Dubai’s biggest ever The Big 5 show has opened its doors. The four-day event, which includes Middle East Concrete and PMV Live, is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, UAE, and has attracted as many as 2,700 exhibitors from 60 countries.

Some 25 per cent of the exhibitors are making their debut at the shows, which together cover a total exhibition space of more than 100,000 sq m.

This year’s Big 5 once again features national pavilions from across the world including one from Saudi Arabia boasting as many as 100 firms.

Managed by the Saudi Export Development Authority (Saudi Exports), the pavilion was inaugurated by Abdulrahman Al Zamil, the president of the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC).

Saudi Exports secretary general Ahmed Alhaqbani said that the goal was to promote Saudi Arabia’s building, construction and infrastructure prowess to “international markets”.

He said that Saudi Arabia’s diverse range of products were known for their quality, enabling them to compete at an international level, and making them a strong alternative to other products that come into the GCC market.

Other advantages included low shipping costs and “customised products that are in tune with the preferences of the regional consumer”.
 
Saudi Exports is promoting Saudi products across the world, said Alhaqbani, adding that the agency is capable of “taking our products to the whole world”.

Saudi Arabia’s participation is part of a strategy aimed at increasing non-oil exports and boost exports from to the regional construction sector, he added.

Last year’s Big 5 witnessed more than 74,000 participants, and the organiser dmg::events is expecting another record year.

“The Big 5 continues to be the leading event in the region for construction professionals and to drive innovation in the industry. With the construction sector back in the spotlight, this year’s event will be our most successful ever,” remarked Andy White, the group event director of The Big 5.

"With massive building and infrastructure spending driving the GCC’s construction boom, leading international and regional decision makers and construction industry leaders have converged on Dubai World Trade Centre for the shows," he stated.

The total value of construction contracts awarded this year will soar to $196 billion, up from $160 billion in 2013, said White, citing a report by Ventures Middle East.

“The packed programme of free conferences, panel discussions and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certified workshops will deliver unique technical insight opportunities to all attendees,” he stated.

The Big 5, Middle East Concrete and PMV Live offer 55 CPD-certified and free-to-attend workshops as well as 48 technical seminars.

The two-day conference on Sustainable Design and Construction will present eight Middle East project showcases directly from the appointed project architects, developers and contractors themselves, said the organisers.

To create awareness of new building solutions available in the Middle East, the show has launched the brand new feature called The Innovation Trail. It will highlight over 40 cutting-edge products with cost and time savings features, they added.

Nathan Waugh, the event director, PMV Live and Middle East Concrete, said: "By co-locating the three shows, we provide the most comprehensive platform for industry professionals to come together and leverage opportunities to help drive the region’s upcoming project challenges."

"With workshops covering topics such as concrete repair, fire proofing, asset management, vehicle tracking and fleet management, just to name a few, there is simply nowhere else in the region visitors will be able to gain such unique technical knowledge essential to their industry," he added.

The Big 5, PMV Live and Middle East Concrete will run till November 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The shows are open from 11am to 7pm daily.-TradeArabia News Service