Retail Middle East exhibition to feature over 75 global brands

Middle East retail industry currently experiencing unprecedented growth; Event to help regional retailers cope with increased competition

The RME exhibition, regarded as the region's most eminent retail trade event, is a comprehensive display of retail concepts, shop fitting and store equipment, visual merchandising, signages, POP, store design, retail technology and equipment, logistics and security systems.

Some of the major brands that will be featured at the coming edition of the exhibition are Kingsmen, Avion, Tensator, Mainetti, Polaris, Wanzl, and Prisma. Exhibits will include the complete range of retail display and shop fittings including Backroom equipment, Wood/Glass/Metal/Wire fixtures, Gondolas/Hangers, Merchandise storage systems, Showcases, Vending and automatic machines, Shopping carts and baskets, Mobile sales points, Dispensers, Freezers, Refrigerated showcases and equipment, Warehouse fittings and equipment, Heated display cabinets, Food processing and packaging machinery and cold room and deep-freeze rooms.

The RME exhibition is generally associated with hosting a large number of top retail brands from across the world. The coming edition, however, will be dominated by brands from Germany, Italy, Singapore, UK, China, India, and the UAE.

"The retail sector in the Middle East, especially the GCC region, is experiencing unprecedented growth," said Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

"Retailers across the region have realized that in order to cope with this unparalleled growth and the consequent competition, it is imperative that new concepts, technologies, and strategies are adopted. The RME exhibition, with its dedicated exhibition profile, has been a very vital sourcing platform for the region's retailers since its inception two years back," he added.

The GCC region's retail space is set to reach 6 million m2 in 2007, according to Mr. Simon Thomson, an international retail consultant based in the UK.

Currently, Dubai with approximately 1.3 million m2, is at the forefront in terms of retail space in the region.

A major highlight of the third edition of the RME exhibition will be the one-day Retail Conference on the sidelines on April 16, 2007. The Conference will feature several well-known names in the global retail sector including Mr. Naseem Javed, President of ABC Nameback International in Toronto and New York, Mr. Volkan Keskinoglu, President of Turkey chapter of POPAI, and Mr. Mohit Oberoi, Senior VP and Business Head of Polaris Retail Infotech.

Mr. Naseem Javed, who is an authority on corporate image and creation of new icons and identities, will speak on Retail revolution and Image leadership. Mr. Volkan Keskinoglu will focus on Impact on ROI due to concept integration at POS, and Mr. Mohit Oberoi will throw light on how IT can be leveraged for master business dynamics.

Given the unique and exclusive profile, the RME exhibition is bound to attract a large number of trade visitors from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, particularly potential franchisees, architects, designers, consultants brand managers, retail shop owners and retail industry professionals.

The RME exhibition and the Retail Conference is being organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of Point-Of-Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).