To address different consumer pain points in various markets, FEELM, an atomization innovator, highlighted several technologically advanced vaping solutions during the World Vape Show Dubai 2024.
Under the theme “ALL ON,” the company officially launched its next-generation pod solution—FEELM Pro—in Dubai. “This solution meets consumers’ pursuit of explosive flavor by using the latest FEELM ceramic coil technology, featuring a thinner ceramic coil for explosive power. This ensures ample e-liquid supply with each puff, avoiding aroma loss during atomization and providing a higher, more stable flavor reproduction,” according to a press release.
In addition to FEELM Pro, FEELM presented two different series of large puff solutions at the Dubai show: the TPD-compliant 5,000-puff disposable solution TANKER and the TPD-compliant 3,200-puff vape pod solution QUAD SHOT Pro. The former offers Balance and Turbo modes, allowing consumers to experience taste differences under different modes; the latter uses the FEELM Turbo solution, achieving a qualitative leap in flavor explosiveness compared to similar products, being both smooth and sweet, according to the release.
“Under compliance, we strive for technological innovation in flavor explosiveness, flavor reproduction, human-machine interaction, and playability,” said Rex Zhang, assistant president for FEELM. “We hope to collaborate with more customers in the future, rooted in the TPD market, to meet the personalized needs of different consumers and help the industry accelerate into a new stage of development.”
The company also brought six different series solutions, covering all the current innovative elements on the market and achieving different combinations of elements and experience upgrades through technological upgrades.
“For example, the world’s first 30,000 puffs disposable with four-sided surround screen and ultra-high wattage solution ‘Galaxy Display + Quattro Mesh’ brings a high-configuration combination of a 4.8-inch four-sided surround screen and quad mesh combined with high wattage of 40W + 6 modes of different puffs,” the release states. “With this device, you can experience all the cutting-edge technological innovations, instantly falling in love with it.”
Additionally, the world’s first 18,000-puff multifunctional modular design solution, “Off Charge,” was showcased. It strives for ultimate playability, bringing new ideas with a modular design and adding a smart screen display. Press a button to experience different flavors. After disassembling the module, you can smoke the pod while charging your phone with the EPS.
Additionally, the world’s first 20,000-puff double-burst power ceramic coil solution, “FEELM Turbo DUO,” continues the high explosiveness of the FEELM Turbo series, doubling the flavor explosiveness with dual ceramic coils.
FEELM, a major global atomization company, presented its solutions for achieving sustainable development in the industry during the Global Vape Forum, held during the World Vape Show Dubai 2024 industry event.
REX Zhang, strategy director at Smoore and assistant president at FEELM, told attendees that increasingly stringent global regulations and compliance, youth protection, and environmental protection have become the three major challenges hindering the vaping industry’s sustainable development. He said the challenges are even greater in countries like the UK and France, which are planning to introduce disposable vaping product bans.
Zhang said that stricter global regulations are beneficial for the industry’s development. However, while regulations clarify rules, strict enforcement is crucial to block the circulation of “illegal” products.
“At the same time, focusing on youth protection and environmental protection, vape companies need to create more compliant and legal products through technological innovation and upgraded vaping experiences,” said Zhang. “Collaboration among brands, retailers, and regulators is essential to achieve sustainable development in the industry.”
Building compliance capability is a long-term project. As a publicly traded company, Smoore consistently adheres to legal and regulatory standards and continually enhances its compliance capabilities through increased R&D investment, helping more clients succeed in global markets, according to Zhang. In 2023 alone, he said Smoore invested $1.48 billion in R&D, accounting for 13.3 percent of its annual revenue.
Smoore also has committed to helping its clients’ products obtain to obtain marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and MDrug Administration. Smoore has been instrumental in nearly every vaping product currently authorized by the FDA. Additionally, adhering to the “customer first” business philosophy, Zhang said that FEELM has introduced a series of solutions tailored for several different global markets.
Rex Zhang
“[We] believe that consumers in the global market are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the demand in different markets is more diverse. To respond to the urgent demand for environmentally friendly products in the European market, FEELM has launched the next-generation vape pod solution, FEELM PRO [which complies with TPD egulations and] is environmentally friendly,” said Zhang. “This effectively addresses the current issue of disposable ‘use and discard’ products. It is also simpler to assemble than similar products; it bursts power at an instant start and significantly enhances the flavor experience, offering a smooth and rich taste.”
