R+T Asia draws a crowd in Shanghai

Held from 26 to 28 May in Shanghai, the event was marked by strong participation and vibrant energy throughout the three days, highlighting its pivotal role in the global window furnishings industry.

This year’s edition set a new benchmark in both scale and reach. The exhibition spanned 120,000 square meters and featured over 750 exhibitors and brands, the largest number to date. A total of 55,201 professional visitors coming from 115 countries attended the event. This figure also included 15,567 international visitors, representing a 10% increase year-on-year.

“In a time of global trade challenges, R+T Asia’s success highlights its vital role in fostering international collaboration and innovation,” said Roland Bleinroth, President at Messe Stuttgart, co-organiser of the show.

“The bustling show floor saw high-level networking, strategic partnerships, and dynamic business exchanges.”

R+T Asia’s flagship networking and educational summit returned in 2025. The International Window & Door Summit gathered top experts and thought leaders from around the world to address the most pressing issues shaping the future of the industry. Keynote presentations spotlighted critical themes such as sustainability in solar shading, with Anders Hall from the European Solar Shading Organization presenting “Sustainability by Automated Solar Shading: The Latest Science and Tools to Prove It.”

Other sessions explored broader perspectives, including the sustainable development of future cities and the transition from incremental to stock-oriented urban planning, as well as the compatibility of certification systems with Made-in-China manufacturing.

Product highlights – “Best of the Best”

This year also saw the launch of the Best of Best Award, comprising three categories. The first was judged by a panel of industry experts from Europe, Oceania, and Asia. The top award winner in the sun shading category was Hangzhou ADD Window Energy Saving Technology company, with its New Patent Beltless Smart Curtain System. The system which has had earlier iterations is now much more robust and caught the attention of international visitors including many Australians. The modular curtain track comes with powerbanks which can be changed over after six months’ usage. 

The Excellence Award winner in the Best of the Best Award was Coulisse with its Absolute Silence system for motorised shading. 

The Absolute Silence concept reduces vibration via patented brackets, by addition of rubber. It comes in full and semi cassette.

Motorisation has dominated R+T for many years and this year was no different. Hundreds of motor options in every size imaginable on display in state-of-the-art stands that would stand out at the Stuttgart version of R+T with giant LCD screens. 

The most prominent was the Novo stand, which featured a robot dog and robot humanoid greeters who welcomed people to the stand. It was a clever trick, but one with a purpose as Novo unveiled ranges of AI-voice controlled motors. AI is an area in which China has a competitive advantage and the decision to put AI voice controls directly in with the motor at Novo (rather than using a centralised network controller such as an app or an in-home speaker) is something that competitors globally will race to catch up with. While full home networking may make sense in many applications, for an entry-level market, outdoor use, single blind installations, or areas where wireless networking proves troublesome a motor with its own built-in in voice control could prove a winning option. 

Pre-Covid, R+T Asia used to be dominated by the ubiquitous Zebra Blind. And while you will still see these scattered around the stands, the new champion is clearly the vertical sheer. The most impressive was probably from Xidamen, which had laminated two layers with film in between giving it colour coordination for both sides of fabric, preventing light leakage and heat absorption. 

Fabrics in general have come on in leaps and bounds in China. Much of this has been driven by R&D from Australia including Yameite- bonded blackouts, which is feeding its way into the Australian market, as well as Elitex, with its blockout, jacquards, and 1, 3, and 5% openness sheers partners with Uniline. 

A standout fabric was the Conho Natural wide woven fibres – exhibited on the stand in the form of panel blinds.

Other product highlights included a very beautifully weighted easy-lift honeycomb system from Zhenfei; albeit perhaps a little narrow for Australian applications. Also right on the edge of the “acceptable width” category was the no-drill system from Window Shade. No drill is the next big trend in systems and will not be restricted to the DIY market. The Window Shade system can be used for a variety of different blind applications up to up to 2.8 metres in width, with 40mm of play for installers and supports up to 50kg. These types of adjustable systems are already seeing big market penetration in Europe, along with double-sided tape systems, they are likely to prove a hit for companies that struggle to find experienced installers. 

Aussies on show – Luxsol goes global

There were a number of Australians on stands around the show, including Steve Payne from Luxsol. Payne was very excited as this was the first time that the parent company had used the Luxsol brand outside of the Australian market. 

