The Middle East Manufacturing Exhibition (MEMEX), the region’s most comprehensive industrial event, is returning to Abu Dhabi with the larger number of exhibitors to date and significant government support.

The Department of Economic Development (DED), the body responsible for proposing the economic and commercial policy of Abu Dhabi, is endorsing Memex, reaffirming the government’s strategic commitment to the manufacturing sector and promoting investment in local industry.

In line with 'Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030,' the DED’s endorsement brings further attestation to Memex’s status as the foremost industrial event in the region designed to spur business and showcase cutting-edge machinery, technology, services and solutions for the manufacturing sector, said the organisers, IIR Middle East.

In 2008, the expo attracted scores of key technical and business decision makers in the industrial sector in the Middle East, and even more have confirmed their attendance at this year’s edition at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from October 18 to 20.

“The 2009 Memex exhibition will continue to encourage regional manufacturing growth, bringing together industry leaders and major companies with suppliers, service providers and subcontractors,” said Ed Malkoun, group exhibition director at IIR Middle East.

With a 50 per cent increase in machinery display space, double the amount of confirmed exhibitors, and 80 per cent more pre-registered visitors than last year; the 2009 edition of Memex will be the largest and most comprehensive yet, he noted.

'Despite the global economic crisis and project delays around the world, Abu Dhabi and the UAE have maintained heavy investment in the manufacturing sector, and major industrial projects like Industrial City of Abu Dhabi and Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone are on schedule,' he pointed out.

'Our event has doubled in size this year in response to a high interest in these projects and demand for local and regional industrial production,' Malkoun added.

According to official figures from the Ministry of Economy, the UAE’s non-oil and gas manufacturing projects are worth a collective $20 billion and account for nearly 300,000 jobs.

These figures are poised to grow in the coming years as the government continues to emphasise investment in local manufacturing and economic diversification.

Since its successful launch in 2007, Memex has established itself as the region's leading industrial exhibition, facilitating exclusive business opportunities for the Middle East’s manufacturing sector.

The exhibition boasts an unrivalled breadth of exhibitors and visitors from all segments of the industry, from woodworking to downstream oil and gas manufacturing.-TradeArabia News Service