First Leasing Bank (FLB) has agreed for the second consecutive year to be the strategic partner for the Gulf International Industry Fair.

The event will be held in Bahrain from the January 13 to 15.

'The Gulf's International Industry Fair 2009 continues to be an excellent opportunity for First Leasing Bank to be associated with what is becoming the region's leading industrial exhibition,' said FLB chief executive officer Greg Brinkerhoff.

'As our leasing business grows in the GCC, FLB continues to align closely with both buyers and sellers of capital assets.

'The Gulf Industry Fair provides FLB a perfect forum to meet, listen and understand the needs of manufacturers, distributors and end-users of industrial equipment, which is one of our core portfolio asset classes.'

First Leasing Bank is committed to equipment leasing in the GCC region, a market with an estimated potential of well over $10 billion per year.

It specialises in Sharia-compliant lease structures and offers both finance and operating leases for most asset classes.

'We are delighted with FLB's support of the Gulf Industry Fair,' said fair organiser Hilal Conferences and Exhibition (HCE) managing director Jubran Abdulrahman.

'The exhibition is ideally located in Bahrain, which is not only just a short distance by road from the region's industrial powerhouse, the Eastern Province of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but where the government of Bahrain have undertaken a number of initiatives to encourage investment in and the development of industrial enterprises.

'First Leasing Bank's commitment as one of our strategic partners underlines the company's appreciation of the significance of the Gulf Industry Fair as the region's leading industrial event as well its strategic importance to Bahrain, which is rapidly developing into the most important exhibitions hub for the northern Gulf states.'

The Gulf Industry Fair incorporates eight sub-events covering all the major aspects of industry.

These are Gulf manufacturing, automation, metal, aluminium, metrology and energy. The event will also have a special focus on industrial areas and free zones. - TradeArabia News Service