Gulf Construction Online - Domotex responds to market trends

Carpets & Floors

Carpet sector ... growing steadily.

Domotex responds to market trends

01 April 2009

DEMAND for carpets and floor coverings in the Middle East is expected to remain strong in the long term, gauging from the enthusiastic market response to Domotex Middle East 2009, a dedicated exhibition covering the sector.

The event, to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre next month (May 17 to 19), will highlight new concepts and trends that are catering to an estimated 2.5 per cent annual increase in world demand for flooring and carpets through 2012.
According to Angela Schaschen, managing director of Deutsche Messe Branch Dubai, the organiser of Domotex, the exhibition is an ideal gateway to facilitate an estimated $59 billion worth of interior decoration contracts in the region this year
Key markets in the Middle East such as Qatar — which according to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report is again expected to have a strong macroeconomic performance this year — will help keep demand for carpets and floor coverings growing despite the effects of the economic downturn, according to Deutsche Messe.
This apart, there are plenty of projects in progress to ensure a steady demand for carpets and floor coverings in the UAE, where up to $698 billion worth of construction projects remain on track for completion or are under way, according to a Proleads report.
“The Middle East’s carpet and floor coverings sectors are continuing to show steady growth due to the region’s resilient hospitality industry. In the hotel segment alone, developments slated to open in 2009 and 2010 remain on schedule, with 54 hotels amounting to 15,360 rooms to be introduced this year. Developers and contractors are eyeing flooring materials that they are familiar with or which offer significant cost savings and performance benefits,” says Schaschen.
While the region’s commercial and residential property sectors are going through a period of slower growth, they are expected to recover strongly in the second half of this year, presenting numerous opportunities for carpet and floor covering businesses, she says.
In light of the global economic crisis with disposable income shrinking, Schaschen believes that the flooring sector too would show changing trends.
Commenting on these trends, she says: “While the upper class will continue to remain unaffected, the middle class will opt to slide down the ladder, choosing flooring options that appear to offer the same value but are cheaper in price. Or if they are prepared to pay the same price, they are looking out for more value. The lower end of the market will remain unaffected continuing to prefer linoleum as a flooring option.”
About three years ago when Domotex was first launched, people preferred tiles with throw rugs, however, with people buying their own homes now, Schaschen notes that expatriates have reverted to choosing the soft comfort of wall-to-wall carpeting. “The biggest shift in the market, however, has been the marked increase in use of wooden flooring. Earlier fixing wooden floors was difficult owing to issues related with humidity. However, once these were dealt with and fixing solutions were found to combat the problem, they have taken off in a big way.
“Exhibitors are now on a fact-finding mission that will determine exactly what project managers want. Domotex will be the platform through which a range of replacement options will be presented to those who are on a downsizing mission,” she adds.
Despite the global gloom, there is good news for exhibitors in the Gulf. “Many perceive this region as one of hope, so exhibitors and buyers across the world are excited to come to the show. There is still an annual growth of 5.5 per cent anticipated, which is sizeable compared to the rest of the globe. What’s more is Dubai leads the trends. The latest styles are first served here and then the ripple effect takes over. An example is the wooden flooring trend that took off in Dubai several years ago. Abu Dhabi and Kuwait too have now followed suit and the fashion is all set to take root in Qatar and Bahrain as well.
“One new trend I observe is the preference for brightly-coloured carpets which is now fast catching up. Forget the beige, brown, creams and grays; embrace the apple greens, blood reds and ocean blues which will take to the floor soon. On another front, an emerging trend I notice here is that Emirati people are now taken up with the idea of investing in very expensive carpets as their attention on jewellery and the stock market takes a back seat,” says Schaschen.
Domotex seeks to maintain the momentum generated by the show last year, which saw a four per cent increase in exhibitors and a two per cent increase in visitor footfall. It has fortified the exhibition’s dedicated Interior-design-for-flooring segment and will be leveraging a key partnership with the Association for Professional Interior Designers (APID) to further strengthen the exhibition’s status as the premier showcase for new trends and best practices in floor covering designs.
Among the key features of the 2008 event were creative flooring and the designers’ corner, which will be extended for this year’s edition in response to the positive feedback received from both exhibitors and visitors. These areas will showcase materials, products, techniques and trends for the hospitality and office sectors.
The creative flooring section will be manned by a professional team from The Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA) of the UK, who will demonstrate the latest hotel and office floor laying skills, while the designers’ corner will display the latest designs in flooring.
Supported by The American University in Dubai and Apid, the designers’ corner will feature the top regional and international concepts in interior design. In addition, Domotex will introduce for the first time the Apid Flooring Seminar, where renowned speakers will exchange ideas about interior design. More than 100 professional interior designers are expected to attend the seminar, which will provide APID members and potential members with information about the role of flooring in interior design.
Domotex Middle East will showcase a complete line of handmade and machine-made carpets; textile and resilient floor coverings; parquet and wooden flooring; laminates; sports arena flooring; fibres, yarns and textiles; cleaning and application technologies; ceramic tiles; and natural stone and marble floorings.
The trade fair attracts key industry players such as wholesalers and retailers of floor coverings, decision-makers in the contracting business, planners, architects, interior designers, construction companies, project planners, floor fitters and other skilled workers from the sector.
Domotex Middle East’s dynamism mirrors the growth of Domotex Hannover, held on January 17; and the booming Domotexasia/ Chinafloor, which was held in Shanghai last month (March 24 to 26).