14th Feb 2007 07:00
Tarsus Group PLC14 February 2007 14.2.2007 Tarsus Group PLC ("Tarsus") New Chinese Partnership Tarsus, the international media group with interests in exhibitions,conferences, publishing and online media, is pleased to announce that it issignificantly increasing its portfolio in China by entering into a long-termpartnership agreement (the "partnership") with Intex Shanghai Company Limited(Intex), based in Shanghai. Intex owns and manages the Shanghai International Exhibition Centre and venuesin Ningbo (in partnership with Shanghai World Expo Group) and Zhengzhou (in ajoint venture with the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre). It also ownsand operates a number of exhibitions and employs twenty people in this division. Three of its exhibitions will be managed by the partnership for an initialperiod of twenty years. Two of these are Intex's medical exhibitions, Oral CareChina and China Aid (disability equipment). The partnership will also be thelocal Chinese organiser of Tarsus' new anti-ageing exhibitions in China, ofwhich it is planned to hold three in 2007. Importantly, Intex's medicalexhibitions are complementary to Tarsus' anti-ageing events with approximately30% buyer crossover. The new anti-ageing exhibitions will be owned 80% by MCII(a Tarsus subsidiary) and 20% by Intex. The third Intex event to be managed by the partnership is the industrialinfrastructure show, Tunnel China. A second new infrastructure event is plannedfor 2008 which will be owned 50/50 by the Parties. Finally, in return for a fee,on an arms length basis, the partnership will carry out various operationalactivities for Labelexpo Asia, taking place in Shanghai in November 2007. Intex has three shareholders: • Shanghai Hongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone United Development Company Limited (40%) • Shanghai International Exhibition Company Limited (a subsidiary of Shanghai World Expo (Group) Company Limited) (30%) • The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company ("P&O") (30%) In June 2006 Tarsus signed a partnership with Shanghai Modern InternationalExhibition Company, another Shanghai based exhibition organiser, which is asubsidiary of Shanghai World Expo (Group) Company Limited. Hugh Scrimgeour, anon-executive director of Tarsus, is also the Vice-Chairman of Intex as therepresentative and controller of P&O's shareholding. Fang Pei Ying, General Manager of Intex, commented: "We are delighted to be entering into this partnership with a company of Tarsus'expertise and expect that both Intex and Tarsus will have improved prospectswithin China as a result of this exciting collaboration" Douglas Emslie, Group Managing Director of Tarsus, commented: "Tarsus is focused on increasing its exposure to the fast growing exhibitionsmarket in China in a measured way and this partnership not only extends oursector presence but importantly strengthens our management structure in theregion. By combining with Intex in this partnership, we will create a muchstronger base from which we can consider further growth opportunities". Contacts: Tarsus Group plc: Douglas Emslie, Group Managing Director: 020 8846 2700 Media: Madano Partnership: Mark Way/Matthew Moth, 020 7593 4000 Investors/Analysts: Neville Harris, IRfocus: 020 7593 4215 Notes to Editors: Tarsus (Epic: TRS) operates exhibitions on a global basis with its two keyproduct areas being Labels/Packaging and following the acquisition of MCII in2006, anti-ageing. It owns the world leading brands in both of these sectors. Ithas significant interests in France and in the US operates a number of shows inthe Off-Price sector. It also owns a rapidly growing online business, Caroo. Tarsus has been extending its brands and footprint into a number of emergingmarkets with a particular focus on China. The Group held its first LabelexpoChina exhibition in 2003 and launched its Chinese language version of Labels andLabelling magazine in 2005; in the same year it launched the Chinese OutboundTravel Show (COTTM) and opened a local office in Shanghai. In 2006 the Groupheld its first Label Summit in South China and also entered into a major newstrategic partnership with the Shanghai Modern International Exhibition Company("SM") whose parent company are organisers of the World Expo in Shanghai in2010. Printing and Packaging is a core expertise for Tarsus and SM is a marketleader in China. The partnership is initially concentrating on four shows in2007: the 15th Print, Pack and Paper exhibition, the 7th Papertech Show, the3rd Corrugated and Converting Expo and the 14th Shanghai InternationalAdvertising Technology and Equipment exhibition. For further information go to www.tarsus-group.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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