Cao Zhen
SURVIVAL kits containing basic tools and supplies for use in an emergency attracted swarms of visitors at a gift fair yesterday.
Since the Shanghai fire in November, my company began producing fire survival kits and this year, we introduced earthquake survival kits, said Zhu Shijin, general manager of the Beijing-based SD Paul Group, at 19th China (Shenzhen) International Gifts, Handicrafts, Watches and Houseware Fair.
Like Zhu s company, all survival kit manufacturers at the fair previously produced car tool kits or first-aid kits. After the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, they began manufacturing emergency kits for the domestic market.
We started producing survival kits 10 years ago and sold them to the United States and Europe, said Zhang Tianshi, a manager of the Zhongshan-based Wujiuwu Co. He said his company began to focus on the domestic market last year.
Kanglidi Co. from Zhejiang said its foreign market sales increased by 60 percent since 2008 and the domestic market by 30 percent.
The quake survival kits are priced from 260 yuan (US$40) to 2,400 yuan. Wholesale prices would be 70 to 80 percent lower.
A common quake kit contains a reflective mylar-coated space blanket to retain body heat, water and ship biscuits, first-aid items, a foldable military spade, a pair of slip-proof gloves and a multi-purpose whistle which also features a compass, torch and magnifying glass.
A fire survival kit contains a mask to withstand dense smoke for 40 minutes, an extinguisher, gloves, ropes, breathing equipment and a whistle.
Survival kits are rarely seen on sale at retail stores in China. All the survival kit exhibitors at the fair said they sold their products only to wholesalers.
Organized by Reed Huabo Exhibitions, the fair ends Wednesday.
