Good visitor turnout marks Sharjah trade fair

During its three-day run, it succeeded in attracting 1,651 trade visitors from 26 countries and opened up new opportunities for the industry despite the global financial crisis and its fallout on the region. The show was held from March 16 to18 at Expo Centre Sharjah.

"Doors & Windows, Roofs & Walls 2009 has concluded on a successful note. Throughout the show, we have noticed that though everybody is talking about an economic downturn and financial crunch, there were enough visitors and exhibitors were highly satisfied with the results achieved,"

said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah.

According to a straw poll conducted among the exhibitors, most reported receiving confirmed orders, while others said they have received numerous enquiries, some of which could be converted into sales in the near future.

Al Quswa General Trading, Sharjah, is among the companies that received confirmed orders for its Turkish and Italian doors, said its General Manager Fakhri F. Amer. "We had a good show," he said.

Venezia General Trading, Dubai, also received orders for Italian doors, said Hamdi, its Manager.

Display in the doors category included classic front doors to sleek, high-security, modern ones, some of which could be customised according to the needs of the buyers. Composite doors engineered to withstand the rigours of nearly any environment, while being crafted to emulate the rich, appealing look and feel of solid wood doors were in good demand.

In the same category, standard one-piece doors, bi-fold doors, Dutch doors, saloon doors, batwing doors, blind doors, French doors, louvred doors, flush doors and sliding doors also attracted huge interest from visitors.

The exhibition also threw up opportunities for exhibitors to explore joint ventures and tie-ups. The participation in the show has helped PT Sumatera Timberindo Industry from Indonesia to appoint an agent for the UAE, said Wihant Ongosari, its General Manager. "Now we will have a presence here through our agent," said Ongosari.

The exhibitor retention rate has also been high for the show due to the exclusivity of the trading platform and the good economic fundamentals of the country and the region. "We have had a decent show, and we are booking space for the next edition of the show since we are sure that things will improve by end of this year or early next year," said an exhibitor dealing in doors and windows who did not give his name.

The credibility the sourcing platform commands in the Middle East construction industry and the focused and exclusive product profile the show provided were key factors that helped in attracting quality visitors to the show.

Most of the exhibitors, including Ascend Access System Scaffolding, Dubai, Tiger Profiles and Insulation and Arabian Source Manufacturing, Ajman, were satisfied with the visitor turnout as well as the business leads they received at the show. They also said that the quality of visitors was much higher than that seen in other shows.

For trade visitors, mainly from the construction industry and related sectors, the show was an excellent opportunity to source all their requirements under a single roof.

"I found all my requirements here, but the best part is, I could negotiate better deals for all my purchases too. That's a welcome change during these tough times," said Abdullah, who works for a contracting company in Sharjah.

Doors, Windows, Roofs & Walls 2009 displayed products including windows, doors, grills, gates, shutters and sun protection, profies & insulation, louver blinds and interior roller blinds, glass and glass products, paints and chemicals, tensile membrane, raw material, accessories, curtains, wall coverings, locks, access control systems, and door operating devices.

Gulf Glass 2009, the only dedicated event for glass machinery, processing & supplies exhibition in the country, was co-organised along with Doors, Windows, Roofs & Walls 2009. It offered a good opportunity for visitors to check out their requirements of glass products and equipment at the same venue.

Doors, Windows, Roofs & Walls 2009 was organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.