The Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) has signed up as the silver sponsor of the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS) 2016.

The fourth edition of the airshow is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad at Sakhir Air Base from January 21 to 23, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

It will be held under the supervision of the King’s personal representative and BIAS supreme organising committee  head Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The show is being organised by the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry and the Royal Bahrain Air Force in association with Farnborough International.

Transportation and Telecommunications Minister and deputy chairman of the supreme organising committee of BIAS Kamal Ahmed signed the agreement with GPIC, which has been a sponsor of the airshow in its previous three editions.  

Ahmed said GPIC’s continuous support since the inaugural event in 2010 is a testament to the airshow’s success and the company’s commitment in being one of the leading Bahraini firms that sponsors such a high profile international event.

He said this support further boosts Bahrain’s economic and commercial growth and helps showcase the kingdom’s capabilities and success to host international events on the scale of the Bahrain International Air Show.

Ahmed thanked GPIC for its continued support, emphasising the importance of public-private co-operation in contributing to the success of the event.

GPIC president Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery said the company’s support of the 2016 show comes as a continuation of its repeated participation in the previous shows.  

“The Bahrain International Air Show is a key event that is widely anticipated by visitors both inside and outside Bahrain.  

“The show attracts major participation from the international community at all levels, and has a proven track record of being well organised and boasting significant attendance and representation from the largest companies in the civil and military aviation sectors across the globe.”

Building on the success of the 2014 show additional new features for the show have been developed with the objective to create more networking opportunities for the participants and visitors.

The 2016 edition will include an exhibition feature hall focused on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and airport infrastructure. With the continuing expansion of the UAV market, strong demand is expected from businesses that are looking to exploit both the commercial and defence applications of the sector. The civil and military delegation programme will also provide extensive opportunities of engagement for delegates and exhibitor with an overall aim to highlighting BIAS’s role as a networking event that establishes a unique platform for doing business.

BAE Systems, Boeing, Felex (Italy), Rostec (Russia), Qatar Airways, Gulfstream, and Airbus are amongst the international aviation civil and defence companies participating in the show. – TradeArabia News Service