“In the past we have co-branded Luxsol with the factory in Shanghai and Stuttgart R+T, but this was the first year the factory got behind the brand in a bigger way and promoted it exclusively,” Payne said. 

“The show exposes the brand to a worldwide audience as well as reinforcing the brand to customers (mainly Australian) who already know about it. Re-branding is a longer term process of organisational and cultural change and bringing overseas customer expectations right down to the factory floor.”

“It was really pleasing to see when I visited the factory prior to the show, that everyone was wearing a Luxsol uniform; a simple but important step in getting everyone in the organisation on board and understanding the importance of building and supporting the brand”.

Payne said that interest in the rebrand was very strong overall.

“Our stand was designed to a very high standard and looked fantastic.”

“Some existing customers wanted to know about the change of name and whether the company was the same, so there were some really great conversations around that.”

“Worldwide the feeling I got was that business is tough everywhere, whether that’s Europe, Africa, America or Australasia. Most economies are struggling with cost of living issues and customers are looking for value, not just cheap prices. It was apparent that the tariffs imposed by certain countries are having a flow-on effect, with Chinese companies looking to supplement the volumes that have been affected by tariffs – and pricing is very aggressive.”

The show wasn’t just about a rebranding for Luxsol. Also on display were a number of innovations launched over the last 12 months including a Bottom Roller System for sliding shutters, and adjustable T Post and Nexus50, the company’s unique hybrid shutter.

“Luxsol is moving away from a “me too” mentality and building value into our products by way of innovation, quicker installations and easier installations,” Payne said. 

“In terms of shutters, I didn’t see anything else at the show that I was surprised by to be honest. The shutter market is very mature now and Luxsol is going to be known as progressive and an innovator.” 

Payne said the show provided a great opportunity to catch up with Australian customers and prospective customers. 

“This year, there were quite a few Australasian visitors. It’s always good to see familiar faces and we did get some new leads to follow up.” 

“It’s surprising how many people have heard about Luxsol but don’t know about Luxsol, so it was great to be able to tell our story and arrange follow ups after the show.” 

“I think most people go to the show hoping to see the next big thing. Maybe I missed it, or maybe we were it?”

Coulisse among “Best of the Best”

Sydney-based Managing Director of Asia-Pacific for Coulisse, ​Rogier Krabbe, said the show was a great moment to present novelties, exchange ideas, and explore growth opportunities with Australian and Asia Pacific customers. 

With several new promising leads coming out of the show, Coulisse has identified Asia early on as a high-potential growth region and has since made strategic investments in local presence, people, and partnerships. 

“Participating in R+T Asia aligns perfectly with our broader mission to grow Motionblinds internationally through innovation, accessibility, and strong brand visibility,” Krabbe said.  

“The momentum in the region was clearly visible during the show, where eight companies featured Motionblinds in a specially developed display cabinet designed specifically for this exhibition.”

“The interest was tremendous and will help Motionblinds gain further visibility on a global scale.”

“Several partners have already committed, and many product launches are scheduled in the coming months with partners across Asia.”

“These partners are growing both locally – through online and offline channels – and internationally. R+T Asia plays a crucial role in boosting the visibility of the Motionblinds brand.”

Krabbe said Coulisse’s new silent hardware was a highlight of the stand and the show, winning the “Best of the Best” Excellence Award. 

“One of our key advantages is that our engineers develop not only the motors but also the hardware, allowing us to take a 360-degree approach to the end product.” 

“Our patented silent hardware reduces vibration to such an extent that noise levels are significantly lowered.” 

“We also introduced our new low-voltage motors, ideal for high-end residential projects. These motors eliminate the need for a licensed installer, reducing both cost and complexity.”

Smart home automation is growing worldwide, and Krabbe said the trend is no different in the Asia Pacific. 

“Companies are placing a strong focus on optimising production efficiency, and our easy-to-assemble hardware offers a major advantage in this area.”

“We see the APAC region as the largest growth market for both Coulisse and Motionblinds.” 

“That’s why we’re expanding our team in the region, to deliver a seamless onboarding experience and ensure our customers have the same deep understanding of our products as we do internally. We truly see our customers as partners with whom we aim to grow together.”

