drives the expansion and integration of the industrial chain. This enables participants to stay ahead by gaining insights into innovative technologies and future development trends in entertainment and professional audio-visual markets.”

Expanding on the range of products and concurrent events, Cheung added: “Themed ‘Beyond Lighting and Sound’, this year’s fair showcased many up-to-date and premium products across its six major sectors: entertainment, building, commercial, cultural tourism, education, and end users. The concurrent events focused on key areas within the professional lighting and audio-visual industries, shedding light on current trends and highlighting the industry’s movement towards embracing digital technology integration.”

Driving innovation in the digital realm: how PLSG explores emerging trends
The continued growth of the entertainment industry and expanding use of stage lighting and audio products across consumer markets have broadened the scope of the professional audio-visual industry value chain. Digitalisation and intelligence have also emerged as pivotal drivers of industrial progress. To get ahead of these market trends, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is committed to exploring new frontiers for digital lighting and visual sectors. One example is the debut of the Guangzhou International Digital Vision and Intelligent Display Solutions exhibition, also known as ‘Visual X’. Held in Hall 12.2 of Area B, it delved deeply into cutting-edge technologies and application solutions such as digital cultural tourism, immersive lighting and visual experiences, multimedia interactivity, and intelligent displays.

With its expertise and focus on brands, Prolight + Sound Guangzhou has gained recognition in the industry as a key platform for major exhibitors to participate and showcase the latest innovations. At this exhibition, many leading brands made impressive appearances: 1KHz, A&D, ACE, ACME, Aga, Ao Mei Di, Artsound, Arttoo, Audio Center, Audio-technica, Aiweidy, Bailifeng, BBS, Big Dipper, BIK, Bluemoon , Boray, Bosch, Bose, CASIT, Charming, Chengwen, Chuangda, Color Imagination, Concord, d&b Audiotechnik, D&Q, D.POHER , Dare, DAS Audio , Dage, Delong, DJ Power, DLW, DMT, DSPPA, Eagle Truss, EV Light, EZ Pro, FDB, First Audio, Fine Art, GBR, Gesida, Great Wall, Golden Ginkgo, Goldensea, Gonsin, Guidance, Haimei, Haitian, Harman International, HH, High End Plus, HiVi, HMAudio, Hongcai, Hongpai, Hongzhuo, Honye, Huayong, Huifeng, Huipu, IBO, ILOE, ITC, Jazzpro, JBL, Jiaqiang, Jiechuang, Jolly, JoyFun, JTS, Jusheng AV Tech, Kafu, Kobble, Lingjie, Lingrui, Lianyun , Lightful, Longjoin Group, Maingo, MIDAS, Mode, Mode Audio, Music Tribe, New Start, Nightsun, Pinyuan, Pearl River Kayserburg, Phoenix, Pioneer DJ, POJ, Polar Lights, QiangLi JuCai, Rainstar, Ray Long, Real, Relacart, RELOR, Resonance, Ruifeng Intelligence, S-TRACK, Smart Audio/video, Se Audiotechnik, Sennheiser, Sensephon , Shiwang, Showven, Shure, Soundbox, Soundking, ST Audio, Star-net, Superlux, T.D Taichee, Tagnngqy, Taiden, Takstar, Thunderstone, Tuna Shadow, Turbo, Turbosound, Wanya, Weizhi, Woolpad, Xiaolong, Xinwei, Xinyingke, Yamaha, Yellowriver Lighting, Yi Neng Sheng, Yinchuang, Yingfei, Yingxinheng, Youeasy, Youlon, Yunqiang, Yunwu, Zhihui Cloud, ZhongHui, ZOBO and Zsound.

Participants reflect on their experiences
“This is our first time exhibiting here as the fair provides a platform for peers to understand China’s manufacturing achievements and we hope to find potential buyers, promote our products, and expand our market reach. So far we’ve met many domestic and international visitors, including overseas buyers from Europe, US and Southeast Asia. The digital and intelligent eras have created new opportunities for the stage lighting industry, and our control systems have evolved alongside. Looking ahead, we will continue developing more intelligent products to better meet customer needs. The local entertainment market is developing well, with the cultural tourism sector showing huge potential. We anticipate that demand for stage lighting will constantly increase,” said Anhua Shao, Deputy General Manager, Guangzhou Dream Lighting Equipment Co Ltd (Exhibitor).

