Gulf Construction Online - Growing demand

gulfBID 2007

Alasco’s stand at last year’s show ... arty.

gulfBID 2007

Growing demand

01 April 2007

GulfBID 2007, the leading Gulf International Exhibition for Construction, Interiors and Furniture, is witnessing heightened interest from major interior design companies eager to participate in the annual event in Bahrain next month, according to the organisers.

The exhibition – which will be staged at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) from May 15 to 17 under the patronage of Bahrain’s Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa – is expected to be double the size of the inaugural show last year.
Responding to the growing demand, gulfBID has widened its portfolio to include the full spectrum of quality interiors and furniture including contract furniture for hotels, offices and new facilities such as airports and hospitals.
Two of the halls at the BIEC have already been taken up – one for the Gulf Interiors and Furniture and the other for Gulf Construction – in a bid to serve the buoyant markets of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar and cater for the business-to-business requirements of the sectors.
Around 70 per cent of the total available space available at the event has been sold to date.
gulfBID is a joint venture between dmg media group, the organiser of the Big 5 and Index shows in Dubai, and Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE). Within one year of its launch, the event is targeted to reach capacity as one of the most important business-to-business expos both in the region and internationally.
The three-day exhibition will be a specialised one and is designed to attract the right calibre of industry-specific visitors, provide the local and regional markets with the most up-to-date and sophisticated construction materials from the world’s leading suppliers and service providers.
The accelerating pace of building and construction in Bahrain, Qatar, the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait is powering a project and infrastructure boom.
“The construction boom in various Gulf countries is expected to provide billions of dollars worth of business opportunities for interior design and furniture products,” says Abdulla Shafeea, general manager, HCE. “In fact, interior design is no longer just about the art of decorating settings and bedrooms, but has evolved into a science of utilising the space available efficiently, and securing the productivity of those using the space.”
“The mega developments taking shape are also creating massive demand for these fast-track projects and the supply of the fixtures, fittings and furnishings for these interiors, which are essential supply components to the construction industry,” he adds.
dmg world media managing director Bernard Walsh said high oil prices combined with high market liquidity have fuelled a construction and interiors boom that is set to continue unabated.
“Construction projects announced in the region are valued at $1 trillion,” he revealed.
“The projects under construction and planning in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are valued at $228 billion. “The value of imports of interiors and furniture to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain last year was $1.4 billion.”
Deals worth millions of dollars had been signed during gulfBID last year, with more serious deals expected for the event this year. Last year's inaugural gulfBID attracted exhibitors from 17 countries representing 131 companies. In addition, more than 4,025 visitors arrived at the exhibition, strongly illustrating the global importance of the region.
Commenting about the inaugural show, Ronnie Middleton, managing director of Al Hilal Group, of which HCE is a part, said: “The first gulfBID exhibition held in May (last year) exceeded all expectations, in terms of space occupied by local, regional and international players. Our success in attracting professional visitors from all over the region, as well as internationally, resulted in a very successful launch show. I believe that we are looking at increasing the size of the 2007 exhibition by almost 100 per cent.”