Canton Fair Direct | NEWCOM· Luggage Builds Competitive Edge Through "Design Innovation + Brand Globalization"

From May 1-5, the 137th Canton Fair Phase III, the world’s largest comprehensive trade exhibition, opened in Guangzhou. Jiaxing sent 317 companies to showcase products ranging from apparel, luggage, and children’s toys to maternal and infant supplies. Transitioning from pure OEM manufacturing to innovation-driven design and brand globalization, Jiaxing’s luggage enterprises are striving to build core competitiveness.

At this Canton Fair, NEWCOM Group displayed over 150 luggage products, with more than half being newly designed. A travel suitcase made from recyclable film material with stain-resistant and waterproof features has gained popularity. Developed by NEWCOM’s provincial-level key enterprise design institute, this product was recently selected for the "Foreign Trade Excellence China Tour" campaign.

"Our design institute employs over 30 professional designers and invests over 20 million yuan annually in R&D. Compared to the pure OEM era, our R&D cycle has shortened to just 3-4 weeks, leading the domestic luggage industry," said Che Mingxin, Brand Manager of NEWCOM Group.

As Jiaxing’s leading luggage manufacturer, NEWCOM’s evolution from OEM to brand globalization is well-documented. From 1998-2008, it focused on OEM; from 2008-2018, it transitioned to ODM by strengthening in-house R&D; since 2018, amid global challenges, it adopted an "ODM + OBM" dual-strategy, leveraging OEM foundations to fuel its proprietary brand Newcom’s global expansion.

"Brand globalization is a long-term vision requiring a decade or more of persistence," said Linda Zhao, General Manager of Newcomer Group. She likened Newcom to a "primary school student" growing steadily through inevitable challenges. "Only by building an autonomous global sales network can we secure pricing power and sustain Chinese manufacturing competitiveness."

Currently, NEWCOM has established distribution networks in 68 countries. At this Canton Fair, its priority is recruiting more dealers and agents. Michelle, an Australian-Indian buyer, initially came for inquiries but was impressed by NEWCOM’s vision after an hour-long discussion. A preliminary agreement was reached for Michelle to distribute U-Tour luggage in Sydney and Adelaide.

"We aligned perfectly with NEWCOM. Linda deeply understands the Australian market and aims to build a brand distribution hub there—a win-win opportunity," Michelle remarked.