Gulf Industry Fair: The region's premier industrial event

Gulf Industry Fair 2010 is the third edition of the most important and comprehensive industry related exhibition in the Middle East. Organised by Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE), the Fair provides a highly targeted opportunity for any company or organisation marketing products or services aimed at the growing industrial sector of the region. Gulf Industry Fair covers the key industrial segments including aluminium, metal, automation, metrology, energy, logistics and manufacturing. The fair also provides unique opportunity for the operators of industrial areas and free zones to meet an interested market of decision makers in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. Strategic location Bahrain's strategic location makes it an ideal venue for staging the Gulf Industry Fair. The region's most important industrial market of Saudi Arabia is just 45 minutes away by road, providing industrialists, factory managers and associated industry professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opportunity to visit the show with ease and convenience. Visitors from Saudi Arabia accounted for over 33% of the total number of visitors to the first show. The growing industrial sectors of Qatar and Kuwait are also within easy geographical reach, and the lower gulf countries of UAE and Oman are just an easy, internal flight away. Visitor growth from GCC in 2009 demonstrated 55% growth on 2008 edition of the fair, with the greatest percentage increase coming from the Northern Gulf, where the economy remains strongest in the Middle East. With the buoyant markets of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait all forging ahead with their industrial developments despite the economic climate elsewhere, GIF represents a unique opportunity for business in the richest part of the world. The Gulf Industry Fair 2010 Date: 12-14 January 2010 Venue: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre Interests in Gulf industry Huge new industrial sector investments in Saudi Arabia are driving interest among local, regional and international companies in the third Gulf Industry Fair according to organisers Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE). GIF is set to build on momentum generated by the 2009 show, when more than 120 exhibitors showcased their products and services to decision makers and visitors from around the world. The high profile exhibition, billed as the most important and comprehensive industry-related exhibition in the northern Gulf, provides a highly targeted opportunity for companies and organisations marketing products or services aimed at the Northern Gulf's industrial sector. Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director, HCE, said interest in GIF 2010 among companies supplying products and services to industries in the northern Gulf was being propelled strongly by market opportunities in Saudi Arabia. "The Kingdom is witnessing huge investments in iron, steel, aluminium and petrochemicals. Some opt imism is also returning to the market as the global economy recovers from the uncertainties of 2009. Dynamic regional industrial players view GIF as the start of an exciting new chapter, an unmissable opportunity to make fresh statements to target markets," he said. Industrial investments in Saudi Arabia are led by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), which is expected to spend a minimum of US$48 billion on 30 major petrochemical projects between 2011 and 2020, and the Saudi Electricity Company, which plans to invest US$51 billion on increasing electricity production capacity by 60% by 2015. GIF 2010 will feature a diverse and dynamic mix companies looking to establish or enhance their market footprint in the northern Gulf, from large national industries and well- established downstream suppliers to innovative new enterprises.(finished) Hilal Conferences &Air Max