Gulf audio-visual market keeps shining
Infrastructure projects ensure a steady stream of orders for major players
Dubai: The big infrastructure developments remain the key drivers of demand for audio-visual equipment in the B2B space, estimated to be worth $300 million (Dh1.1 billion) in the Gulf.
Health and education projects offer a major offtake, while the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and Dubai’s Expo 2020 bid if it is successful are expected to drive future demand, according to exhibitors at InfoComm, an audio-visual event held alongside Gitex.
Mitsubishi Electric has focused on supplying display screens to control rooms in the region, often catering to utility companies. There has also been increased focus on CCTV and traffic signal monitoring.
Beyond Qatar’s World Cup, there is potential for audio-visual companies to tap into the country’s road and railway projects, according to Alistair Duthie, regional manager for the UK and Middle East at Mitsubishi Electric.
LG Electronics is also targeting different verticals in the market and seeing demand in hospitality, quick-service restaurants and outdoor displays, “In the market we are noticing high volumes in hospitality and retail and what Expo 2020 means is a lot of new hotels, new malls and new retailers opening in the market,” said Mays Talib, regional marketing manager for B2B at LG Electronics. “Airports wanted 4K resolution content and ultra-high quality displays.”
LG Electronics recently finished a project in Singapore at Suntec City, where it built a video wall over 60 metres high and made up of 664 55-inch HD LED screens. This makes it the largest screen in the world, according to LG. “We’ll try and beat that in the UAE,” Talib said.
The UAE is the industry’s trendsetter in the region, but Saudi Arabia comes up with the highest demand.
“As the regional market grows, Sharp will record double-digit growth in the audio-visual business segment,” said Ravinder Kumar, general manager at the business solutions division in Sharp Middle East. The company has delivered 13,000 TV sets for just one order to a Saudi university.
