Italian firm bullish on nation's winter fun

HARBIN — Shen Yumei's first trip to Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, for an exhibition was a pleasant surprise, revealing the vibrancy of the local winter sports market.

Shen serves as marketing director for China of Italy-based winter sports equipment manufacturer TechnoAlpin. The company commands over 60 percent of the global market share in snowmakers and ice resurfacers, and its products are widely used in major international events, including the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games and the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy in February.

The three-day 2026 Harbin International Ice and Snow Economy Expo opened on Monday, attracting hundreds of ice and snow equipment enterprises from across the globe.

The expo floor featured an array of products, from industrial-grade unmanned snowplows and snowmobiles to carbon fiber skis and outdoor winter apparel.

"We hope to expand our market in Heilongjiang through this expo," said Shen.

TechnoAlpin entered the Chinese market in 2000 and established its presence in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, in 2018. The Zhangjiakou branch, covering 18,000 square meters, integrates research and development, assembly, logistics and warehousing, and commenced operations in 2020.

Shen attributed the company's bullish outlook on China to the vigorous development of winter sports in the country. "Recent international events like Beijing 2022 have fueled an ice-snow boom in China, leading to the construction of more ski slopes and ice rinks in many regions. We will continue to focus our efforts here," she added.

Shen explained that the company remains committed to the post-Olympic Chinese market, with plans to establish its fourth global equipment center in China.

"In the future, large-scale professional ski resorts and ice rinks in China will require professional equipment and consulting services. The demand for experiencing ice-snow sports through technology like snowmakers and ski simulators continues to grow. These are the market opportunities we aim to tap, potentially using the Chinese market as a base to reach Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea," she explained.

"As enthusiasm for ice-snow sports continues to rise, our next step is to introduce advanced ice-snow technology and expertise to China," Shen said. "We aim to provide comprehensive services for clients in the region to boost the thriving development of China's ice-snow sports and industry."

Xinhua - China Daily