Oud manufacturer pulls strings for sales success at PALME 2007

At an event that showcases the very latest, high-tech audio visual equipment and instruments, the spotlight fell on the Arabian oud on PALME's second day as manufacturers of the traditional wooden instrument reported a 25 per cent increase in sales in 2005 and consistent year-on-year growth in the market.

"Demand for the Arabian oud is growing," said Mohammed Saleem Butt, Managing Director of Saleem Musical Instruments, one of 272 exhibitors representing 800 companies at the three-day exhibition. "I've been in the industry for 25 years and the market has never been as strong as it is today.

"In 2006, our sales of ouds increased by 25 per cent over the previous year, while the increase in the sales of strings was up by more than 50 per cent, from Euros 35,000 in 2005 to Euros 85,000 last year."

Saleem's company manufactures ouds at its regional workshop in Kuwait and is also the exclusive distributor of Thomastik strings in the Middle East. He attributed the growing demand for ouds to an emphasis among the region's leaders on preserving Arabian heritage. In markets such as Kuwait, education also plays a key role, as school children are encouraged to play stringed instruments.

Manufactured with wood from Germany, India and Pakistan - including the same spruce used on Hofner guitars - Saleem's ouds retail from upwards of US$350. At PALME this week a customer paid US$2,500 for a single oud.

While demand for ouds is particularly strong in the Middle East, Saleem reported interest from the United States. "The USA is a big market for us, and it's not just Arab-Americans who want the instruments, but other musicians and even non-musicians who appreciate its distinctive appearance and want to display it in their homes."

PALME Middle East 2007, which covers the entire spectrum of the entertainment and event management profession, includes three dedicated vertical shows catering to separate but complementary sectors - Install, Event 360 and MUSAC.

Darren Brechin, Group Exhibitions Director, Entertainment & Installation Technology Group, for exhibition organisers IIR Worldwide said, "PALME Middle East 2007 is a regional showcase for the very latest, state-of-the-art technology, but in the drive for progress and modernisation in the Middle East, we must never overlook the region's rich heritage. So we're pleased that the event is as much of a platform for the Arabian oud as it is for the latest high-tech equipment and instruments."