A booth of several Rugao companies at the 5th Nantong Cross-Border E-Commerce Product Selection Exhibition. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Rugao manufacturers are stepping up efforts to reach new overseas customers as cross-border e-commerce opens up fresh opportunities in emerging markets.

The 5th Nantong Cross-Border E-Commerce Product Selection Exhibition opened on Sept 9, with a group of Rugao-based manufacturers presenting their products and exploring new business connections.

For View Electronic, the expo was a chance to look beyond its established sales channels. Four booths displayed the company's lineup of large-screen TVs, including a striking 98-inch model. View Electronic has built a strong presence in the Middle East for more than a decade, with its KMC TV brand ranking among the top three in Saudi Arabia.

But the company is now looking to broaden its customer base, particularly in Southeast Asia. "We have a solid footing in traditional sales channels, but we're still learning when it comes to cross-border e-commerce," said Wang Songbai, the company's sales director. "We also want to connect with more logistics and overseas warehousing providers, especially because logistics can be a major challenge for large appliances."

View Electronic sets up a booth at the exhibition. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

NVision Electrical Appliance also drew visitors with its steam-based home appliances. With more than two decades of experience in steam-cleaning technology, the company showcased products spanning steam cleaning, garment care and personal beauty care.

An increasing number of businesses in Rugao are now engaged in cross-border e-commerce on a regular basis. From January to August, the city's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 102 million yuan ($15.2 million), up 67.21 percent year-on-year.