Through technological innovation and the use of eco-friendly materials, FEELM has rapidly improved atomization efficiency and battery efficiency, significantly enhancing the vaping experience while greatly reducing the raw materials required for production, according to Zhang. FEELM has also developed a series of new solutions for non-TPD markets, including the world’s first 30,000 puffs disposable with a four-sided surround screen.
Zhang said FEELM has developed more than eight different child lock solutions to combat youth usage, each meeting the regulatory needs of different markets. “The continuous launch of new solutions results from our long-term investment in technological R&D,” said Zhang. “This is just the beginning.
“We are confident in focusing on innovation in atomization technology and continually introducing sustainable and compliant vape solutions to meet consumers’ ever-evolving demands for excellence and environmental sustainability.”
The world’s leading global atomization technology company, Smoore, displayed its new disposable solution, Power Alpha, at the World Vape Show 2023 in Dubai (June 21st – 23rd).
Power Alpha debuted at the TPE 2023 in Las Vegas, where it garnered widespread attention and praise for its unprecedented features and advanced technology. This time in Dubai, Power Alpha again overwhelmed company leaders, distributors, and dealers in the vaping industry with its four transformative features: no charge, no burn, no fade, and convenience of use.
Power Alpha is a charge-free solution for large-puff disposable devices that solve issues disposable vape users face, including short battery life, charging inconvenience, and fading flavor and a burning taste after recharging, according to a press release.
“These unique features of Power Alpha have fueled the market success of some major players in the vaping industry in North America, as it allows these companies to receive a flood of positive consumer feedback,” the release states.
What makes Power Alpha a game changer are two patented technologies – a Topower battery and a Corex atomizer.
Common charge-free vapes usually offer 2500~3000 puffs with a battery capacity of 950 mAh. But disposables employing Topower deliver twice as many puffs and have a large capacity of 2000 mAh, with the battery sizes remaining almost unchanged.
The large 2000 mAh capacity supports an uninterrupted 6000-puff vaping experience means consumers do not need to recharge and look for their charging cables midway through the vaping. In addition, this battery technology also ensures stable output throughout its life.
Corex atomizer technology takes the vaping experience to a whole new level with its upgraded mesh coil. Eco-Mesh, which is eco-processed and pollution-free, brings a consistent and mouthful taste due to the 200 percent increase in the precision of the mesh structure and the 50 percent faster heating speed.
Corex’s patented cotton design increases the e-liquid conductivity by 15.8 percent and improves the e-liquid absorption by 23.5 percent, making the atomization more powerful and efficient.
Another notable design is the F1 airflow, which brings consumers a clean vaping experience by improving the smoothness by 30 percent and eliminating the condensation by 100 percent.
Power Alpha, a groundbreaking solution developed by Smoore over the past two years, not only retains the convenience of non-rechargeable disposables but also increases the number of puffs to 6000, which offers an exceptionally cost-effective option to consumers.
Disposables took center stage during the second annual vapor trade show in the Middle East.
VV Staff Report
It was a big show. Held June 16–18, 2022, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the World Vape Show (WVS) Dubai 2022 brought together more than 250 exhibitors representing some of the leading suppliers and manufacturers in the vaping industry, showcasing thousands of global brands in the fast-growing Middle East market. Combined, exhibitors and visitors represented approximately 66 countries, according to WVS staff.
Numerous exhibitors said that sales exceeded expectations. Dimitrius Agrafiotis, executive director of the Tennessee Smoke Free Association and the owner of several vape shops in Greece, was at the show representing Innokin, a China-based hardware manufacturer. He told Vapor Voice that the Innokin show stand seemed to stay full of prospective buyers and that new products, like the company’s disposable Lola, a water-based vaping product (see “Trouble the Water,” page 24), were selling very well. The company’s Klypse system also won an award for the best new pod system.
“We haven’t had much time to stand around,” he said. “The Aquios system vapes are doing well and our new Klypse system is really turning heads. [The show] is definitely a lot bigger than last year in both terms of exhibitors and visitors.”
