Saudi Arabia’s industrial vigour, potential and ongoing investments in several sectors will be highlighted in a spate of exhibitions organised for October and November.

The exhibitions include Saudi Build, Saudi Agro-Food, Saudi Arabian Oil and Gas (Saoge) and Saudi PPPP, the four Ps standing for petrochemicals, printing, plastics and packaging.

Riyadh Exhibitions Company is organising all except Saoge which will be staged by IES Srl.

Saudi Build will draw attention to the dynamic real estate sector whose GDP contribution, according to a study by Global Investment House, is expected to reach 7.2 per cent in 2009 up from 6.8 per cent in 2004 as the kingdom’s real estate investments touch SR1.125 trillion ($300 billion) this year and possibly head for SR1.5 trillion in 2010.

Growing populations in Saudi cities have made the construction of housing units imperative. The country will need to build around 1.5 million new homes by 2015, translating to some 250,000 housing units annually, says Riyadh Exhibitions Company’s project manager for Saudi Build 2009, Shahid Bhatti.

Additionally more than 750 million sq m of industrial land is also poised to be developed within the next decade along with some 4 million sq m of retail facilities and up to 2.4 million sq m of office space, the official states.

The kingdom has pledged to build six economic cities whose initial cost will be $87.8 billion. They will be home to 2.5 million residents and collectively contribute $150 billion to the Saudi GDP and generate 1.5 million jobs by 2020
“Saudi Build 2009 will surely be an exciting platform for participating companies to get introduced to the latest in this industry, while offering an opportunity for the kingdom to take advantage of a highly formidable assembly of leading construction companies, said Bhatti.

Taking place at the Riyadh Exhibition Centre from October 4 to 7, Saudi Build is billed as the 21st international construction technology and building materials exhibition. It will be held concurrently with Saudi Stone, the 12th international stone and stone technology show.

Some 38 countries will be represented at Saudi Build with about 650 exhibitors set to show up.

Saudi PPPP
Saudi Arabia is upfront in building a huge petrochemical base of unprecedented proportions. As much as SR172 billion is being invested for projects including the Ras Tanura Integrated Project and PetroRabigh.

Saudi Petrochem 2009 (part of Saudi PPPP, the exhibitions for petrochemicals, printing, plastics and packaging) is the fourth international exhibition for the chemicals and chemical technology industry and will probably attract the most interest in the collective event (October 18-21). Saudi Arabia accounts for up to 70 per cent of petrochemical production in the GCC region while the country’s influence over the global supply line has improved dramatically with the completion of several large-scale production facilities over the past few years. Another show of great significance is Saudi Plast 2009, the 9th international plastics technology show. Saudi Arabia is said to have the highest per capita consumption of plastics in the Middle East at 40 kg per person.

Kamil ِAl Jawhari, project manager of Saudi PPPP at Riyadh Exhibitions Company, commented: “Saudi Arabia has all the elements to be a major player in the global trade of plastics. The abundance of cheap raw materials, its proximity to European and Asian export markets and high availability of low-cost energy are some of the key factors that have sustained the dramatic growth of Saudi Arabia’s plastics industry. In addition, massive residential and commercial developments that are currently being built across the country will urgently require the latest in plastic products and technology.”

Saudi Plast will showcase a range of products, machineries and value-added services. Both the petrochemical and plastic shows will be held concurrently with Saudi Print 2009, the 9th international pre-press and printing technology exhibition, and Saudi Pack 2009, the 9th international packing machinery and materials show.

Riyadh Exhibitions Company has announced that more than 390 international companies including 170 new participating firms, have confirmed participation at Saudi PPPP 2009, more than at any time in the past.

Saoge 2009
The 2nd Saudi Arabian Oil and Gas Exhibition will be held in Dhahran from November 1-3. According to organisers IES Srl, more than 200 exhibitions confirmed their participation by the first week of September. Confirmed exhibitors represent 25 different countries including two national pavilions for Italy and China. Saoge is the largest oil and gas exhibition in the kingdom and attending will be the movers and shakers of the global oil and gas industry including research institutions. A major art of the event’s agenda is a conference programme.

Randy Gossen, president of the World Petroleum Council, and Lord Digby Jones, the former UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, will be among the dignitaries at the conferences.

Saudi Agro-Food 2009
The event is being held in the backdrop of the news that Saudi Arabia’s food and agricultural imports are likely to grow by 25 per cent in 2009, overtaking the SR56.35 billion spent in 2008.  Food and agriculture accounts for around 13 per cent of total imports and represents the fourth biggest domestic import sector.

Khalid Daou, project manager of Saudi Agro-Food at Riyadh Exhibitions Company, remarked: “The domestic food business in Saudi Arabia continues to evolve in terms of diversity and competitiveness. To be held concurrently with Saudi Agro-Food 2009 are Recycling & Waste Management Saudi Arabia 2009 and Saudi Agriculture 2009.