Construction boom spurs mid east flooring sales Domotex expands to meet demand

The show, which on its debut last year quickly earned the mantle of being the fastest selling and largest show of its kind ever to launch at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), will this June, take up five halls and span some 18,000 square metres - an increase of 29% on last year's event.

DOMOTEX 2007 is set against a background of surging construction activity throughout the Middle East, fuelled by high oil prices, renewed liquidity and strong investor confidence. According to industry analysts, over US $1 trillion dollars worth of projects are currently planned or underway throughout the six Gulf Co-operation Council States of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

"This is a prodigious market where construction activity is among the highest in the world," explained Angela Schaschen, Managing Director, Messe Middle East, the regional representative of Deutsche Messe AG Hannover, one of the world's top three trade show organisers, which is behind all three DOMOTEX events in Germany, China and Dubai.

"Key indicators are that Dubai alone has 24 million square feet of commercial office space currently under development - the second highest ratio in the world after Moscow - while construction projects in the UAE are expected to hit the US $300 billion mark this year. Knock-on demand for flooring of all types - from luxury products for villas and hotels to industrial for the many manufacturing and petrochemical plants due to be built is an obvious spin off."

Early exhibitor take up suggests the 2007 event is selling just as fast as the launch with 80% of last year's participants having rebooked, many larger floor space and reservations on the remaining allocation increasing daily.

"To date the exhibitor profile boasts companies from 24 nations throughout the Americas, Europe, North Africa, the Middle and Far East and most of the industry's biggest names are featured in the line-up and are being complemented this year with newcomers from Italy, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Canada, France, Germany and Iran," explains Schaschen.

Among the latest exhibitors contracted are: Italy's Mapei, well-known throughout the world for its laying skills, cleaning and application technology; German granite, marble and natural stone flooring producer JUMA Natursteinwerke; the UK's commercial flooring provider Polyflor Ltd and from the UAE leading handmade carpet manufacturer Ali Dakhili, wall-to-wall carpet manufacturer, Standard Carpets and top floor care supplier, Intercare Limited.

"We are looking to build on our launch success, which saw 241 exhibitors from 36 countries and six large international pavilions represented by 58 exhibiting members. We are convinced that for 2007, we will be able to build much stronger links with the Middle East's engineering, design, development and interiors sectors to ensure that DOMOTEX is the undisputed forum for the region's flooring industry and all those who influence it," added Schaschen.

Meanwhile, Messe Middle East is gearing up to launch an intensive visitor promotion drive for the show, which will include link ups with regional interior design associations and trade groups throughout the wider region, including Iran.

DOMOTEX Middle East 2007 will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the United Arab Emirates from June 11-13. The show has the official support of the UAE Contractors Association and is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and Chairman of the Emirates Group.