MarketMakers – Aussie innovation receives award

MarketMakers (Aust) (MMA) used R+T Asia to launch its expandable vertical track (Australian Patent 208679PCT). Managing Director Joshua Phipps told WFA the timing of the show lined up well with being able to showcase the track with its different carrier styles to suit vertical sheer fabric, PVC vertical vanes and standard vertical fabric.

“We saw a gap in the market with regard to an easier solution to the vertical sheer fabric hanging off a four metre vertical track that is very difficult and expensive to transport intrastate/internationally without damage,” Phipps said. 

“Thanks to the work Harry Phipps had done establishing strong international relationships back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, we have been able to continue these relationships which incentivised us to produce the expandable vertical track.” 

“The product took out a “Best  of the Best” Top Product award at the show – something that we are very proud of, considering there were over 700 exhibitors.” 

“The benefits of the product were seen by many different countries. All of them understand the clear solutions that it offers with regard to transport and the ease of entering blocks of units, or high rise lifts. Another benefit is not having to be millimetre-perfect in measuring, and the ease with which you can remove carriers without removing the end cap.” 

Phipps said MMA has aligned itself with one of the largest – if not the largest – weaver in the world of vertical sheer fabric. 

“We have a patented hanger system that complements the expandable track, leading to savings in freight and transport. It’s also a very easy product for the consumer to be able to install and hang the fabric.” 

“We have dealers throughout Asia who have expressed interest in purchasing the finished product for their own use, as well as EU companies looking to distribute and value-add to the product with their own vertical sheer programs.” 

“While the American market wasn’t well represented, we have a few irons in the fire with some longstanding customers keen to see the finished offering. This may end up being MMA making the total finished product (blind and track) custom made and flying it into the US on a weekly basis.”

Phipps said MMA has always had a strong working relationship with China, South Korea and Taiwan and we have no reason to change this over the next two to five years. 

“We have an associate working full time for us in China, and she has done so now for 17 years.” 

“I have been travelling to China for 21 years and the automation that has taken place in that time has been remarkable.” 

“China has an ageing population, and even though the country has 1.5 billion people, it struggles for factory workers.” 

“The need to automate or simplify processes is always being reviewed and improved on. This doesn’t mean they have fewer workers – just people working in different areas to increase volume.” 

“The quality of finished products out of China has also improved with the automation and fewer hands required to make the product. Quality control is key to our success and because of our longstanding relationships with our major suppliers we are able to achieve this,” he added.

R+T Asia – A visitors perspective

While the bulk of visitors to R+T Asia are from mainland China, 2025 proved to be the biggest year for international visitors at the show. US visitors were almost non-existent in the climate of punitive Trump-tariffs on Chinese products, so it made spotting Australian visitors even easier than usual – they turned out for the show, factory tours and nighttime catch-ups.  

Andrew Earles – Stan Bond

Andrew Earles, the General Manager of Stan Bond, was back at R+T Asia for the first time in six years and said that while China continues to modernise at breakneck speed, “The show itself was as expected, though I’ll be honest, there was less product innovation than I was hoping for.”

“I saw a huge number of similar systems on display, however, this trip was different from my previous visits because we had specific projects already underway.” 

“We’d scheduled meetings during the show and arranged factory tours afterwards, which made it much more focused and productive.”

Earles said the standout area for him was motorisation. 

“All the major players are moving quickly with increasing smart home integration, easy operation options, and beautiful product ranges.” 

“The quality and sophistication of motors from suppliers like Dooya, and A-OK has really improved. The integration with voice assistants and new standards like Matter is becoming seamless.”

“Outdoor awning systems and pergola-type products showed marked improvement. They’re becoming increasingly European in their look and feel – a big step forward from what were previously quite agricultural-looking products. The aesthetics have really caught up with functionality, which is important for the Australian market where outdoor living is so central.”

Earles had also picked up on the rise of the no-screw installation and cordless products. 

“These are the technologies I think we really need to keep an eye on. Australian consumers are increasingly looking for rental-friendly solutions, and the safety aspect of cordless products is becoming a worldwide regulatory issue.”

Earles said that based on his visit he thought it was important that Australian suppliers and system designers continue to develop and innovate. 

“Otherwise, we’ll get overtaken by the Chinese supply chain. They’re not just competing on price anymore – the quality gap is closing rapidly, and they’re innovating in areas like smart home integration faster than many European suppliers.”

