Middle East's largest hardware & tools trade fair opens today

Messe Frankfurt's 8th Hardware and Tools exhibition, which opens from 13-15 May, has attracted over 300 exhibitors, who will be demonstrating building equipment, technology, materials and tools and showcasing the latest techniques and developments in the construction world.

Exhibition Manager, Ms. Melanie Beese, acknowledges that it is the unabated pace of building work that has been the main factor in the ongoing success of the exhibition. "The Middle East Hardware and Tools trade fair goes from strength to strength each year," she says. "Over the three days of this year's show, we are anticipating over 8,000 visitors attending from across the world. The show's floor space has been increased to accommodate the number of exhibitors, which have registered a 30% increase above last year," she adds.

The Hardware and Tools show will be capitalising on an industry that is worth up to $1 trillion by some estimates; with the UAE alone accounting for $300 billion of this sum. "The UAE hardware and tools sector is estimated at comprising 20% of the total construction figure, which means that the value of this segment within the emirates is worth around $60 billion," says Ms. Beese. "The Hardware and Tools trade fair is therefore ideally placed to take advantage of the market for construction equipment and machinery, both in the UAE and across the wider Middle East," she adds.

This year's exhibition will outline the new trends in the different construction sectors; segments that include plumbing, woodwork and engineering. "There are a number of new developments that are being explored this year, says Ms. Beese. "Water conservation will be a key feature, as Dubai Municipality has recently specified the use of low water-usage plumbing devices for the industry to help conserve this precious resource," she says. "Devices on display will include flow restrictors and electronic mixers, which ensure that taps only work when hands are placed underneath them," she adds.

One particular burgeoning sector of the construction industry is woodworking, with statistics from the department of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation revealing that imports and re-exports of all types of timber into the region are at an all time high. "We are seeing record amounts of all types of wood and wood related commodities being used in the construction industry; products that include; hardwood, softwood, plywood, veneers, parquet, laminates and MDF. This need is obviously having a knock-on effect for subsidiary industries and we are seeing an increased requirement for specialist woodworking machinery for this area; equipment such as lathes, sanders, sawblades, laminators and dovetailing jigs to work with the raw materials," she adds.

Engineering best practice will also be under the spotlight at Hardware and Tools, as this year the exhibition has attracted the support of the prestigious UAE Society of Engineers. "The Society of Engineers has played a major role in the region's construction boom and is considered to be the principal forum for the engineering sector in the UAE," says Ms. Beese. "The vast construction projects across the region, such as Dubai's Palm Islands and The World projects, along with Bahrain's Durat Resort and Doha's Pearl enterprise, has resulted in serious engineering challenges and we are very happy to welcome the society's expertise at the show," she continues.

Hardware and Tools 2007 will run in conjunction with five other Messe Frankfurt shows; the ISH Kitchen and Bathroom show, the Light Middle East exhibition, the Hometech Middle East and Garden show, Landscaping Middle East and the Toy Fair Middle East exhibition. More than 18,000 visitors are expected to visit the five shows combined over the three days.