Big construction players to devise future strategies

Dubai: The Big 5 Exhibition, the biggest construction event of its kind in the Middle East, was inaugurated on Monday by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

Simon Mellor, Vice-President of construction for DMG World Media Dubai, said, "It has been a tough year for the construction industry, but the Big 5 is the first time that the international construction community has come together since the beginning of the downturn.

"It will provide an excellent platform to share our thoughts on the past 12 months and devise strategies for the future."

DMG World Media Dubai is the organiser of the Big 5 exhibition.

The three-day event will showcase the products and services of the construction and infrastructure industry.

The overwhelming response led the organisers to increase the exhibition space by 15 per cent to over 43,000 square metres this year, up from 38,000 square metres last year. The exhibition has been expanded to the new Shaikh Saeed halls.

This year's expo has 3,000 exhibitors from 52 countries compared to 2,833 exhibitors from 26 countries last year.

Environmental issues feature prominently at the event with the organisers hiring consultancy firm Ecoventures and taking steps to ensure the event is carbon-neutral.

Visitors will be able to offset their carbon footprint by paying Dh100 at The Big 5 Green Stand.

Hilal Saeed Khalfan Al Merri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre, said, "As has been evidenced by The Big 5's impressive growth this year, the demand in key sectors such as construction is clearly on the rise. Our recent infrastructure expansion that provides over 43,000 square metres of covered exhibition space at our DICEC venue is a critical step that will cater to the increasing demand and positive growth in the region's events sector.

"This growth reinforces rising levels of global business and investor confidence in Dubai as a global business powerhouse."

The Big 5 Exhibition will feature the Gaia Awards 2009 for environmentally friendly products and services in construction.

The opening ceremony featured a synchronised dance by JCB's Dancing Diggers —four backhoe loaders plus their drivers.

Exhibitors include RAK Ceramics, Mapei IBS, Henkel Polybit, Falcon Waterfree Technologies and Onduline Avrasya.