Dubai: International building and construction companies are targeting growth in the Untied Arab Emirates (UAE) and neighbours.
Giorgio Starace, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of “The Big 5” construction industry exhibition in Dubai on Monday said the UAE market had become extremely important to Italian companies.
There are more than 320 Italian companies exhibiting at The Big 5 across 5,495 square metre. Last year there were 270 Italian companies over 4,700 of exhibitor space.
Italian building and construction companies have revamped their strategy in recent years targeting the UAE and other Arab nations for growth as European markets contracted.
“This is a sector that is extremely important because this is a country investing so much into hotels, villas, and transport,” Starace said.
Italian exports to the UAE are valued at €6 billion ($8.1 billion, Dh29.75 billion) so far in 2013. Starace said that machinery manufacturing in Italy had increased parallel to exports.
“In the last 5 to 10 years there has been a relevant growth of industrial machinery sector in the overall numbers of exports of Italy to the UAE,” he said.
International companies dominate the exhibitor list at The Big 5 this week with more than 70 per cent of stands booked through international agents, Andy White, Group Director for The Big 5, previously said.
Economic powerhouse Brazil is also looking to boost its presence in the local and regional building and construction sector.
According to the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, year-to-date exports to the UAE are valued at $1.9 billion with food the primary contributor.
Marcelo Nabih Sallum, president of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce said that with the building and construction sector the third largest contributor to exports to the UAE there was potential for the industry to increase its footprint.
With just six companies at The Big 5 this year, Sallum said he had targeted to 25 Brazilian companies at next years show.
Sallum said the United Arab Emirates and Brazil had a lot to learn from each other has developing countries. He said partnerships would be key for Brazilian companies building their presence in the region.
Established Finnish based software engineering company and exhibitor Teklar is targeting regional growth of up to 30 per cent. Risto Raty, Executive Vice President, General Manager Trimble Buildings Structures Division at Tekla said there was huge potential for Tekla’s building information modelling (BIM) software in the region.
BIM is the model-based software used in construction, infrastructure and energy industries. It was used for the Burj Khalifa, and is being used on the Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal expansion. The GCC currently contributes 10 per cent of revenue at Tekla.