Caffrey Chen, Project Manager, Shanghai Motion Magic Digital Entertainment Corp (Exhibitor) added, “Our company is committed to supporting the digital transformation of culture and upgrading the industry through technology and creativity. We are delighted to showcase our products at ‘Visual X’. We have been working to expand into new business areas, and rising demand in digital cultural tourism, immersive visual experience, multimedia interaction, intelligent display and other fields encouraged us to capture new development opportunities. We strive to aid the growth of cultural tourism, exhibition and museum sectors. Customers can use digital means to enhance traditional cultural experiences, attract tourists of all ages, and help drive the entire consumer economy.”

Zane Zhang, General Manager, d&b audiotechnik Greater China Ltd (Exhibitor) noted, “Our company has long followed the footsteps of Prolight + Sound Guangzhou, having witnessed one another’s development over the years. The industry holds the show in very high regard. Both the trade fair organisation and exhibitor services are well planned. In addition, the event’s reputation in the industry is unquestionable. Every year, industry players converge here, showcasing cutting-edge products and technological advancements. We too hope to leverage the platform to unveil our new offerings and forge more business partnerships annually.”

“At this year’s Prolight + Sound Guangzhou, partnerships and industry exchange were stronger than previous editions. The fair is the perfect platform for industry players to focus on improving product quality while actively pursuing collaborative opportunities. Whether for live music and singing, or the unicorn series, exhibits provided fairgoers with immersive viewing experiences and valuable case studies. This year’s show saw explosive breakthroughs in new technologies and products. We met many domestic and foreign integrators, engineers, and procurement leaders from cultural and tourism projects, with many providing great feedback about our new products,” said Yuankuan Liu, Manager of Planning Department, Shenzhen BBS Electronics Co Ltd (Exhibitor).

“Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is highly valuable as it provides comprehensive product offerings. We are pleased to see the expansion of this year’s pro lighting halls. Not only is the quality good, prices and selection ranges are attractive too. We met many Chinese lighting manufacturers and distributors and will follow up with those we are interested in collaborating with. We were particularly impressed by the unicorn series! We could see hundreds of products involved with perfect synchronisation of music, lighting and special effects – a very professionally executed setting,” enthused Barcala Enrique Jorge, CEO, Nash Design SA (Argentinian buyer).

Daniel Neves, CEO, Musica & Mercado (Brazilian buyer group leader) added, “Our Brazilian buyer group was very satisfied with Prolight + Sound Guangzhou and found it a highly worthwhile sourcing trip. What’s even more satisfying is that they closed deals at the show for the upcoming year, demonstrating their confidence in the industry’s future and eagerness to acquire new technologies. Participating at this fair has become essential for those wanting to thrive in this business sector – for staying ahead of the curve, connecting with suppliers, embracing new technologies, and establishing fruitful partnerships. When I return to Brazil, I will definitely recommend Prolight + Sound Guangzhou to anyone involved in the pro audio and lighting industry.”

“All of our projects, whether for theatres or building exteriors, have relatively high requirements for screen granularity and transparency, that’s why we are here to explore suitable suppliers from the entertainment sector. Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is where the industry’s top suppliers convene. We could see that the fair brings together professionals from different vertical markets to explore new concepts for future collaboration in event spaces and stage performances. Display screens are no longer limited to just one static image – by incorporating sound and lighting, it inspires us to understand the technologies behind the scenes and discover which suppliers we want to collaborate with and source from going forward,” explained Xuzhou Peng, General Manager, Hunan Shixin Internet Technology Co Ltd (Local buyer).

Holden Guo, Senior Manager, ProAV Design Team, Asia Pacific, Netgear (Fringe programme speaker) concluded, “I was delighted to speak at the ‘PLSG Video All in One’ training course at Prolight + Sound Guangzhou. The audio, video, and emerging technology course helped industry insiders exchange information, broaden networks, and experience specialised training. Many audiences were system integrators and end users, who all noted how our sessions greatly enhanced their entire sourcing experience, helping them understand technological advances and explore new business prospects. Our solutions are widely used in healthcare, operating rooms, remote education, and more, and we hope to further expand applications to stadiums and other venues in the future.”

Prolight + Sound Guangzhou is organised by Messe Frankfurt and the Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Co Ltd (STE). The next edition will take place from 27 – 30 May 2025.