New exhibitors appeared at Saturday’s "matchmaking" session organized by the third China International Import Expo in Shanghai to introduce innovative products to a wider market.

The main expo, which has drawn around 3,000 foreign companies annually since 2018, will be held in the city between Nov 5 and Nov 10.

Around 60 exhibitors and 100 buyers participated in the pre-expo matchmaking sessions in the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

Universal Robots, a company from Denmark, has been in China for seven years, and decided to attend the expo for the first time this year.

"We only exhibited in industry fairs before. We feel CIIE is a bigger platform and want to organize some strategic events during our debut this year," said Chen Yuhua, an account manager of the company that specializes in collaborative robots, which interact with humans in a shared place. The company has partnered with the State Grid to produce robots for high-voltage electrical equipment maintenance.

"Denmark lacks workforce, so there is a big demand for robots, but we see China as a bigger market as many industries have started to automatize production lines," Chen said.

Apex Tool Group, a United States supplier of hand tools and power tools, is also having its first experience of the expo, despite having been operating in China for more than a decade.

Wei Yuxin, an engineer with the company, said their tools are commonly used to produce cars and planes, but the comprehensive CIIE, which comprises exhibitors from sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and consumer goods, will help them gain exposure, and possibly lead to new business deals.

Yuan Xue, senior manager of Epson China, said the company has observed the expo during the past two years and decided to attend this year for the first time.

"We value the opportunity of getting exposure to the general public, connect with professional buyers, and exchange within the industry at same time," Yuan said.

Espon will introduce a paper-recycling machine that can turn waste paper back to printable paper at a time when companies are paying more attention to environmental protection.

It will also display a smart glass with augmented reality technology that can be used in remote locations so workers can be helped by technicians who are located elsewhere.

"The pandemic has made it difficult for travel, so the glasses provide a solution for many factories," Yuan said.