Phil Bruno, international sales manager for California-based Streamline Group, the manufacturer of the Juice Head brand, agreed that the show was a major success. “We are so thrilled to have exhibited at the World Vape Show in Dubai. The experience was outstanding, and we were able to connect with many potential customers,” said Bruno in an email. “It was an absolute pleasure meeting everyone and representing Juice Head in Dubai. We look forward to future events in the Middle East and other countries as well.”
By far the most popular products being hawked by vendors at WVS Dubai were disposables. During a seminar session on the impact of disposable products, Omar Fdawi, owner of Xtra Disposable Vape, said that disposals are great for a customer who’s looking to quit smoking because the transition from smoking is comparatively easy. However, he also noted that the long-term effects of disposables and their environmental impact should be considered.
“As a gateway, in order to quit smoking, it’s a fantastic method,” he said. Disposables have a shallower learning curve than larger, more complex devices. In an ideal situation, however, consumers would then quickly move on to nondisposable devices, such as closed pod systems, with a lower environmental footprint, according to Fdawi.
Todd Jiang, sales director for international business at Zinwi Biotech, a China-based e-liquid manufacturer, said the WVS Dubai brought a variety of visitors, and many were searching only for disposable products. He expects regulators to put into place rules for disposable products soon.
“For instance, the U.K.; I guess the regulators already put this through and they want to establish some new rules or standard regulations for disposable products,” he explained. “It will happen in maybe one or two years, even quicker. But [in Dubai], I think it depends on how this market will grow and how the regulators will step into this industry. The environmental impact of disposables is a serious concern.”
Coco Li, founder of Elf Bar, one of the largest disposable product manufacturers, said that her company, too, is really concerned about the environmental issues surrounding disposables. “We’re going to have a recycle plan in the U.K. maybe from the beginning of July,” she said. “We are going to have this marketing campaign in the U.K. and also in Russia, Malaysia [and other countries] where we will have recycling bins. There is another way too. We can find results from technical ways. Our research team and the technical team are doing a lot of research into finding different ways to solve this problem.”
In addition to worrying about the environmental impact of disposable products, many show attendees said they were concerned about the growing youth use of disposable products. Atif Amin, marketing manager for the My Vapery chain of vape shops, said his company has been training and educating its staff on the strict rules designed to prevent underage vaping.
“If you suspect that the individual that’s coming to purchase is underage, ensure that you check the required identification,” he said. “Beyond that, as a retailer, it’s pretty much as much [as] we can do. If someone else is purchasing the product on behalf of a minor … that’s out of our hands. We do our due diligence and do our best and train our staff to ensure that they’re following all the regulations. And if they’re seen not to be following the regulations, we obviously have to monitor that and deal with that situation accordingly.”
In the end, most manufacturers at WVS Dubai said it all comes down to the design of the product itself. John Dunne, director general of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) who moderated the disposables seminar, said that using technology like biometrics could help curb youth use, and technology could also help find a solution to the environmental impact of disposables.
Dunne stressed the importance of involving all manufacturers in the discussion on how to dispose of products. The UKVIA, he said, had been talking to Elf Bar and other manufacturers about the possibility of dismantling products at the end of their lifecycle and shipping them back to China for reuse in new vaping products.
“We need to be looking at all of these different options and how we can, as an industry, work together to do it,” said Dunne. “Because it can’t be done by a single retailer. It can’t be done by a single brand on their own. Because even if you have a national recycling program, who’s going to pay for that? Is it the government? Probably not. If it’s the manufacturers? Well, how do you proportion that? Some manufacturers are very big. Some manufacturers are very small. These are all of the challenges that we’ve faced in the U.K. when we’ve looked at the problem. And I’m sure the UAE is no different. But I think what’s important is [that] we have to start talking about it. Because if we don’t, the regulators certainly will.”
The next WVS event will be held in the U.K. at the ExCeL exhibition center in London from Dec. 1–2, 2022.
This article first appeared in Vapor Voice 3, 2022.
The World Vape Show (WVS) has teamed up with the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) making WVS the “most compliant” vape show, according to a press release.
