The 22nd edition of Saudi Building and Interiors Exhibition 2013 (SBIE), Saudi Arabia’s largest event for building and interiors, opened on Sunday in Jeddah with 250 exhibitors showcasing their key products.

Mayor of Jeddah Dr Hani Abu Ras, officially inaugurated the annual event with the presence of Al Shareef Moufaq Al Harithy, CEO of Al Harithy Company for Exhibition (ACE).

“The exhibition continues its success year after year because the Kingdom is focusing on developing infrastructure and construction projects for both public and private sectors,” said Dr Abu Ras.

Al Harithy said: “Saudi Arabia is emerging as the fastest growing construction market in the world. The vast country has become the land of opportunity for its ever-booming building and construction sector and related machinery. SBIE will serve the SR285 billion ($77.5 billion) worth of projects announced in the Kingdom’s annual budget.”

The four-day event at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events showcases  materials & hardware, climate control, construction equipment & tools, electricity & lighting, environmental conservation, marble, granite & stone, technology safety, security & fire prevention, water technology as well as waste management.

Organizers expect visitor numbers to increase by over 25,000 compared to last year’s figures.

Alongside SBIE, the Construction Machinery Showcase organised jointly between Dubai-based publishing house CPI and ACE, will be the largest heavy construction machinery event in the region occupying over 20,000 sq m of outdoor space.

Held in parallel will be a high profile symposium addressing topical issues and latest developments and challenges in the field organised by the Saudi Quality Council. – TradeArabia News Service