“We found what we were looking for in terms of components and partnerships, but it required careful navigation and having the right contacts to cut through the sheer volume of options available.”

“I was lucky on this trip to be joined by one of my product area leaders who is Chinese and was able to help with the communication barriers. That remains a challenge once you try to get into technical discussions.”

Chris Parkinson – Ozroll

Travelling from Adelaide to visit the show, Chris Parkinson, Managing Director of Ozroll, said his motivation for attending this year’s edition was to meet up with a European supplier and to be introduced to their customer and local partner, as well as having the opportunity to attend the R+T and look for any new or interesting developments.

“There was a particular motor for an external blind which enabled operation both manually and motorised, which was interesting, as well as voice activated motorisation which appears to have come a long way.”

“Technologies of interest to me generally related to automation however, while I found the products on display to be more of the same, I was impressed with the perceived quality.”

“The convenience due to scale was evident as you can comfortably take in the whole show over a shorter period and the travel time and overall time difference are advantages compared to Europe.”

Parkinson said it was good business practice to understand the full range of options in the market.

“While I was not actively seeking new suppliers, it is useful to compare alternative options for both product and supply opportunities.”

Nick Brice – Shaw Performance Products 

Shaw Performance Products General Manager Nick Brice attended the show with a sizable team around him. He said that Shaw was motivated to visit R+T Asia this year to expand its market presence, network with industry professionals, showcase our latest products with established partners, along with showcasing their production facilities, and stay updated on market trends.

“This aligns with our growth strategy by increasing brand visibility, maintaining and exploring potential partnerships for future expansion.”

“It’s a great opportunity to meet with export partners from around the world in one place and discuss current business opportunities and future product development.”

Brice said the show had generated strong interest in the Shawsmart Motor Program and the launch of the company’s new Endota Blackout Fabric.

“Shaw supplies a limited amount of product into the high-end of the Asian Market. This will continue to increase in this timeframe. But China is of critical importance from a partnership perspective. The quality and innovation of the products originating from China continue to improve exponentially.”

Shaw hosted a dinner for Australian customers during the show and had a good turnout this year. 

“I would say that visitors were up on the previous year. It will be great to visit again next year just prior to our own Super Expo in June on the Gold Coast,” Brice added.

A general thought on Chinese manufacturing

Andrew Earles, the General Manager of Stan Bond, writes that Chinese modernisation is genuinely impressive and a reminder how critical it is for Australia, and more specifically Australian manufacturers to keep working to innovate and modernise.

I had the opportunity to spend several weeks in China visiting numerous manufacturing facilities, and what I witnessed should serve as a wake-up call for Australian manufacturers. The transformation is profound and challenges some assumptions we might still hold about Chinese manufacturing. The work ethic and growth mindset is always remarkable. 

Watching blind and curtain production at a scale of 100+ machinists was eye-opening. The speed at which products are completed and the pace at which team members work is extraordinary. But here’s what really struck me – this isn’t just about cheap labour anymore. These facilities have invested heavily in automation, lean manufacturing principles, and quality control systems that rival anything I’ve seen globally.

This shift has massive implications for Australian manufacturing. If we want to continue manufacturing in Australia – and I passionately believe we should – we need to change our approach.  We can’t rely on the “Australian Made” label alone to justify premium pricing if we’re not delivering genuinely superior products with exceptional service and innovation.

Our customers are becoming more sophisticated. They’ll pay a premium for Australian-made, but only if it comes with tangible benefits; better quality, faster delivery, customisation, superior after-sales support, or genuine innovation. If we’re simply assembling the same components as our Chinese counterparts but taking twice as long and charging three times the price, we’re living on borrowed time.

The Chinese factories I visited are increasingly capable, quality-driven, and technologically advanced. For our industry and workforce, this means we need to embrace continuous improvement, invest in training and technology, and foster a culture of innovation and excellence. We need to move faster, think smarter, and deliver better. The days of competing solely on geography are over – we need to compete on genuine value creation.

This isn’t about fear-mongering or suggesting we can’t compete. Australian manufacturing has unique advantages – proximity to market, understanding of local conditions, ability to customise and strong relationships with customers. But we need to build on these advantages aggressively, not rest on them complacently.

The wake-up call is clear: innovate or evaporate. Our response shouldn’t be protectionism or defeatism, but rather a renewed commitment to excellence, lean, efficiency, and innovation.