A major wood and wood machinery show will host more than 200 top local and international companies, said the organisers of the event.

The fourth edition of the Dubai International Wood & Wood Machinery Show (DIWWM) 2009 opens tomorrow (April 21) at the Dubai Airport Expo and will run until April 23.

Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions (SME), organiser of DIWWM, said that it is hosting more than 200 leading international and local companies and associations in the wood industry at the high profile event.

Leveraging the advantage of operating in the same location where the event will be held, Dubai-based companies dominate the exhibition halls every year, bringing with them new innovative products and technologies for the global market.

Among the top UAE-based companies who will be at the event include Arab Technical Equipment, Al Sayes Factories Equipment & Machinery Trading and Agopian International Trading.

“We are delighted to be hosting another event, which we are sure will surpass the records we have set in the previous editions in terms of exhibitor participation and range of products and technologies,” said Dawood Al Shezawi, managing director, SME.

“The growth, which the international wood and wood machinery show has seen, underlines our commitment towards providing an effective platform to further develop the wood sector in the Middle East and across the globe.”

In addition, international players have also steadily increased their presence at this annual gathering, with aims of tapping into the potential-laden regional market.

“The participation of 20 US exporters under the American hardwood pavilion is a testament to how we view this event as a strategic platform that can help us expand the reach of American hardwood to the rest of the region,” said Orn Gudmundsson, chairman, American Hardwood Export Council.

“We are expecting to gain more regional partners, especially during the networking event and workshop, which we will conduct in the sidelines of the exhibition,” he added.

'Our successful yearly participation serves as motivation to establish a significant presence in this event,” concluded Dr Simona Autuori, deputy trade commissioner, Italian Trade Commission.

“We see Dubai as a key market for us and we are keen on building our business within this market,” Dr Autuori added.

“We believe that entrenching a strong presence within the region is a strategic move, as companies who have secured a steady position will be able to effectively leverage the opportunities within the market, especially when the current financial crisis ends.”

First staged in 2006, the DIWWM has emerged as the premier event for the latest technologies and innovation in the wood and wood processing sectors. The event aims to offer buyers, especially those from the UAE, an opportunity to network with established wood and wood products suppliers from across the globe. – TradeArabia News Service