Regional industry awaits Steelfab 2012

SteelFab 2012, the eighth edition of the premier regional show for steel fabrication, metalworking and metal manufacturing industry is scheduled to be held from January 9 to 12 at Expo Centre Sharjah. It will be organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

With the total value of new investments by Gulf countries and Iran in the oil and gas projects touching US$740 billion by the third quarter of this year, the sector has becoming the focus area of the regional steel fabrication and metal manufacturing industry.

The number of major petroleum projects planned over the next decade stands at 725, according to a study by the Kuwait Financial Centre, or Markaz, which provides a glimpse into the huge opportunities that are likely to emerge for regional steel fabricators and metal manufacturers.

Other estimates showed that energy capital investments in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) could total around US$525 billion during 2012-2016.

Closer home, the UAE could pump a whopping US$76 billion into projects to develop its hydrocarbon sector over the next five years to become the second largest Arab energy investor after Saudi Arabia by overtaking Iran.Such huge spending, part of GCC's projected US$3 trillion ambitious investment plan by 2020, is likely to put the energy and construction sectors back on track by 2012, and become major growth drivers for the steel fabrication industry.

"Demand from several segments of the economy is keeping the steel fabrication and metal manufacturing industry busy... what with the region being driven by population increases, economic growth, infrastructure projects, economic diversification and preparations for global sporting events," said Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah.

"The prime drivers of demand in the region continue to remain projects in the oil and gas industry, petrochemicals sector, as well as infrastructure projects and SteelFab will remain an excellent barometer of the regional industry's buoyancy," he added.

Steel fabricators continue to bank on the construction sector, which is surging ahead, though at a lesser pace, with the industry in the UAE valued at US$20 billion this year.

New focus area

Manufacturing is the second strongest economic growth driver among non-oil sectors in the UAE, and this sector is witnessing a gradual shift to automation in process, with material handling being at the forefront of this change.

"For its latest edition, SteelFab will feature a section on material handling, and will be a significant addition to the special sections at the show," said Al Midfa.

Globally, material handling equipment orders grew 18% in 2010 and projected to grow 12% in 2011-12, according to the latest Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing Forecast by Material Handling Industry of America. In addition, material handling equipment shipments grew 7% in 2010 and forecast to grow 12% in 2011-12.

The material handling section at SteelFab will feature a full range of equipment from overhead cranes, conveyor systems, rotators, positioners, column & boom, robots, magnetic lifting and vacuum lifting. Several global majors like Motoman Robotics and Sarda Magnets have already booked their space for the show.

The special focus on material handling will augment participation from this sector to join exhibitors, such as ABB Robotics, Abus Crane, Blickle, Ace Crane, Belgium Welding, Corimpex, Demmeler, Fanuc Robotics, Fast Rotator, Finat-CB Lifting, Kyoto, Liftek, Promat Automation, Seigmund, Seklizi Crane, Stierli-Bierger, Tecno-Magnete, Thern, Toyo Lift, Umit Castings, and Walker Magnetics amongst others.

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