Gulf Construction Online - Electricity show meets sales expectations

UAE Focus

Electricity show meets sales expectations

01 April 2003

More than 11,000 visitors from 71 countries attended the first annual edition of Middle East Electricity, which ran at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre in January.

Almost two-thirds of visitors to Middle East Electricity 2003, the premier Pan Arab electricity and power generation trade show, said they were looking to make contact with new suppliers at the exhibition, a statement said.

The details emerged from an independently audited post show report, which also stated that 99 per cent of exhibitors said their sales expectations were met or surpassed, it said.

Visitors, 32 per cent of whom came from outside the UAE, spent almost two days at the show, which featured 539 exhibitors on 261 stands and nine pavilions and represented 31 countries.

The survey also revealed that 85 per cent of visitors were directly involved in purchasing products and services at the show. Some 61 per cent were prime decision-makers. A total of 72 per cent expected to do business at the show with an existing supplier, while 61 per cent looked to do business with new suppliers.

"The turnout at both exhibitor and visitor level more than justifies our decision to evolve this important forum into a yearly event," says Sarah Woodbridge, exhibitions director, power and energy division, IIR Exhibitions, organiser of Middle East Electricity.

"What is particularly encouraging is that 80 per cent of exhibitors have reserved space for next year's event, and repeat bookings are always the surest sign that the show is generating real business results," she added.

Visitors voted their prime areas of interest as lighting (34.6 per cent); transmission and distribution (28.54 per cent); wire and cable material (24.11 per cent); power generation (23.73 per cent); cables and flexibles (23.56 per cent; electrical motors and generators (22.78 per cent) and installation equipment (21.74 per cent).