Reed Exhibitions and MEED Conference to promote Dubai Aluminium International Week

Aluminium International Week is a major business and networking opportunity that combines a high-powered conference with an industry exhibition to be held in Dubai in March, 2009.

The Middle East Aluminium 2009 conference, organised by MEED, will take place from March 25-26 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai while Reed's Aluminium Dubai 2009 Exhibition and Conference takes place from March 29-31 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

"This agreement marks the first time in the region that organizers of separate aluminium events bring together two independent yet interrelated events in one city within a space of few days. This will give participants the opportunity to take part in both events, and leverage on the networking and information exchange facilitated at these key industry forums,"

said Tarek Ali, Show Manager, Aluminium Dubai 2009.

"The aluminium industry in the region is growing rapidly due to the many infrastructure projects that are currently being undertaken. MEED is keen to be a part of initiatives that promote the sector as well as the UAE as a key market for the aluminium industry," said Edmund O'Sullivan, Chairman, MEED Events.

The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region constitutes 3.5% of the total global demand for aluminium. This demand is expected to grow significantly with extrusion growing by 7.9% per annum by 2020, while rolling products registering a growth of 8.3% per annum. Casting is set to grow 4.7%. Aluminium production in the region is expected to top 6.1m tonnes by 2013 with 11 smelters in operation in the coming years.

MEED's Aluminium 2009 conference will feature expert speakers from EMAL, QATALUM, RUSAL, DUBAL (Dubai Aluminium Co), Gulf Extrusions, Asia Aluminium Holdings, ACWA Power, Worley Parsons, EMARAT, Alstom, ALUPCO (Aluminium Products Company), GARMCO (Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Co), ALUMCO, NAPCO and BAMCO.

Among the topics to be discussed are the drivers for Middle East investment in the aluminium sector, global aluminium trends and their impact on the region, market dynamics, challenges to increasing Middle East production capacity, stimulating downstream industry, trends in regional fabrication and the wider impact of the aluminium sector on the region's economy.

More than 100 exhibitors from over 22 countries, including aluminium manufacturers and suppliers of technology and equipment used in smelting, extrusion and fabrication of aluminium, will participate in the Aluminium Dubai 2009 exhibition. Other industrial services used in aluminium production such as tooling, plant equipment and engineering will also be showcased.

Several companies including Harbin Dongsheng Metal Co Ltd, Zenergy Power Pty Ltd, ALBA Tower Aluminium Factory Ltd, C.I.E. Compagnia Italiana Ecologia SRL and Claudius Peters Technologies GmbH will host workshops at Aluminium Dubai 2009.