The First Western Exhibitor at China Fish: Gruppo DP’s Three Decades Watching China’s Trade Show Evolve

Gruppo DP, the Italian OEM line supplier, holds a rare distinction in the Chinese fishing tackle industry: it was the first western company to exhibit at China Fish, back in 1995. Thirty years later it remains a constant presence at the Beijing show, and its director Nicola Dagnino offers one of the longest-running outsider perspectives on how China’s trade fair landscape has changed.

A changing trade fair landscape

Dagnino says the show circuit itself has transformed since those early years. “There have been significant changes across the entire trade fair landscape since those days,” he told Angling International ahead of China Fish 2026. “New players are more interested in participating at B2C shows rather than B2B events.”

The shift reflects a broader structural change in how tackle is traded. “The preference now is to make purchases through trading companies,” Dagnino notes, “but in doing so most lose control over the product and its quality and cannot take advantage of industry specialists who bring with them a wealth of experience.”

For buyers, the trade-off is real: trading companies offer convenience and low friction, but they sit between the buyer and the factory floor, diluting control over quality, specifications and iteration speed.

Why specialists still matter

Gruppo DP has been in the fishing line business for more than half a century, supplying OEM line programs and bulk line for spoolers to brands worldwide. Dagnino argues that this depth of experience is precisely what gets lost when buying is reduced to a transactional comparison of quotes.

“Gruppo DP has been a trusted partner for numerous players in markets around the world for over half a century,” he says, “and has contributed to the success of brands built on strong image and quality.”

The company is also adjusting its go-to-market approach. “We are approaching new players directly who do not attend trade fairs, but need to be reached,” Dagnino explains. He acknowledges that the first hurdle is often the perception that an Italian producer cannot compete with Asian manufacturers on price — “Once the initial ‘mistrust’ of an interlocutor, who is reluctant to interact with an Italian company considered non-competitive compared to Asian players, is overcome, interesting opportunities arise. We can offer a tailored approach that only a few other companies can offer.”

Three shows that matter

Despite the growth of B2C events, Gruppo DP’s trade show priorities remain firmly B2B. Alongside ICAST and the CGC Weihai Expo, China Fish is still one of the three most important shows the company attends each year.

At the 2026 Beijing edition, Gruppo DP presented a new collection of sinking lines, hybrid nylon/fluorocarbon monofilaments, and PE and PTFE braids, alongside its existing range of bulk lines for spoolers and OEM projects and its ASSO brand products in nylon, fluorocarbon and PE.

Dagnino remains optimistic about the year ahead. “Thanks to our wide range of products, we can offer solutions even when the market is not particularly positive.”

What this means for Chinese manufacturers

For Chinese line producers, Gruppo DP’s story is a useful benchmark. The company has stayed relevant in a market increasingly crowded by Chinese competitors not through price, but through technical specialisation — hybrid filaments, PTFE braids, custom OEM programs — and through direct, trust-based partnerships.

It also underscores a message Chinese suppliers hear often from western buyers: as trade shifts toward trading companies and online platforms, factories that maintain direct relationships with brands — and can demonstrate specialist expertise rather than just capacity — keep a structural advantage that no middleman can fully replicate.

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