Gulf Construction Online - Countdown begins for SBIE 2008 in Jeddah

Expo News

Countdown begins for SBIE 2008 in Jeddah

01 November 2007

Following the successful conclusion of this year’s Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition (SBIE), the organiser of the show has confirmed the 17th edition of this important annual international construction and interiors showcase will take place at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Centre during April 13 and 17 next year.

Organised by Al Harithy Company for Exhibitions, SBIE attracts a wide and varied range of participants, with international companies and national pavilions exhibiting alongside leading Saudi businesses. An international showcase for products, technologies, innovations and design trends for the building and interiors sectors, the show aims to once again provide the ultimate platform for exhibitors to access the vibrant and lucrative Saudi market.
Running parallel to the exhibition will be a high-profile symposium, conducted by the Saudi Council of Engineers, featuring expert speakers from the industry. A host of advisors and specialists will conduct technical demonstrations and provide free consultancy to prospective builders or property owners.
“SBIE 2007 was a great success for both visitors and exhibitors alike, and truly reflected Saudi business confidence and the especially buoyant mood within the building sector,” says a spokesman for Al Harithy.
“With around half of all exhibitors having chosen SBIE to launch new products or services, the exhibition was at the forefront in addressing the needs of the current building boom in Saudi Arabia. Exhibitors were delighted with the quality of the visitors, with a staggering 93 per cent reporting that they had achieved new sales as a result of their participation.
The Turkish Pavilion had a highly successful participation with many signing agreements with Saudi business partners. According to pavilion organiser Cenk Coskun Akandan: “Saudi Arabia has a huge potential for business and Turkish companies stand a good chance to participate in the Kingdom’s development. We were very happy with our participation and next year we will see more Turkish firms participating in this exhibition.”
The Italian company ALP active, exhibited new concepts in pre-insulated aluminium ducts, with its representative Marco Pescali surprised by the quality of customer enquiries, “The visitors were well-informed and knew what they were talking about,” comments.
This was the company’s first exposure to the Saudi market and Pescali is very positive that its participation will lead to the signing of rewarding contracts.
Francois Mounier, director of a French personal protection equipment company Somain Securite which was participating at the SBIE for the second time, was well satisfied with the event. “We are very happy with the customer response to our products and hope to sign partnership deals for training manpower and marketing of our products” he comments.
“SBIE’s strength lies in its all-encompassing presentation and its role as the communication platform for the building and interiors sectors, providing Saudi and international companies with a world-class forum from which to promote products and services.