The Bertoli Group is to set up an assembly plant and training centre in the UAE to help capitalise on the Middle East construction boom.

The leading industrial plant and machinery manufacturer is among a major group of Italian companies using the new construction industry showcase event in Dubai, the Big 5 PMV, to capture their share of business from more than 2,100 existing and planned projects valued at $1.2 trillion in the region.

The company, which expects a big increase in Middle East sales of concrete production plant, is working with its UAE-based regional agent, KF1, to finalise plans for a Dh7 million assembly plant to be built at Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone by the end of this year.

Mukhtar Ahmed, KF1’s business development manager, said the company is also planning to set up a centre of excellence at RAK Free Trade Zone to train Bertoli’s regional network of dealers, operators, engineers and technical staff.

The Middle East has become the world’s biggest market for plant, construction vehicles, machinery and equipment.  Therefore demand for construction machinery is set to rise by up to 20 per cent over the next five years as work on more airports, ports, mega resorts, theme parks, residential and commercial cities plus man-made islands progress.

Manufacturers are stepping up their efforts to cash in, and Bertoli is among 38 Italian companies already signed up for the Big 5 PMV at Airport Expo Dubai from November 25 to 29.

For another Italian manufacturer, Fast Verdini, the launch of the exhibition is perfectly timed. While its range of more than 100 construction machinery products sell in 50 countries worldwide, the company has only recently begun operations in the lucrative Middle East market and needs help to attract buyers.

Sales director Gisella Verdini said that, having established distributors in Libya and Yemen, the company is now keen to develop its regional network by appointing a representative in the UAE.

This is one of the priorities behind its appearance at the Big 5 PMV (big5pmv.com), which will bring manufacturers of plant, machinery, construction vehicles and equipment suppliers together with key buyers from across the region and overseas. 

“The construction boom in the Middle East has created an opportunity that manufacturers can’t afford to miss out on,” said Nick Webb, director of Streamline Marketing Group, which is organising the Big 5 PMV in conjunction with dmg World Media.

“The growing demand for construction related machinery, equipment and vehicles is highlighted in the UAE which has approximately $300 billion worth of active projects using about 24 per cent of the world's 125,000 construction cranes,”

The Big 5 will take place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre in November and is organised by dmg World Media.

It is established as the event of the year for the building and construction industry and attracts both local and international decision makers.

Last year’s show attracted more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 40,000 trade visitors.

The Big 5 PMV will take place at Airport Expo Dubai from November 25 to 29, home of the Dubai Airshow. The Big 5 PMV runs in conjunction with The Big 5 and is organised by Streamline Marketing Group. TradeArabia News Service