Interest in one of the Middle East’s premier industry-related exhibitions is gathering pace, according to the organisers. Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE) says that, after the traditional summer lull, exhibitor interest in the third Gulf Industry Fair, which will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre from 12 to 14 January 2010, is now gaining momentum.

HCE believes the event, billed as the most comprehensive of its type in the region, provides a highly targeted opportunity for companies marketing products or services aimed at the Northern Gulf’s industrial sector. Several local and international companies have confirmed participation in Gulf Industry Fair, which at this stage is set to surpass the 2009 edition in terms of exhibitor numbers and space sold, says HCE.
Bahrain-based Yateem Oxygen will showcase its innovative Dry Ice Blasting (DIB) technology at the fair alongside its range of industrial and medical gases, says Hasan Al Sheikh, marketing and distribution manager. According to Al Sheikh, DIB is a quicker, more environmentally-friendly and hygienic industrial cleaning alternative than conventional blasting technology because it requires no chemicals.
A spokesman for Saudi-based Dresser Al Rushaid Valve & Instruments Company (Darvico), meanwhile, says Gulf Industry Fair is an excellent opportunity for his company to reinforce its regional market presence by showcasing its full range of safety and control valves and pressure equipment. “Most clients know our products but the event is an excellent way of reminding the industry of our products, services and capabilities,” he explains.

Ideal location
For Megger, the global manufacturer of test equipment and measuring instruments for electrical power applications, Gulf Industry Fair 2010 will be an opportunity to display its full product and services range, increased demand for which led to the company opening a regional office in Bahrain in mid-2009 to cover the Middle East and Africa.
“Bahrain is an ideal location for us, the growth within the region is astounding,” says Nick Parton, sales manager for the Middle East and Africa. “Our local team has doubled in the past six months and the knowledge of our technical staff for the products we sell and the region is paramount to our growing success,” he adds.

Optimistic
Jubran Abdulrahman, managing director, HCE, says he is similarly optimistic about the 2010 show’s prospects, particularly given the indications of greater stability in the global economy and the raft of large investments which continue to be made in the Gulf’s industrial sectors, in particular in chemicals, iron, steel, aluminium, fertilisers and food.
“Market conditions, while challenging, are holding up well and we believe Gulf Industry Fair 2010 will build on the solid foundations of the 2009 event,” he says. “Signs of recovery in some of the world’s leading economies and a subsequent rebound in oil prices will, if sustained, bode well for the Gulf’s   industrial sectors for the remainder of 2009 and provide strong impetus heading into 2010,” he explains.
“Therefore we believe Gulf Industry Fair 2010 offers unrivalled opportunities for regional companies to tap a fresh wave of optimism,” he adds.
Gulf Industry Fair 2010 covers key industrial segments including aluminium, machine tools, industrial equipment and manufacturing, automation, metal, energy, logistics and metrology. The fair also provides a unique opportunity for the operators of industrial areas and free zones to meet an interested market of decision makers in the manufacturing and distribution sectors.
The second Gulf Industry Fair was held from 13 to 15 January 2009, and featured more than 120 exhibitors from key markets across the Northern Gulf.