Gulf Construction Online - The Big 5 Saudi is postponed

Events

The Big 5 Saudi ... postponed due to coronovirus fears.

The Big 5 Saudi is postponed

01 March 2020

The Big 5 Saudi construction show has been postponed to later this year due to the current issues surrounding the coronavirus, the event organisers said.

The leading building and construction event was scheduled to be held from March 8 to 11 at Jeddah Centre for Forum & Events in the port city of Jeddah.

“It is after careful consideration and in consultation with key stakeholders, that dmg events announces the postponement of The Big 5 Saudi exhibition in Jeddah until later in 2020, on account of the difficulty around travel arrangements due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and in consideration of everyone’s well-being,” said an update sent to event participants.

“With more than 10,000 attendees from 45 countries, The Big 5 Saudi is extremely important for the construction sector but, as such, we take our responsibility for the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors, employees and, of course, the local population, very seriously,” it said.

It said the situation is evolving rapidly and it is being monitored closely. “We are working with the authorities and venues in Saudi Arabia to re-schedule The Big 5 Saudi for later in the year when we can ensure we continue to deliver our globally trusted events in safe and conducive operating conditions,” it added.

This year’s edition is the 10th anniversary showcase in Saudi Arabia of the leading Big 5 series of events. According to earlier plans, to mark the milestone, The Big 5 Saudi was to launch the ‘Festival of Construction Innovation’ celebrating a decade of construction excellence, while looking forward to the next 10 years of innovation as the kingdom strives to achieve Saudi Vision 2030, the organiser had stated.

With a mission to fully equip Saudi construction sector amidst its huge development plans, the rescheduled Big 5 Saudi is expected to incorporate a new outdoor zone to facilitate plant machinery and vehicles (PMV) and heavy machinery to run alongside existing product categories: building interiors and finishes, building envelope and special construction, construction tools and building materials, construction technologies and innovations, concrete, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services.

Meanwhile, Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (Saso), the government body responsible for co-ordinating standardisation activities and facilitating the development of the kingdom’s standards by working with government, industry and the community, has signed up as the official partner for The Big 5 Saudi show.

On the tie-up, deputy director (Efficiency Labels) Engineer Zayed M. Albagami said: “The Saso governs the organisational and executive tasks related to standards, metrology and quality, including laying down and accrediting Saudi standards of goods, products and services, measurement and calibration bodies, and procedures of conformity evaluation and certification.”

“In this context, Saso is participating at The Big 5 Saudi to enhance the process of comprehensive and sustainable development in the kingdom and to strengthen cooperation and coordination with concerned government and private sectors benefiting from standardisation, quality and calibration activities as well as mutual recognition,” he stated.

“As the importance of the construction in the country increases to meet the demands of multi-billion-dollar projects and of the influx of tourists to the kingdom, so does our role as a platform to promote partnership working between the local and international industry in Saudi Arabia,” noted El Haddad.

“We are delighted to join hands with Saso as their partnership is an incredible endorsement of the industry and further underscores the importance of the sector in the country,” he added.