US companies out in force at The Big 5

Around 30 United States companies are taking part in the pavilion - a major breakthrough for the event.

Simon Mellor, Vice President Construction for organisers dmg world media, said:

"With the slowdown in the American construction market, we are seeing more US companies looking to strengthen their links and trade in the Arabian Gulf."

Efficient Building Systems' (EBS) innovative structural concrete forms is just one such product introduced to the Arabian Gulf market at The Big 5 - the biggest and most important exhibition for the Middle East building and construction industry.

The EBS stay-in-place forms are shipped to building sites, erected, and filled with concrete. Upper floors can also be built without waiting for the concrete to cure in lower levels, meaning projects can be completed much faster. The surfaces of the forms developed by the Florida company are ready to be painted and insulation, electrical boxes and conduits can be included within them so that finishing can start the day following the pour.

Construction using the forms is faster, stronger and usually at a lower cost than pre-cast concrete. Compared with concrete block, they also require less time and less skilled labour.

Another Florida company, Tucker's Machine and Steel Service, is also taking part in The Big 5 with one of the most advanced pieces of form-filling equipment for the pre-stressed concrete industry. The T-630 is designed to quickly and efficiently move concrete from a batch plant to nearby forms and rapidly fill them with pinpoint accuracy. Dubai's House of Equipment is the exclusive distributor in the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan and Oman for the T-630.

The Big 5 taking place at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre until 27 November 2008 is the largest trade fair for the building and construction sector in the Arabian Gulf and one of the world's largest shows for the construction industry and associated suppliers. There are more than 3200 exhibiting companies.

The Big 5 PMV - The Middle East's premier construction plant, machinery and vehicles show - is running alongside The Big 5 exhibition.