2024 is a big year for sports events, providing a golden opportunity for manufacturers in Guangdong, a leading province in sports goods and equipment manufacturing. Leveraging the momentum of the Olympics and the UEFA European Championship, numerous enterprises are exporting a variety of sports products to Europe.

The busy port at Shenzhen (Photo: Nanfang Plus / Zhu Hongbo)

In July of last year, Dongguan City Jiaheng Toys Co., Ltd. received an order from a French client for the Paris Olympics, to produce over 50,000 custom inflatable volleyballs.

"Large sports events bring us numerous orders," said Jiang Lijun, the company's business manager. The company has previously supplied products for major international events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2022 World Cup.

About 150 kilometers away, the 19 production lines at Qingyuan Guangshuo Shoe Industry Co., Ltd. are running at full capacity, with sports shoes being packaged and shipped overseas to Olympic athletes.

"In the first five months of this year alone, we have delivered 84,000 pairs of shoes worth about 15 million yuan for the Olympics," said Liao Zhigang from the company's customs department.

At the Paris Olympics, spectators will see table tennis balls provided by Double Fish being launched precisely to players.

Liang Zhixiong, Assistant to the General Manager of Double Fish, highlighted that the company has 15 production processes to ensure the highest quality for the Olympics.

Heyuan O. T. Composite Co., Ltd., a producer of high-end sports equipment such as tennis and squash rackets, exported over 24 million yuan worth of products to France in the first four months of this year, a 33.2% increase year-on-year.

During the Paris Olympics, 800 drones will light up the night sky above the Palace of Versailles with Olympic-themed displays, provided by Shenzhen HighGreat Innovation Technology Development Co., Ltd.

Guangdong-made high-end screens will also shine at major events.

Shenzhen Absen Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. will ensure stable broadcasts with their LED screens at the Paris Olympics. "Our screens are widely used in major international sports events," said Vice President Deng Hanqing, noting their previous use at the Qatar FIFA World Cup and multiple NBA arenas.

Absen LED screens will be applied at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. (Photo: Absen)

Recently, at Allianz Arena in Munich, LED products from Shenzhen Unilumin Technology witnessed the opening match of the UEFA Euro 2024 between Germany and Scotland.

"We have provided nearly 1,000 square meters of LED displays and integrated sports lighting solutions for three smart stadiums," said Li Zhi, Vice President at Unilumin.

"We have supplied the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen with a 280-square-meter LED screen, the largest in all of Europe!" said Li Zhi. "This screen can display real-time game timing and scoring, live replays, and create an immersive viewing experience for the audience."

Unilumin provided LED displays and integrated sports lighting solutions for three smart stadiums in Germany. (Photo: Unilumin)

Five Chinese companies, including Hisense, vivo, BYD, AliExpress, and Ant Group, are among the 13 main sponsors of Euro 2024. TCL has also become the official partner of the national teams from Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia.

Hisense's logo has been a familiar sight at European Championship venues since 2016.

The company saw a nearly 35% increase in European sales in its initial sponsorship in 2016. In the first quarter of this year, Hisense ranked third in the European TV market.

As the official smartphone partner of Euro 2024, vivo will capture the excitement of each match with its "BlueImage" technology.

"'BlueImage' is an integration of imaging technologies developed by vivo, including proprietary sensor technology, algorithms, and imaging chips," explained a vivo representative.

BYD has made history as the first Chinese electric vehicle brand to partner with the UEFA European Championship, replacing Volkswagen as the official mobility partner.

The company's BYD EXPLORER No.1 ship recently set sail for Europe with 5,449 electric vehicles. (Photo: Nanfang Plus / Lu Li, Wang Dandan)

As the official vehicle of the European Championship, BYD's new energy vehicles also provide green transportation services for the event. Various models from BYD are showcased at the European Championship venues.

With these international partnerships, Chinese brands are significantly boosting their global influence.

(cnbayarea.org.cn & GDToday)