Top 10 Importers in Mexico Attend VIP Event

Top 10 Importers in Mexico Attend VIP Event

According to customs and shipping reports, Mexico’s top 10 buyers of printers and imaging supplies collectively import 91.55% of the total shipments. And each of them attended the RT VIP Imaging Expo in Mexico City on June 23.

86 other big buyers who also import products joined them at the Camino Real Hotel. The 22 exhibitors were mainly from China. This was the fourth and final event with others being held in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Bogota, Colombia over a 15-day period.

The research was conducted by Argentinian-based Gustavo Molinatti who partnered with Comexposium Recycling Times (often known as RT Media) to deliver the event. “We rigorously researched the customs data for the four countries we participated in,” said Molinatti. “The data revealed that there has been a big shift in the players involved with some dropping out during the COVID years and with new players entering.”

The VIP Expo business model is different from traditional expos. “Knowing how busy the CEOs and business owners are,” said RT Media’s David Gibbons, “We have put on an intense one-day event where visitors are firstly qualified before being invited. The event is not open to the industry at large.”

A total of 348 buyers across Latin America were selected and invited to attend one of the four events based on customs data revealing the value of shipments being imported by each company in each country. A total of 386 actually attended because large distributors from other countries—including Chile, Uraguay, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru—were also welcomed.

During the gala dinner, that followed the trade show, awards were presented to three local businesses and individuals at each event. For Mexico, the awards and awardees were as follows:

Industry Leader Award: Eloy Rios of CAD Toner
- Having graduated with a degree in Business Administration, in 1988 he founded Cad Toner, becoming the first cartridge remanufacturer in Mexico. Together with his wife, they have led CAD Toner to become the leading company in the Mexican market, respected by his colleagues for his values and professionalism.
Best Supplier Award: New Toner
- With a focus on honesty, responsibility, punctuality, quality and constant innovation, New Toner has become one of the leading printing supplies companies. In just a few years, it has established 9,500 distributors throughout the country, represents 20 brands, and supplies more than 230,000 products each month.

The Outstanding Services Award was particularly emotional with the wife, sons and daughter of the late Don Luis Carlos Sanchez stepping up to accept the award on his behalf.

- Together with his wife Magdalena Ríos Villalobos, Sanchez undertook to support the industry with various initiatives and inventions, including machines to inject refill cartridges. He is recognized and remembered by many for his ethics and integrity.

Pictures from the show:

Running the event was a gruelling affair for the organisers. Everything needed to be set up, then packed up and transported to the next country every 3-4 days. At each location, the booth contractors bumped in at midnight to have the booths for each exhibitor constructed and ready by 10 am.

The exhibitors were able to set up their displays until 2 pm when the visitors would arrive ready to do business. The booths had to be packed up by 7:30 pm each time so the construction company could have the show dismantled and packed up by 10 pm. The Gala dinner would run with between 100 and 115 people participating in each event. Many suppliers and buyers would meet the next day privately, in each city, to discuss business further.

As with the previous three events two recipients won free hotel accommodation at the RemaxWorld Expo in the lucky draw prize. Pictured below are Michelle Pulido (Baja Sky) and Vanessa Bolio (TS PrintMax) receiving the prizes from RT Media’s General Manager Victoria Zhao and dinner host, Gustavo Molinatti.