The 27th China International Trenchless Technology Conference and Exhibition was successfully held in the city from 24 to 26, April 2024 at Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center. 3,718 professional visitors from 19 overseas countries and regions and 32 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and special administrative regions across the country registered to visit the exhibition, A total of 8,080 visitors attended the exhibition during the three day exhibition, and 172 people registered to participate in the seminars.
Professor Keh-Jian Shou, Chairman of the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT), Chinese Taipei Society for Trenchless Technology (CTSTT), Mr. Yasin Torun, Chairman of Turkish Society for Infrastructure and Trenchless Technologies (TSITT), Ms. Sun Minmin, Board Member of Singapore Society for Trenchless Technology （SgSTT）, Lou Liangjin, Second-level inspector of Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, Professor Yan Chunwen, Vice-Chairman of China Society of Geology - Trenchless Technology Committee (CSTT), and Mr. Chen Fenggang, President of Jiangsu Goodeng Heavy Machinery Technology Co., Ltd. were invited for the opening ceremony.
During this year's exhibition, Chairman Keh-Jian Shou of the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT), Chinese Taipei Society for Trenchless Technology (CTSTT) delivered the opening speech. A series of keynote speeches followed afterward (four speeches in total): Professor Guo Chengchao, Deputy Chairman of National Key Laboratory of Tunnel Engineering at Sun Yat-sen University delivered a speech on behalf of his Mentor Wang Fuming, Chairman of China Society of Geology - Trenchless Technology Committee (CSTT), Academician of China Academy of Engineering. The speech was in the theme of “Development of Flood Prevention and Control Technology for Underground Engineering and Progress in the Construction of the "Engineering Hospital" Shared Platform”. Chairman Keh-Jian Shou of the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT), Chinese Taipei Society for Trenchless Technology (CTSTT) delivered a speech in the theme of “On the Advances and Challenges of Trenchless Technologies for Pipeline Rehabilitation”, Mr. Yasin Torun, Chairman of Turkish Society for Infrastructure and Trenchless Technologies (TSITT) made a speech in the theme of “Trenchless Developments in Eurasia for Earthquake Resilient Pipelines”, Mr. Liu Xue, Vice President of Boring Machine Research and Design Institute, China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. made a speech in the theme of “Research and Application of Pipe Jacking Technology under Complex Conditions.” The Crucial speakers, rich keynote reports and on-site Q&A interactions aroused great interest among the onsite delegates.
The annual conference set up three thematic sessions: "Pipeline Rehabilitation Theme Report", "Pipe Jacking Technology Theme Report" and "Horizontal Directional Drilling Theme Report", in which the latest technology and typical construction cases in various fields of trenchless technology were exchanged and discussed. China University of Geosciences (Beijing), China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Chengdu University of Technology Southeast University, Beijing No.7 Municipal Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Goodeng Heavy Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., Anhui Tangxing Equipment Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou Shareate Tools Co., Ltd., XCMG Foundation Construction Machinery Business Division, Jiangsu Dilong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Drillto Trenchless Co., Ltd., Tianjin Vermeer Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Shanghai Jiayou Municipal Construction Co., Ltd. , Hubei Wangxin Construction Co., Ltd., Zhenjiang Baocheng Grouting Equipment Co., Ltd., Beijing Jingshui Construction Group Co., Ltd., Poclain hydraulics China, Zhejiang Hua Shi Pipeline Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Jieantong Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Longkexing Technology Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Guankang Technology Co., Ltd. and many more scientific research institutes and well-known enterprises made 19 technical reports, promotion and sharing on their own advantageous technology, products and construction experience. This year’s exhibition also issued commemorative certificates to all speakers for the first time, and the response was enthusiastic.