The World Vape Show will be next taking place in Dubai on June 16-18 and then in London on Dec. 1. The partnership will take effect immediately.
“I’m absolutely delighted to announce our collaboration with the MHRA and have them endorse the World Vape Show’s UK events,” Jake Nixon, event director of the WVS. “With the UK leading the way in terms of government bodies supporting the vape industry, we are very happy to support this mission and continue to educate our audiences all over the world.”
Working closely together, WVS and the MHRA will put the tools in place to ensure exhibitors are compliant with UK regulations, according to the release. This will give retailers and buyers the confidence to make purchases, knowing they are buying quality products that are legal for supply across the UK.
“This and further collaborations are an important step towards the availability of fully compliant e-cigarette products in the UK market,” said Laura Squire, MHRA Chief Healthcare Quality and Access Officer. “We are working to progressively engage with similar shows in the future, so we can make sure that companies that exhibit their products at these events are compliant with the UK regulations.”
QBM pulls off a remarkably successful vaping exhibition in an uncertain environment.
Story and Photos by Norm Bour
It’s not often that a rookie gets a chance to come up to the plate and hit a Grand Slam home run, but that is exactly what happened when the Dubai World Vape Expo hit the ground at full speed and never let up. Considering that this was Quartz Business Media’s (QBM) first vape expo and the fact that this was the first truly international show in a year and a half—and considering this show was held in a country where up until a year ago vaping was illegal—well, what you have is a trifecta.
OK, enough sports analogies.
The industry has been hungry—starving—for live events, and in this not-quite post-Covid period, this was a risky move in many ways.
Vaping continues to be under attack in the U.S., with the Food and Drug Administration still looking for ways to make life difficult, and even in Europe and the rest of the world, many people still consider vaping to be as dangerous as smoking, regardless of what the Royal College and Public Health England say.
Science be damned, media loves controversy, and vaping can be a lightning rod.
This was my first visit to Dubai, and aside from Singapore, this is probably the cleanest, most polite and grandiose city I have visited. Considering that Dubai strives for many firsts, this first vape show falls in line.
The Burj Khalifa, at 2,722 ft high, 160 floors, is the tallest building in the world, and holds many international records. The Dubai Mall, sitting at the foot of the Burj, is the largest mall in the world at almost six million square ft and could take days to see all the shops. Around the corner, launching the end of October, is Ain Dubai, the soon to be largest Ferris Wheel in the world, at 820 ft, twice the height of the London Eye.
There was a definite British vibe here, and that makes sense since QBM is based in Surrey, U.K. Many of the exhibitors were U.K. companies, and the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), helmed by John Dunne, brought many of the speakers and guidance to the gathering.
I asked Dunne if there was any connection between the Dubai event and the U.K. vaping industry, and he said there was a definite kinship.
“The British vape companies are very keen on international expansion, and the Middle East is a brand new market. Until recently, vaping was illegal in Dubai, UAE and other countries nearby, but the government is now recognizing the benefits of vaping. There were several Chinese and American companies who were unable to attend, so that changed the composition of the attendees.”
The event was intended to be even larger than what it was, which was about 200 exhibitors, and without travel restrictions it would have been even more diverse. Considering this was the first international show in almost two years, those are impressive numbers.
And the eyes of the regulators were on the show floor. I was told that government people were checking the registration process all the way to the show floor and making sure that masks were used, vaping was done in the appropriate areas and no one was abusing the event.
I asked Dunne if he was overall pleased with this show, and he responded, “Absolutely! I’ve seen vape shows develop over the years, and many of the early ones were embarrassing. They were more party and less business, but as the vaping world has matured, so has the event space. We had many conversations with the regulators and had to share with them that vaping is a harm-reduction product and not a smoking product. Since we have had years of experience in the U.K., and since Public Health England has been generally pro vape, we hope that can fast-track the acceptability over here.”
Dunne appreciates that the U.K. keeps things simple from a regulatory perspective, especially compared to the U.S., and he hopes that the Middle East uses more common sense and less bureaucracy.
There were several American companies there, including Charlie’s Chalk Dust, Coastal Clouds, Innevape and The Finest. I asked Jeff Connell, with Innevape, about this show: “This is much bigger than most [events], and we were able to form some strategic partnerships with Middle East distributors, which brings us a whole new market. We’ve seen more activity both in the number of people here, along with their interest in spending money and committing to doing business.”
