The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) has announced its participation at the upcoming gulfBID, the annual exhibition for Northern Gulf’s construction industry, being organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions in Bahrain.

The exhibition will run from April 24 to 26 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The announcement follows 70 per cent growth in exports of American hardwood lumber to Bahrain with over $340,000 worth of lumber being shipped into the kingdom in 2011.

In addition to its participation at the exhibition, AHEC will also be hosting a seminar on designing and working with sustainable American hardwoods targeting interior designers, architects, importers and wood working professionals in Bahrain and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Set to take place on the second day of the exhibition, the seminar will revolve around educating delegates about the wide variety of American hardwood species as well as their important environmental credentials and their importance in sustainable design.

'This seminar offers an excellent opportunity for architects, interior designers and other industry professionals to gain a more in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics and advantages of American hardwoods,' said AHEC director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania Roderick Wiles.

'Furthermore, the event is designed to allow for full audience participation, thereby offering a unique opportunity for anyone coming into contact with wood products to learn about American hardwoods at first hand from industry experts.

'Through his presentation at the event, AHEC's architectural marketing consultant Criswell Davis will also aim to demonstrate the efficiency of the rules used to grade American hardwoods, and their environmental credentials amidst the growing demand for assurances that wood is both legal and sustainable,' he said.

As the construction industry sees large-scale progress, American hardwoods, with their great variety of colour, grain and character, and remarkable colour contrasts, offer a wide range of design options.

'Bahrain is getting back to business, which is helping to restore confidence amidst a relatively difficult year across the Middle East and North Africa region,' Mr Wiles said.

'Bahrain is demonstrating stable growth, which we believe marks an important turning point for the kingdom's economy as customers, manufacturers and other industry players become active again,' he added.

'AHEC's participation at gulfBID is important because of the product range, knowledge and expertise that they bring to the event which is of interest to many of our visitors and some of our exhibitors,' said gulfBID exhibition organiser Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions managing director Jubran Abdulrahman.

'Their involvement helps to underline gulfBID's importance as the annual exhibition for the construction industry in the Northern Gulf, which is taking place at a time when construction projects in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are contributing to re-energising the building sector in the two kingdoms,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service