01 June 2013

MORE than 9,200 visitors attended gulfBID, gulfInteriors and the inaugural Gulf Property Show – Bahrain’s biggest business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) events for the construction, interiors and property sectors that were held simultaneously last month (May 7 to 9).

HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, opened the three leading trade exhibitions organised by the Bahrain-based Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE) at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC), Bahrain.

“We believe that we have solidified our position as the premier organiser of these kinds of shows. A good number of exhibitors have already confirmed their participation at next year’s show. We expect over 50 per cent of the exhibitors to book early for next year’s show,” said Jubran Abdulrahman, the managing director of HCE.

“We have received tremendous feedback from all the exhibitors and visitors,” he said. “Brisk levels of business have been reported, the inaugural property show has been a resounding success, and the three shows have undoubtedly become the leading events of their kind for the Northern Gulf.

“The shows have attracted as many as 9,200 visitors, and I wish our exhibitors every success and hope to see them again in 2014,” Abdulrahman added.

The Prime Minister, who toured the exhibition along with ministers and top government officials, commended the HCE for organising the shows, which are in line with the government’s efforts to make Bahrain a hub for exhibitions.

Thanking the Prime Minister for his patronage of the show and for opening it, Abdulrahman said: “We appreciate His Royal Highness’s continued support, which obviously reflects the importance that his wise leadership attaches to such important events in the island.”

For the first time, the established gulfBID and gulfInteriors exhibition brands were joined by the inaugural Gulf Property Show, creating the biggest combined B2B and B2C showcase ever organised in Bahrain.

The show was a sellout with as many as 187 firms packing the three exhibition halls of BIECC – a total of 7,600 sq m were occupied by companies from Bahrain, the region and further afield.

Almost 100 companies representing segments as diverse as construction, design, engineering, project management, construction plant and machinery and green buildings demonstrated their capabilities at gulfBID in Hall One of the BIECC.

Meanwhile, 72 companies representing home-grown and international brands in sectors including furniture, paints, kitchens, bathrooms, lighting, ceramics, wall coverings, and art and accessories participated at gulfInteriors in Hall Two.

Gulf Property Show, which showcased Bahrain’s various residential and commercial real estate assets and related services, was staged over 600 sq m in BIECC’s Palm Hall.

The shows broke records in terms of exhibitor participation and trade visitors, besides serving as a launch pad for new projects and products and witnessing a number of business deals.

AMA Motors, part of the Ahmed Mansoor Al A’ali Group, chose the show to launch its new MAN CLA truck range, which is a smaller unit designed to target an area of the business that MAN has previously not been represented in.

General manager Simon Keen said there is big demand for the new range of trucks, which “is a premium product at a lower price”. Some 60 trucks would reach the market soon, he said.

The Bahrain-based Al Kobaisi Group used the show to showcase its commitment to
affordable housing in the kingdom. The group – which has designed a building system to help the government and the private sector cut down cost, reduce the time frame and improve the quality of building construction – has taken up a project worth around BD600 million ($1.58 billion) to construct 3,000 houses in Diyar Al Muharraq in three years’ time, said managing director Abdullah Essa Al Kobaisi.

“Our state-of-the-art circular production process has the capacity to build 90 villas in a month’s time,” he said.

A first-time exhibitor at gulfBID, the newly-established Thermo Foam Blocks Factory of Bahrain showcased its thermo blocks from polystyrene with double thermal insulation. The company is looking at building cheaper and greener houses with its novel thermo blocks, which have the ability to cut down energy bills by 60 per cent, said general manager Timur Khisamov.

Bahrain-based Falcon Trading, which plans to set up a trading arm in Saudi Arabia, was happy with the response to the show. Manoj Bhatia, group chairman of Naraina Holding Company of which Falcon Trading is a part, said gulfBID has served as a platform for the company to meet buyers and suppliers.

“We want to use Bahrain as a hub and grow all over the GCC,” Bhatia said.

The company is looking at joint ventures in the kingdom with investors especially from India, who have evinced interest after HRH Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s visit to Kerala recently.

Another first-timer, Al Jareh Contracting and Marketing is hopeful that the numerous enquiries the company received at the show would translate into deals in the coming months. “We already have a number of projects running including conventional flooring for the Salmaniya Hospital and children’s playground and sports flooring for various schools,” said general manager Joseph Inigo.

Second-timer Modern Glass Technology has notched enough deals at the show to keep it occupied for the next six months, according to Ahmed Al Khan, managing director. “The show has been a big hit for us. Most of our orders are for supplying glass to aluminium fabricators,” he said.

First-timer Sarya also signed deals at the show for the supply of parquet flooring imported from Europe.

“We have signed deals with several residential and commercial clients in Bahrain for the supply of ‘genuinely’ European flooring. We have been in Bahrain for the last 13 years and although it is our first time at the show we have benefited,” said managing director Andrew Swain.

Bahrain Pipes (BP) highlighted its corrosion-resistant plastic products like unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) pipes, high-density polyethylene (HDPE)  pipes and fittings at the exhibition. The company, which is involved in sewerage projects in Saar, Seef and Buri, has its sights set on Doha, Qatar, next year, said (acting) general manager S Mohammed Al Wedaie.

A division of Haji Hassan Group, Bahrain Pipes says the versatility of its plastic pipes systems has made the company the preferred choice for a wide variety of applications for potable water, gas, sewer, cable protection and conduit, hot and cold water, heating and cooling and industrial systems.

Ceramic Gallery managing director Wafa Al Baloushi said the company’s ceramic and porcelain tiles and sanitary ware received good response at the expo. A distributor of ceramic and porcelain tiles, sanitary ware and accessories, Ceramic Gallery is the sole agent of Imex and promotes other international brands like Cinca, Unicom Starker and Parquot Imitation.

