To help Chinese companies add value to their products, the fair's organizers introduced a design award, an important measure in carrying out the national strategy of innovation-driven development.

Transactions in the brand exhibition zone contributed a higher percentage to the total turnover during the fair's fall session, according to Liu.

"A growing number of Chinese enterprises have realized the importance of developing core competitiveness by investing more in technology, brand-building, quality and service," said Liu.

Chen Yanjun, a sales manager with Xiamen Comfort Science & Technology Group, said investing in research and design helped secure more orders from overseas buyers for the company.

"We also opened design centers in Japan and Canada, which help us catch up with the overseas market trend," Chen told China Daily.

The Fujian-based company, which specializes in making and selling healthcare and message facilities, invests annually up to 80 million yuan to upgrade its products, according to Chen.

The company, which had focused on equipment manufacturing, now attaches more importance to brand building.

"We have opened more than 300 flagship stores in many countries and regions. For example, the sales of products with our self-owned brand in the United States reached more than $10 million," Chen said.

Liu Jie, president of SKG Electric Co, said a new development pattern, which focuses on research, design and brand building, helped the company secure more overseas orders, although global demand remains relatively low.

The company, which started in 2007 in Foshan, Guangdong province, focuses on home appliances.

"We have also opened manufacturing facilities overseas," said Liu, adding that up to 95 percent of the company's self-branded products are sold online.