Aluminium Dubai 2009 opens with 100% increase in exhibitors

Organised by Reed Exhibitions Middle East, Aluminium Dubai features 166 companies from 24 countries and occupies 6,000 sq.m of exhibit space at the Sheikh Rashid Hall at DICEC. The show has recorded a 100% growth in exhibiting companies and a 150% increase in exhibit space demand as compared to the 2007 edition.

After the ribbon-cutting to open Aluminium Dubai 2009, HH Sheikh Hamdan toured the show and met with international and local exhibitors at their stands. He was accompanied on the tour by HE Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of DUBAL and Chairman of Emirates NBD, as well as top industry officials including Duncan Hedditch, CEO of Emal.

Besides Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and Emirates Aluminium (Emal), key UAE exhibitors at the show include Al Jaber Aluminium Extrusions, Alba Tower Aluminium Factory Ltd, ATBIN International, Gulf Extrusion, Inma-Gulf Development and Construction LLC, CIE Environment Dubai and Smartouch, among others. Emirates Extrusion, Flexipack FZE and Everlast Access Technology are part of the Dubai Export Development Company stand, promoting UAE products to international and local buyers.

International exhibitors include SMS Demage, FATA Group, Zenergy Power Pty Ltd, Hydro ASA, RHI AG, Harbin Dongsheng Metal Co. Ltd and, Nanjing Welbow Metals Co. Ltd,, to name a few. Germany and Norway will have national pavilions at the event.

Over 3000 visitors from more than 18 countries including Mexico, Canada, the US, Australia, India, the UAE and other Gulf countries are expected to attend. Pre-registered visitors include senior executives from major industry players such as Qatalum, MA'ADEN, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Alcan Middle East, ABB, ADMA and Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporations (ADBIC).

Tarek Ali, Show Manager of Aluminium Dubai, said:

"We are very pleased with the active interest in the show from all our key audiences via Aluminium Dubai, it is our intention to provide an outstanding business and networking opportunity for the region's aluminium industry, and with the support we have received from the UAE's leadership, we are convinced that this objective has been met."

Over 40% of exhibiting companies this year are showcasing midstream technologies such as aluminium extrusion, casting and heat treatment, while smelting, plant engineering, fabrication and other technologies make up the rest.

The exhibitor portfolio at this year's edition includes products used for building and construction, transportation, electrical and mechanical engineering, factory equipment, packaging, and container construction, as well as those used in design-oriented applications, said Ali.

According to industry estimates, the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) region is poised to emerge as the world's largest aluminium producing region by 2018. Aluminium production in the region is expected to top 6.1 million tonnes by 2013.

The GCC currently accounts for 4% of global aluminium production but this share is expected to go up to 10% by 2010. Currently, the Gulf's two operating smelters are Dubai Aluminum (Dubal), which produces about 900,000 tonnes of aluminium a year, and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), with a capacity of 860,000 tonnes. Another 11 smelters are either under construction or in the planning stage in the Gulf.

The region currently 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 will register a growth of 8.3% per annum with casting is set to grow 4.7%.

Aluminium Dubai will also provide an opportunity for exhibitors to host live demonstrations of their products and technologies for heat-treatment, at a dedicated demo area within the exhibition hall at DICEC. Menphis and Aluitalia will demonstrate new machines for aluminium fabrication while Emal will display photographs detailing the progress of construction at the Emal smelter in Taweelah.