Regional producers working in pipes and tubes have seen a steady jump in business despite the difficult market conditions, thanks to the infrastructure, oil and gas and industrial projects worth $2 trillion that are under way in the GCC, said the organisers of SteelFab.

A leading trade show for the metal- working and steel fabrication industry in the region, SteelFab will be held next year at Expo Centre Sharjah from January 15 to 18.

In view of this market potential, Steel Fab 2018 will be offering, besides its established exhibition portfolio, a continued special focus on pipes and tubes machinery and tools following demand and interest among fabricators and industry circles across the GGC region and beyond, said the organisers.

"Rising requirements from industries such as oil and gas, pipelines, refineries, power and water, MEP, food manufacturing, electrical, marine and offshore, furniture, construction and infrastructure, heavy industries and manufacturing has made the Pipe and Tube Machinery segment an indispensable part of SteelFab," remarked Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, the chief executive of Expo Centre Sharjah.

In order to offer visitors a wider spectrum of international suppliers to the Tube & Pipe industries Expo Sharjah entered in discussion with International Tube Association (ITA) with HQ in Düsseldorf Germany.

The involvement of the International Tube Association will help us bring more machinery, exhibitors, visitors and potential investors from across the world, stated Al Midfa.

The Pipe & Tube Machinery section is already an integral part of SteelFab 2017, featuring nearly 60 exhibitors from Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Japan, the US, Germany, Turkey, Finland, Canada, Taiwan, Poland, the UK, Denmark, India and the UAE, accounting for one-sixth of the total exhibitors at the show.

Dietger Schrörs, the executive secretary of ITA, said: "SteelFab and its special focus on Pipe & Tube Machinery could give our approximately 900 members of ITA from more than 70 countries a good opportunity to present equipment, innovations, machines and technology for the regional tubes and pipes industry."

"Besides, the show will starting from 2017 serve as marketing tool to increase our regional membership base," stated Schrors.

Besides Pipe & Tube Machinery, SteelFab features other special focus areas such as welding and cutting, Metal Cutting and Machine Tools, Stainless Steel, Wear Resistance and Hard Facing, foreign pavilions, seminars & technical presentations, live displays and a dedicated vertical for the fastener and fixing industry - Fasteners World Middle East.-TradeArabia News Service