Some of the world’s top designers and sought-after brands of office furniture will return to participate in the 2012 edition of The Office Exhibition, a leading platform for office design and fit-out solutions, organisers said.

The Office Exhibition 2012 will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 15 to 17.

Responding to the increased demand from international and regional manufacturers, the 2012 exhibition will feature 30 per cent more floor space than the previous year, added organisers dmg :: events.

With 60 per cent of the show already sold, exhibitors are optimistic about the growth opportunities in the region’s commercial fit-out market, it said.

“We’re definitely seeing renewed confidence in the UAE market among exhibitors. Even though the local real estate sector has slowed, The Office Exhibition is very much viewed as the gateway through which to tap commercial fit-out projects across the region, particularly in the GCC,” said David Wilson, event director of The Office Exhibition.

Among the top brands returning to the show is Japanese manufacturer Okamura, widely celebrated for its game changing Contessa Chair – an elegant and ergonomically designed mesh chair with a synchro-reclining mechanism.

It will be Okamura’s first time exhibiting in the Middle East since 2007 and the manufacturer plans to demonstrate it has much more to offer than just seating.

“Having the opportunity to exhibit to a wide range of architects, designers and end users all in one place makes the show the ideal platform to launch our new and existing ranges to a wider audience,” said Patrick Taylor, regional brand manager, Okamura.

“Historically, Okamura has only displayed our seating ranges at such shows, but in 2012 we will be launching our new and exciting ranges for commercial and education environments. 2012 is going to be an interesting time for Okamura. Watch this space,” he added.

Following the success of the 2011 show, which attracted the largest contingent of North American manufacturers on record, the US Campus will this year double in size.
Over 30 brands are expected to be represented at the country pavilion. Scott Savage, regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for HNI said, “Approximately 20 per cent of our projects in the region come directly from The Office Exhibition.”

European manufacturers are also eager to strengthen their foothold in the Middle East with The Office Exhibition 2012 already attracting leading designers such as Moving SRL and Quadrifoglio from Italy; Guialmi from Portugal; CP from Germany; and Burotime from Turkey.

The Office Exhibition’s show floor is split evenly between international and regional exhibitors. Distributors from the GCC, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt are among the confirmed participants, including first-time exhibitors Noa Offices – representative of Interstuhl, Quinti and Dellarovere - and Humanspace - representative of flagship Dauphin among many others.

“We are really pleased with the exhibitor response so far,” said Wilson. “Some of the biggest names in office design have confirmed their return to The Office Exhibition 2012 and we have also experienced a significant increase in the number of first time exhibitors. We are looking forward to delivering a fantastic show in 2012.” – TradeArabia News Service