Strong overseas presence at Sharjah Steel Fabrication Show

Strong foreign participation became a high point of the region's premier steel fabrication industry exhibition SteelFab 2014 that got under way today at Expo Centre Sharjah. The exhibition was opened by Sheikh Salim Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qassimi, Chairman, Sharjah Ruler's Office, and will continue until January 23rd. The opening was attended by Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah, senior government officials and industry representatives. The impressive presence of foreign exhibitors has been attributed to the increasing global attention on the country following the winning bid to host the World Expo 2020 and an economy that is growing at a faster pace than forecast. "SteelFab 2014 has strong participation by leading manufacturers and dealers from countries like Taiwan, Germany, Italy, Turkey and China. Germany and Taiwan have special pavilions, while Italy and Turkey are facilitating the participation of a large contingent. This is apart from exhibitors from other countries," said Mr. Midfa. "While the U.A.E. has always been on the radar of foreign manufacturers and dealers, now they have more reasons to increase their presence in the country and the region, given that we are going host some of the largest and most prestigious events in the world and our economy is back on the growth track," added Mr. Midfa. "The foreign pavilions have been set up in association with industry bodies from those countries and form an integral part of SteelFab 2014. Foreign participation in SteelFab has been increasing and our partnership with these associations have gone a long way in ensuring that visitors have access to the widest range of products from across the world," he continued. The growth in the core sector that propels the regional fabrication industry has resulted in SteelFab expanding fast, with the show this time occupying 50 per cent more exhibition space at 24,000 sq m than the previous edition in 2013. The number of exhibitors too has increased by 25 per cent to 300, and the brands represented at the show stand at more than 700. "The addition of three new segments to SteelFab and improvements to the existing special sections has resulted in SteelFab achieving such high growth rates. With such an extensive line-up of exhibitors, brands and live display, we believe the regional industry has the most comprehensive sourcing point in SteelFab," added Al Midfa. The three new segments at SteelFab 2014 are Steel-Tech, Fabricators Pavilion and Steel Showcase, while the regular special focus areas include Welding '&' Cutting, Material Handling, Machine Tools and Pipe '&' Tube Machinery, as well as a section on Used '&' Re-Conditioned Machinery