Meanwhile, prime property from around the region as well as in London, UK, proved to be a magnet for visitors who thronged the inaugural Gulf Property Show.

Sherwoods Independent Property Consultants (SIPC) used the show as a launch pad into the Bahrain and Saudi market.

The property consultant, which opened its satellite office at Zamil Tower in Bahrain in April, is currently promoting property in London including Providence Tower by its client Ballymore, an international property investment and development company, as well as a number of projects in Dubai, UAE.

Delmon Gate’s impressive stall at the Gulf Property Show was a hive of activity as curious visitors ventured to find out what the stunning model that dominated the stand was all about. The model represented in miniature a major suq complex embodying the traditional architecture of Bahrain, which is expected to break ground shortly. The Bahrain-based owner and project manager Delmon Gate has shortlisted two contractors for the construction of Souq Delmon, which is slated to take shape on a 5,200-sq-m site along Budaiya Highway.

Maaster Project Management Services, ably supported by its marketing arm Invest2Invest Properties (i2i), made a strong impression at the show as it launched The Breeze-Seef, a stunning 15-storey property that enjoys a prime location in the Seef District opposite Seef Mall. Work on the residential development has just been launched following the completion of piling works, with the project scheduled for completion in August 2014.

Manara Developments launched sales of plots at its Investment Gateway-Bahrain at the Gulf Property Show, where the leading property developer aimed to promote its key industrial-focused developments. The new project reflects and contributes to the Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, firmly placing the country as a leading logistics hub in the region, said Dr Hasan Al Bastaki, the managing director.

Investment Gateway-Bahrain is the first industrial project in Muharraq that enables the investor to obtain full ownership of the land – and not a limited period lease, as is the case with other industrial areas of the Muharraq Governorate, he said.

Meanwhile, Century Homes is close to finalising a number of deals for the Manara Reef project in Bahrain, following its participation at the show.

“We did not anticipate to receive such a high level of interest and were pleasantly surprised,” said Bilkis Shaikh, sales manager of Century Homes, the exclusive sales agent for the property and part of Ebrahim Abdulaal Group (EAG), the developer.

Construction work has resumed on the Marina Reef and is on target for completion by the year-end, she said.

Marina Reef is located on Reef Island, a man-made island built in the heart of Bahrain’s capital of Manama. The gated community comprises three low-rise buildings of six storeys with 165 freehold apartment units. These sea-facing apartments comprise one to three bedrooms and range from 92 sq m to 272 sq m in area.

“Having secured the funds to relaunch Marina Reef, we started work on the project two months ago,” said Shaikh.

Among other developments, Reef Island, an exclusive lifestyle real estate project located in Bahrain’s commercial and financial heart, showcased its luxury credentials at the show. A multi-billion-dollar waterside development close to the landmark Bahrain Financial Harbour, Reef Island features luxury apartments at City of Water Residences, the Signature villas and an array of world-class leisure and lifestyle amenities.

The project is the culmination of a vision of its master developer Lulu Tourism Company – a joint venture between the Bahrain government and the Mouawad Group, a world-renowned jeweller – to take opulent living to a new level in Bahrain.

The City of Water Residences comprise eight towers each with distinct architectural styles, with one- to four-bedroom apartments ranging from 80 to 510 sq m in size, plus duplexes and penthouses.

Reef Island, in addition to some 40 residential projects, will eventually also include a 250-room five-star hotel, spa, a boutique shopping mall and a medical centre.

Another key Bahrain property that enjoyed the spotlight was Durrat Marina, which lies just north of Durrat Al Bahrain, a 600,000-sq-m luxury seafront project which brings together cosmopolitan living with a relaxing marina lifestyle. The project consists of three interconnected islands that are linked via a network of bridges, with each island hosting premier residential, commercial, and leisure space. Phase One of the development, which was recently launched, includes sea-facing villas on the main island, luxury serviced apartments, residential apartment blocks, a dedicated yacht club in close proximity to the marina, and a promenade with cafes and retail outlets. The villas are expected be completed Q4 2013.

Leading real estate developer Alargan Bahrain promoted its latest commercial and residential projects in Bahrain. These include Jeyoun covering a 37,803 sq m area in Bu Quwah. The mixed-use development comprises a residential component including 82 townhouses and a commercial component Jeyoun Al Qaryah featuring 11,315 sq m of retail and commercial space in six buildings – three of which are currently under construction.

Another exhibitor BinFaqeeh put the spotlight on three striking projects that are under development: The Breaker, a 35-storey building offering one- and two-bedroom apartments in Seef; The One, a 12-story building comprising studio apartments in Busaiteen; and Business Bay, a 23-storey office building near Bahrain City Centre, which is due for completion in April 2014.

A group of investors under the banner of Alzamel and Alsarhan Company attracted a great deal of interest from visitors in its projects at Al Areen. These include Elegance City, which will consist of 60 villas, Durrat Al Areen, featuring 130 villas which are due for completion in mid-2014 and Sarab Al Areen, which will offer 140 apartments.

Strategic supporters of gulfBID 2013 and gulfInteriors 2013 included Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Tamkeen Labour Fund, the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA), the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Ghorfa), British Expertise and the Bahrain Property Developers Association (BaPDA).

The strategic sponsors for the Gulf Property Show, meanwhile, were Manara Developments Company, with Bahrain Financial Harbour and Sakaan (Saar Central) supporting as Gold Sponsors.

Next year’s gulfBID, gulfInteriors and Gulf Property exhibitions will be held from May 6 to 8.

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