Zayed University Library in the UAE done up with American hardwood

A wood exhibition set for April 2016 will focus on furniture’s role in the construction and interiors industry and the importance of imports to feed demand in the region.

Dubai WoodShow, a much awaited event, will be held from April 4 to 6 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The UAE is home to nearly 36 per cent of the GCC’s furniture factories, reflecting the need for raw materials availability and the importance of sourcing high-quality wood in international markets.

Following an impressive turnout of 10,544 trade professionals from 95 countries last year, the exhibition has attracted an even wider variety of products from global brands, said the organiser Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions.

The forthcoming show will be expanding its range of products to include hardwood and softwood, wood machineries and tools, flooring, plywood, veneer, MDF, laminates and boards, finishings & fittings, paints, adhesives and glues, and others.

The GCC furniture industry now boasts 1,062 factories, up 4.5 per cent in the last five years, said Dawood Al Shezawi, the CEO of Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions, who cited Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) figures.

“The 2015 edition recorded a 26 per cent increase over the previous edition, and we have completely sold out the exhibition space,” said Al Shezawi.

Dubai WoodShow will host visitors from Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, and China.