01 May 2012

PREMIER regional trade fair SteelFab will raise the curtains on an elaborate range of welding and cutting equipment and devices in the UAE when it opens in January next year, lending a strong platform to this fast expanding industrial segment.

The ninth edition of SteelFab will be held from January 14 to 17, 2013, at Expo Centre Sharjah, the UAE, with a special focus on welding and cutting.

“Every country has its own industrial characteristics,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, director-general of Expo Centre Sharjah. “In Arabia, the welding and cutting segment essentially involves not just welding shops but fabrication yards and engineering workshops, fuelling demand for not just welding machines but a diverse and complete range of equipment and a substantial variety of brands.”

“And, regional buyers always have one comprehensive sourcing platform to rely on – the SteelFab,” he said.

The exponential growth of industries has made this segment an essential component of the regional steel fabrication, metal working and metal manufacturing, fuelling demand for a wide variety of welding and cutting equipment in the UAE and the rest of the region as well.

“Right from its inception, SteelFab was intended to cater to the complete requirements of the steel fabrication industry, where metal forming and welding and cutting section were some of the major elements,” Midfa pointed out.

The welding and cutting segment at SteelFab has grown with the show. From about 1,200 sq m of exhibition space and 48 companies in its first edition in 2004, SteelFab has expanded to feature about 16,000 sq m of space and nearly 225 exhibitors and 600 brands in its 2012 edition. While the number of welding and cutting brands and exhibitors in the 2008 event stood at 143, the number grew impressively to 245 this year.

“This clearly indicates that SteelFab has been the platform of choice for welding and cutting equipment manufacturers who can reach out to the Middle East and the surrounding markets. SteelFab has also been a market-entry vehicle for numerous welding brands,” said Naveen Fernandes, assistant group exhibition manager, Expo Centre Sharjah.

The number of visitors is also on the rise with every passing edition. SteelFab 2012 attracted about 7,000 trade visitors, registering nearly 22 per cent growth over the previous show.

“Apart from these positive market indicators, the welding and cutting section can also count on the excellent track record of SteelFab, its global prominence, continuous growth, extensive showcase and a reputable organiser,” said Fernandes.

The steel fabrication sector has also evolved with the UAE economy, which has successfully diversified from a nation dependent solely on oil income. This change has also reflected in SteelFab’s special focus areas, which now include material handling, machine tools, pipe and tube machinery, live display, and technical seminars and product presentations, apart from welding and cutting.

The special section on welding and cutting will showcase machines/power sources including conventional, arc, plasma, tig and mig/mag; welding and cutting consumables, electrodes, wire and flux; accessories such as torches, guns, tips, and holders; gas cutting and welding, brazing equipment, spares and consumables; welding robots, positioners, rotators, manipulators and tables; weld preparation, heat treatment and weld finishing; stud welding equipment, fasteners; studs and fastening systems; automation, resistance and capacitor discharge; beam welding systems, seam welding lines and special-purpose welding systems; CNC plasma, oxyfuel, laser and waterjet cutting systems; pipe construction; and orbital welding, cutting and bevelling.

The next edition of SteelFab, which is the region’s most comprehensive trade event for the steel fabrication, metal working and metal manufacturing industry, will be organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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