With growth slowing in the crowded and costly coastal centers, China is ushering investors into the hinterlands.
 
China has been the largest recipient of foreign direct investment among the developing countries for 15 straight years, but government statistics show that some 90% of foreign investment enterprises are located in east China, worsening the unbalanced development between the west and the east.
 
After years of easy expansion, coastal China, and particularly the Pearl River and Yangtze River deltas, are facing growing pains. Labor and land costs are rising fast in tier-1 cities, with commercial rents up nearly 40% over the past 3 years, while industrial or logistics space is simply not available. Labor costs are inching up in Guangdong too, but the bigger problem is finding any workers at all for its huge manufacturing sector. But many factories moving inland in the hope of lower costs and enhanced competitiveness and better margins are finding that the logistics cost of transporting goods from inland to port is somehow eroding any savings they may might have made in other areas. As a growing number of inland provinces introduce minimum wage levels, workers assert their rights and land prices rise, it will be interesting to see if these savings last long enough to attract foreign investors.
 
Produced by Asia's leading professional organization, the Global Supply Chain Council, Supply Chain Goes West, to be held in Chengdu on May 22 will be the first networking event for supply chain executives to exchange best practices in moving sourcing and manufacturing inland China.

Who will attend?

As the leading supply chain professional organization in China with a community of over 25,000 professionals, this event will attract the most dynamic and senior executives interested to explore the potential of moving inland. It will be a must-attend event for all working in the supply chain community and the audience will include VPs and senior executives responsible for supply chain, sourcing, procurement, logistics, risk management and CSR (corporate responsibility).

CALL FOR SPEAKERS

If you are involved in supply chain, manufacturing, logistics or sourcing in China and you are interested to participate in this event as a speaker, call Max Henry to discuss your potential participation at +86 13917363434 or email mhenry@supplychain.cn.

As a speaker or panelist, you will get a complimentary registration for the entire event including a five-star hotel lunch; free event program, training materials and CD-Rom, assistance in booking discounted airfare and hotel accommodations and additional editorial coverage in CHaINA Magazine. Hotel and travel expenses incurred for the event will be your sole responsibility.

Host a site tour or visit!

If you operate an interesting production or logistics facility in Chengdu area and you are willing to open your doors to a selected group of supply chain executives, then contact us to arrange a site tour. Previous site tours organized by the Council include IKEA Asia-Pacific DC, Nike factory, Unilever DC, Bertelsmann China DC, Shanghai Volkswagen, Amway China National DC and Philips Lighting. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive one complimentary pass for the event.