With an exhibition area of more than 20,000 square meters, the exhibition brought together over 120 companies from the trenchless industry to showcase their latest products and technologies. Among the exhibitors, 24 companies made their debut, accounting for 20% of the total exhibitors. 90% of the exhibitors brought dozens of physical exhibits to showcase, with all the raw exhibition space specially decorated, and all exhibits sold out. The equipment in this exhibition further improved in performance, quality, and appearance, and showed the latest development trend and innovative technology of trenchless technology in new pipeline construction and old pipeline rehabilitation in municipal, petroleum, electric power, communication, gas and other fields.
The International Trenchless Technology Conference is presenting the vigorous vitality and development potential of China's trenchless industry with a scale that exceeds expectations and a wealth of cutting-edge technologies. As China's economy takes the lead in the world, it embarks on the road to recovery. The feedback from exhibitors and visitors reflects the growing demand for trenchless technology in China's national economic development. The active participation of foreign experts and presenters shows the attention paid by international counterparts for the continued expansion of China's trenchless market. Driven by favorable domestic policies such as the “Action Plan for Promoting Large-Scale Equipment Updates and Trade-in of Consumer Goods”, the sustainability improvement of wastewater treatment plants nationwide has been carried out in parallel with the quality and efficiency improvement of pipeline networks and rehabilitation.
ITTC 2024 Exhibition also hosted the “ITTC Reception Gala Dinner and CSTT Annual Awards Ceremony". On behalf of ISTT, Chairman Keh-Jian Shou of the International Society for Trenchless Technology (ISTT) presented the ISTT2023 Annual Academic Research Award to Associate Professor Wang Lichang, Central South University School of Geosciences and Info-physics. The ITTC Organizing Committee also awarded ITTC quality exhibitor certificates to 4 new 15-year exhibitors, 10 new 10-year exhibitors and 3 new 5-year exhibitors.
CSTT presented honorary certificates and trophies to Mr. Chen Fenggang, the "China Trenchless Person of the Year 2023". CSTT also presented the "China Trenchless 2023 Outstanding Technology, Product and Engineering Award" to the companies and organizations including Central South University, Jiangsu Goodeng Heavy Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., XCMG Foundation Construction Machinery Business Division, Anhui Pro-liner Pipeline Repair Technology Co., Ltd., Hebei Huayuan Science and Industry Co., Ltd., Shanghai Guankang Technology Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Shareate Power Technology Co., Ltd., Beijing Beiran Environmental Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Jiaogong Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Guanli Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., Shanghai City Drainage Co., Ltd., Liyan Technologies Co., Ltd.
The exhibition continued with a new product launch. Five companies including Shareate Tools Co., Ltd., Drillto Trenchless Co., Ltd., Hunan Jianweitong Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., Yangzhou Dilong Machinery Co., Ltd., Anhui Zhuoke Intelligence Equipment Co., Ltd. presented the release of latest products and technologies, so that everyone can better understand the good performance and features of the products, and received numerous praise.
A total of 30,082 people viewed, visited, and downloaded photos from the cloud album on the live photo streaming platform of the conference. From the start of the preparatory work in April 2023, the organizing committee sent invitations to 2,256 industry peers abroad to attend the conference, and released the progress of the event to more than 2,300 foreign peers who have long been paying attention to the Chinese market in mid-December 2023; the organizing committee also sent peer-to-peer SMS invitations to 15,660 domestic professional visitors from the end of December 2023 to one week before the start of the event in April 2024, continuously promotion on the CSTT WeChat official account for 100 days before the event date; and continuously adopts on-site real-name identification and face recognition technologies as the standard mode for all exhibitors and visitors to enter the exhibition hall to enhance the quality of professional visitors.
Before the conference, the China Society of Geology - Trenchless Technology Committee (CSTT) held a working meeting of the council and expert group, as well as the 2023 China Annual Trenchless Awards Jury Meeting at Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center, where the council members and experts listened to the ITTC2024 organizing reports, ITTC2025 preparation, 2024 international cooperation plans, and preparatory work status of CSTT2024 China Trenchless Conference (Ningbo). At the same time, the 75 committee members and 3 expert members from CSTT selected the annual awards candidates based on the on-site debate delivered by 20 companies and 5 annual person candidates.
