Machinery show for Lebanon

Organised by International fairs and Promotions (IFP) Group, the leading events and conference organisers in the Middle East, Makinat Lebanon 2011, The International Trade Exhibition & Conference for Industrial Machinery, Machine Tools, Equipment & Technology for the Middle East, will be held for the first time in Lebanon at the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Centre (BIEL) under the auspices and support of the Lebanese Ministry of Industry, and in collaboration with the Lebanese Industrialists Association on December 6-9, 2011.

Makinat Lebanon 2011 is the most up-to-date international event for the region's industrial sector, specifically designed to answer local markets' needs. The Makinat Lebanon Exhibition features the widest selection of state-of-the-art products, technologies and solutions from international brands worldwide answering the region's growing demand for all types of industrial machines and equipment in light of large-scale real estate and development projects. Exhibits showcased at Makinat Lebanon 2011 include a comprehensive range of recycling plants, electromechanical and woodworking equipment, software and operating systems, automation and maintenance solutions, printing, packing and packaging machines, and more.

In parallel with the exhibition, the Makinat Lebanon Conference will take place on December 6-7, in partnership with the ESCWA Technology Centre, UNIDO and KAFALAT S.A.L., and will address key topics in the industrial sector dealing with technology integration, drivers of knowledge (research, education, and innovation) and financing industrial modernisation following the latest technological breakthroughs. The conference will gather local and international speakers from trade, research and finance associations, as well as industrialists, consultants and experts in industry-specific services and solutions.

Lebanon's industrial sector

Lebanon's industrial sector has been remarkably resilient in the face of heightened regional competition. The country's industries have continued to secure a regional niche as producers of high quality goods, from aluminium tubes to lighting systems to bakery machinery and food.

Driving growth is the country's burgeoning economy, which grew 8% in 2010 according to IMF, placing Lebanon second regionally after Qatar and fourth globally. With some US$50 billion entering Lebanon's banking system over the past three years; there has been a corresponding spike in lending, with credit to the private sector rising 16% in 2010.

Indicative of the sector's growth is the rise in imports of industrial machinery and electrical equipment, which have grown steadily to US$1.29 billion in the first seven months of 2010, up 12% on the same period in 2009. Imports have grown 12% over the past five years, at a yearly average of US$2.46 billion. Major imported items include reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, iron, and steel products.

Exports were up 18% in 2010 to US$432 million, while over the past five years Lebanese industrial exports have grown 21%, at a yearly average of US$1.13 billion. Imports and exports of chemicals and allied industries have also steadily increased, at 9% and 8% respectively over the past five years.

Further investment in the sector, such as upgrading machinery, is needed for Lebanon to be able to more effectively compete internationally when the country joins the IMF. There is also potential for the energy sector, with Lebanon to start off-shore oil and gas exploration by 2012. The government's plan to invest nearly US$5 billion in the power sector over the next four years will also bolster the industrial sector's capabilities.

In this environment, Makinat Lebanon 2011 Exhibition & Conference will constitute a privileged business and networking platform allowing industrialists, manufacturers and developers in Lebanon and the region tAir Max 95 20th Anniversary Flyknit