Economic slowdowns and business uncertainties in several regions of the world failed to dampen enthusiasm among participants at the Sharjah Industrial Show held in early May.

"The strong, spirited response ... has once again proved its importance as a delivery and networking platform for international suppliers of machinery and technology and their users," organisers Expo Centre Sharjah said.

A total of 3,775 industrialists, professionals and traders from 47 countries visited the four-day event at the Expo Centre Sharjah, seeking new manufacturing technology and materials for their production or distribution facilities.

"Judging by the number, quality and seriousness of the trade visitors who attended the show, one can safely judge that demand for new industrial goods, across many industries is still strong in this region.

This can be taken as a grass-roots signal that, despite the current world trends, industrial activity hasn't slowed down in the Arabian Gulf," said Mr. Michael Mueller, marketing & sales director of Expo Centre Sharjah.

Held from 5 to 8 May 2002, the event featured some 158 exhibitors from 12 countries who staged a comprehensive line-up of innovative industrial goods and services engineered for cost-effective quality production in a wide range of industries.

The Taiwanese and Iranian contingents, largest among the exhibitors, reported strong interest among visitors for the goods and services they displayed, according to statements they released. Director of the Taiwan Trade Centre Cheng Chuan Su said it was a "positive and fruitful experience" for the Taiwanese exhibitors with "most of them receiving scores of serious enquiries during the show."

Speaking on the nature of the event, Mueller explained, "Being an industrial showcase, exhibitors are not so much keen on signing contracts during the show; they rather tend to focus on introducing their products to the relevant sections of their market, understanding the needs and responses of their prospective clients and then, in due course, finalising deals with them, "

Mojtaba Rad of IDRO, speaking on behalf of the Iranian pavilion, said "most of the Iranian exhibitors were approached by several traders and industrialists who were keen on signing an agreement straight off".

"Exhibitors including Poyan Shargh from Iran did finalise substantial orders for their products," according to a statement issued by Expo Centre Sharjah. "On being interviewed, exhibitors on an average, reported receiving some 25 to 30 serious enquiries during the event," the statement added.

The show featured a wide range of industrial goods applicable to sectors such as basic metals, metal products, factory automation, power transmission and distribution equipment, cable management systems, air-conditioning, waste water treatment, packaging machinery, building materials, glass and paints. The show's next edition will be held from 4 to 7 May 2003.