Emerging trends in the industry will be the main highlight of the Materials Handling Middle East 2011 to be held Dubai from September 25 to 27.

The event, which will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, is attracting much interest from industry players looking to tap into this growing market, a statement said.

The fast-expanding economies of the Middle East are among the key growth engines driving demand for materials handling equipment globally.

The region, along with Latin America and Asia, are the fastest growing markets for this sector, which is expected to be worth a whopping $98 billion worldwide by 2015, it said.

Recent reports indicate that the very nature of the materials handling and supply chain industries is currently being transformed.

New innovations, better inventory control, the increasing use of ICT, better warehouse management and more efficient transport systems are just some of the ways in which the industry is changing to keep up with the times, according to Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Materials Handling Middle East.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Epoc Messe Frankfurt, said: “The upcoming exhibition is expected to reflect a broad spectrum of emerging trends in the industry, as it is the main meeting place for the regional trade.”

“Trends and developments in the industry worldwide will be quickly examined, discussed and taken on board here and we expect to see quick implementation of the latest technologies to facilitate greater efficiencies across the region,” he added.

The demand for conventional materials handling equipment will continue to be robust according to the recent report by Global Industry Analysts. But there is increased demand for advanced handling equipment as awareness spreads about their inherent benefits.

Demand is expected to increase for automated and battery-operated vehicles, robots, inventory control and warehouse management software as well as other services such as project management and systems design that promote overall efficiencies and create a better bottom line.

The global demand for electric and battery operated trucks is on the increase, which has led to major international players eyeing this segment with interest.

Eternity Technologies have chosen Materials Handling Middle East as their launch platform into the regional market and will be displaying their entire product range during the event.

According to a spokesperson, Eternity Technologies has invested in industry leading chemical laboratories and electrical test laboratories to facilitate the innovative product design. The manufacturing facility also incorporates the most modern and innovative equipment available in the global market – including state-of-the-art machinery from Germany, Austria, Italy and UK. – TradeArabia News Service