Dubai Woodshow 2008 to host over 120 international exhibitors from across the globe

The presence of six national pavilions, amplified international delegations and companies from Japan, Switzerland and Denmark, to mark their first participation at the event are expected to gather considerable interest from attendees. Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions, organizers of the event, has projected an impressive participant turnout at the show, which is being held at the Dubai Airport Expo from February 5 - 7, 2008, with 80% of exhibitor spaces having already been sold out.

Building a reputation as a powerful platform to gather high-profile attendees, Dubai Woodshow leverages the presence of innovative technologies, state-of-the-art equipment and interactive seminars within the event to attract both regional and international players in the construction and furniture industries. As a result, the exhibition has experienced unprecedented growth in terms of its profile, which now encompasses a showcase of the top wood, wood products and machinery companies from more than 25 countries. Reflecting this tremendous development, the exhibition has achieved a remarkable 400% growth since its launch in 2006, with the 2008 edition of the show expecting a 150% increase in the number of attendees.

"The wood and wood products sector has largely benefited from the tremendous growth of the regional property development market, which is currently valued at $2.4 trillion. With $150bn worth of projects still in the pipeline, the future of the wood industry poses remarkable promise for further expansion,"

said Dawood Al Shezawi, Managing Director, Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions.

"The increased interest from wood suppliers from all over the world, as reflected by their tremendous presence in this year's Dubai Woodshow, bears witness to the growing importance of the role being played by the wood industry in the booming real estate market. We believe that the emergence of Dubai as a hub for the regional wood industry is being recognised by industry players, which will motivate them to support and fully leverage credible and established exhibitions such as Dubai Woodshow."

The regional business community has identified Dubai as a strategic exhibition destination due to its rapidly growing trading and commercial activities, particularly in the real estate, banking and technology sectors. Dubai has played host to numerous local and international exhibitions, with most of the events achieving a year-on-year increase of 30 to 40% and occasionally reaching a 60% growth. Surpassing all other exhibitions held in the emirate, Dubai Woodshow has performed well above the industry average, even exceeding its own records in the past two consecutive years.

"Dubai's ideal business and geographical landscape has drawn an enormous opportunity for the exhibition sector to thrive, as its strategic location, excellent connectivity and world-class logistics capability satisfy a wide array of industry requirements across the Arab world and beyond. Dubai Woodshow has been one of the large-scale exhibitions that has benefited from Dubai's prolific economic development, and we extremely pleased that our growth from the past years has outlined a pattern of successful ventures both for our exhibitors and the entire wood industry itself," concluded Al Shezawi.

In addition to globally-based wood manufacturers and traders, influential wood associations have also established their presence in the Dubai Woodshow, such as the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (Eumabois), Asociacion de Fabricantes Espanoles de Macquinaria (AFEMMA), American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tool Manufacturers' Association (ACIMALL), German Woodworking Machinery Association (VDMA) and Czech Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association (SVDSZ). The massive participation of these significant organisations, combined with the presence of local and international companies, has resulted in USD 50 million (AED 184 million) worth of closed deals within the previous event's two-day run to cap off its successful staging in 2007.