Salim Lallas with Bawadi Vape, based in Dubai, was ecstatic over the event. His company has been in business since 2016. “Back then our vape community was very small, very intimate, very social,” he recalls. “Now it is becoming more mainstream and less personal, but much larger, and hopefully, more professional. I think the government knew they really couldn’t control it and also that what we were doing was not really dangerous. So rather than fight a losing battle, they concluded that they should learn how to work with us.”
Of the many dozen shows that I have attended worldwide, this one struck a critical balance between business and fun, and based on conversations with many of the attendees, business was definitely getting done!
Alan Caddick helmed the speaking program and worked closely with John Dunne. Their goal was to develop speaking programs that would draw people in.
I asked him if the recent Covid travel restrictions hampered speaker’s commitments. “Yes, absolutely,” he said. “The pandemic has affected our timing, and we had to reschedule twice. Everyone had to jump through hoops to get here, and we appreciated all those that came in person. Being a speaker involves work and preparation, and the extra Covid tests made it even more challenging.”
The pandemic brought some positive changes to the world of events and meetings, and remote sessions have been the norm for the past 18 months. For speakers that were unable to attend, Zoom has filled in that gap.
“No question, technology has made this show much easier than if we did not have it,” Caddick confessed. “We have speakers from Australia, South Africa, the U.S. and England joining us live, so once we account for time zones, it’s just a matter of plugging them in.”
The beauty of the online sessions was the fantastic room-length screen, which afforded great video and accommodated panel sessions.
I spoke with Jake Nixon, event sales manager, and asked, “Why Dubai?” and he replied, “Dubai is a gateway for the whole world. They have an amazing airport, lots of free zones, and we think Dubai will play a big part in the future of vaping. Dubai was always our No. 1 location when we started with this process a long time ago, and we are happy that we were able to pull this off.
“The U.K. hasn’t had an event since before Covid, so that is why we planned our next one in London just a few months from now. We cut our teeth here, and we have learned a lot about the vaping world. This was our first time dealing in that space and found it much more fun than many other industries.”
The organizers plan their next event for Dec. 10–11 in London at the ExCeL Center. They hope that, by that time, more people will be able to, and feel comfortable traveling, but they understand that many speakers will be joining them virtually once more.
Norm Bour is the founder of VapeMentors and works with vape businesses worldwide. He can be reached at norm@VapeMentors.com or +1 949 495 6162.
The Middle East is a fast-growing market for vapor products. According to Mordor Intelligence, a market research firm, the Middle East and Africa vapor market is forecast to reach $485 million by 2025 with a growth rate of 9.74 percent during the forecast period (2021-2026). In a press release, vapor manufacturer Snowplus announced it is taking its first steps towards expanding into the Middle East market by attending the World Vape Show 2021 (WVS) in Dubai from Sept.19-21.
Snowplus Alien X
“Snowplus has seen a remarkable growth increase of 350 percent since late 2019 despite being faced with numerous challenges during the Covid-19 [pandemic] and is now looking towards more growth opportunities in the Middle East,” the release states. “The vaping company has secured lucrative partnerships with leading companies in their local market of China as well as regional offices around the world. These partnerships were made possible thanks to Snowplus’ quality products, the reliable support the company offers their partners, and strategic long-term investments.”
The WVS is the first international vaping industry trade show to be held in the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE). Organizers say the show promises to attract some of the world’s most prominent vaping brands. Snowplus will be unveiling its latest device line: the Alien Series (Alien Air and Alien X). “The Alien lineup sits at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and unique, sophisticated design,” the release states. “Visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of the future of vaping through the Alien devices displayed at the Snowplus booth.”
Snowplus also produces the Snowplus Pro, Snowplus Lite and Snowplus Go, as well as a series of flavored pods. Snowplus co-founder and head of overseas markets, Derek Li, said the company is excited for Middle East vapers to experience Snowplus’ products first hand. “We believe the Middle East market will be important for us and we’re ready to invest in creating partnerships to make it happen,” Li said.
