Once again, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) will be a strategic partner for the fourth Gulf Industry Fair to be staged in February by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).

Alba renewed its sponsorship agreement with HCE, a subsidiary of Bahrain-based Al Hilal Group, making it a strategic partner for the third successive year. Alba will provide top-level strategic support for the show’s aluminium segment.

GIF 2012 will be a comprehensive industry-related fair taking place at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre from February 7 to 9.

It provides a highly targeted opportunity for any company or organisation from large-scale manufacturers to specialist equipment suppliers, distributors and agencies to market products or services aimed at the growing industrial sector of the region.

In addition to aluminium, the exhibition covers the key industrial segments of energy, steel and alloys, industrial processes and manufacturing, ports, logistics and free zones, training for industry and industrial security and safety.

Alba chairman Mahmood Al Kooheji underlined the importance of promoting the company and its strategic vision in providing competitive value-added products on a global basis.

Support for Bahrain
“We are delighted to support Gulf Industry Fair and showcase our production capabilities and at the same time support Bahrain as a location for international investors. Alba has recently opened offices in Zurich and is set to expand further into the Far East,” commented Al Kooheji.

Alba is one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters and a major contributor to Bahrain’s economy as a key industrial driver and major supporter for a cluster of downstream industries.

The company is maximising its competitiveness by optimising operational and organisational efficiencies, as well as expanding its production capacities to meet future global demand in Europe and the Far East.

Alba chief executive Laurent Schmitt said: “Alba continues to stimulate the growth of the downstream aluminium sector in Bahrain and was able to achieve 8.4 per cent growth in its sales for the third quarter of 2011 as compared to the same period of 2010.”

Schmitt added: “Alba’s strategic support for the exhibition affirms our commitment to Bahrain, the aluminium sector and the capabilities of the local and regional aluminium community.”

GIF status endorsed
Al Hilal Group managing director Ronnie Middleton expressed delight that Alba had renewed its sponsorship support for Gulf Industry Fair 2012. “This is a clear endorsement of the show’s growing status in the region and Alba’s ongoing support for showpiece international events in Bahrain,” said Middleton.

HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman in his comments stated:  “HCE is excited by Alba’s vision of encouraging an ‘Aluminium Village’ cluster concept at the exhibition. This reflects Alba’s key status in the global aluminium industry.” 

Abdulrahman added: “HCE is proud to welcome companies of the status of Alba not only as a global player but also reflecting Bahrain’s status as an industrial hub with our exhibition highly relevant to the region’s industrial aspiration.”

Forum to be held
GIF 2012 will be complemented by the ‘Future is Industry’ Forum, to be held at BIEC on February 8.

Present at the signing ceremony for the strategic Alba partnership were Al Hilal Group general manager Geoffrey Milne and HCE business development manager Ahmed Sulaiman.