Gulf Construction Online

The Big 5

Driving force

01 October 2010

THE fourth edition of The Big 5 PMV, the region’s leading exhibition for construction plant, machinery, equipment and vehicles, is expected to draw top manufacturers and suppliers looking to capitalise on the Middle East’s construction which has shown definite signs of recovery.

The event will be held next month (November 22 to 25) at The Arena, Sheikh Saeed Halls at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre as part of The Big 5, the Middle East’s largest construction industry event.

This year sees the launch of a special workshop that will enable participants to upgrade their plant and vehicle fleet management skills. Entitled ‘Plant and Vehicle Management Best Practice Workshop’, the training programme will be held during November 23 and 24 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Being hosted by the organiser in conjunction with the Institute of Public Works Engineering of Australia (IPWEA), the workshop aims to explain the top six key performance indicators for best practice plant and vehicle management that can help control operational costs.

JCB’s Dancing Diggers wowed the crowd at last year’s Big 5 PMV.

These include utilisation, optimum replacement points, whole-of-life costs, downtime costs, maintenance failure records and flat rate repair times. On completion of the two-day workshop, attendees will be awarded with the IPWEA Fleet Management Big Certificate.

The training will be conducted by Grant Andrews, a specialist fleet management consultant and main author of IPWEA’s Best Practice Plant and Vehicle Management manual, and Ross Moody, editor of the manual, who has more than 20 years experience in senior management roles and six years in plant and vehicle management consulting. Together, the two trainers have a combined experience of over 25 years in plant and vehicle management consulting.

Another highlight of the show will be a Subaru rally car that will demonstrate the endurance of an innovative new engine lubricant called ‘Synionic technology by Prolong’. Launched by Prolong, this innovative engine lubricant acts as a substitute for oil, giving three times the life compared to standard oil, saving oil filters and extending the life of engines.
This year’s Big 5 PMV will feature a new live demonstration area, allowing key buyers from across the region and overseas to meet face-to-face with leading manufacturers and suppliers and to experience the latest innovations and technology first-hand.

Demonstrations of the best-selling equipment from the leading manufacturers will be held every day of the show along with a competition for the best machinery operator.

The Big 5 PMV offers ample opportunities for manufacturers and dealers of construction machinery to access the construction and building community under one roof, according to Streamline Marketing Group (SMG), the organiser of The Big 5 PMV.

Nick Webb, director of SMG, says that despite a tough year for the global construction industry in 2009, the outlook for the region’s construction industry is positive and manufacturers and suppliers of plant, machinery, construction vehicles and equipment are actively pursuing opportunities worth millions of dollars in the region.

“There is still strong international interest in the Middle East construction industry and the Big 5 PMV has already attracted exhibitors from Asia, Europe and the Middle East,” he says. “The Big 5 PMV brings together construction industry professionals, plant and mechanical engineers, consultants, architects and contractors from the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa.”

According to industry experts, demand for construction machinery in the Middle East is set to soar as the construction industry recovers from the economic downturn and the region forges ahead with major development.

Humaid Salem, general manager of the UAE Contractor’s Association, said: “Major developers are starting to repay contractors, enabling them to repay their subcontractors and suppliers, and giving a major boost to the industry as a whole. This will lead to more growth in the sector, and create a renewed demand for construction machinery as new projects get under way.”

Dr Nasser Hamad Al Hajeri, chairman of Gulf Automobile Industry Corp, says the scale and number of development projects, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, will increase demand for construction machinery. To meet market demand, the company intends to launch light-duty trucks with capacities from one to 10 tonnes and a wheel loader towards the end of the year.

The Big 5 PMV event, which attracted nearly 12,000 visitors last year, serves as sourcing platform for specifiers and buyers from Asia, Africa, CIS and neighbouring Gulf states and places a strong focus on networking, interaction and collaboration.

fibo intercon, a leading Danish supplier to the global concrete industry with more than 70 years experience, believes the Middle East region presents many opportunities for manufacturers from Europe looking to expand their operations following the downturn.

The company, which manufactures and delivers mobile, semi-mobile and stationary concrete batching plants as well as production equipment and complete production systems globally, will also use the event to launch updated versions of its mobile batching plants B1200 and M2200.

“We are participating in the Big 5 PMV because we strive to strengthen our position further in the Middle East and Africa (Mena) region. We believe that the Big 5 PMV is a unique opportunity to meet with potential business partners and customers from the region,” says a company spokesman.

Best Tyre Protection Sealant, a Greek company which manufactures and exports chemical additives for use in heavy-duty vehicles, and exports them to North America, Europe, North Africa and the Far East, will launch three new chemicals targeted at the Middle East market and look for exclusive distributors at the Big 5 PMV.

Commenting on the show, a senior executive of Al Habtoor Group says: “Big 5 PMV provides the opportunity for exposure to new technology and to get up to speed with changes in the industry.

A number of Italy plant and equipment manufacturers will be at the show including Idrotech, which produces fog systems for dust suppression, Marini, part of the Fayat Group, which specialises in building machines and plants, MB, a world leader in the production and sale of crusher buckets, and Oscam, which offers machines and plants for bending and cutting reinforced concrete rods.

Other key exhibitors include Triasco, a Mexican company that produces drum mixers, Fujian Snowman Company, a Chinese specialist in ice making machinery, and Capexil (Chemical and Allied Export Promotion Council of India), which was set up by the Indian Ministry of Commerce’s for promotion of chemical and allied products to the global markets.
Highlighting the strong international interest in the Middle East construction market, the event has already attracted exhibitors from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The Korean Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (Kocema) has confirmed its support for the event.

Running alongside the exhibition will be a free industry conference, planned by the organizer, which will provide trade professionals with a platform to share best practice, learn about the latest industry developments, and discuss challenges facing the region’s construction industry.

For the first time, visitors will be able to travel to the Big 5 PMV via the Dubai Metro, with the Dubai World Trade Centre metro station conveniently located adjacent to the Big 5 PMV venue.