New heavy industry show gets under way at Expo Centre Sharjah

The show was opened by Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa,Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Present at the opening ceremony were, Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, officials of various government departments, and members of the diplomatic corps and trade associations.

"The response to the inaugural show has been very good, as we have been successful in bringing exhibitors from various countries and they are regarded as technological leaders and key suppliers to the heavy industry," said Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa, after the opening ceremony.

Nearly 100 exhibitors and brands are showcasing exhibits related to steel making, cement manufacturing and other heavy core industry.The show features sub-sections such as Steel-Tech, Alu-Tech, Cement-Tech and Glass & Ceramic-Tech.

"The fact that we have brought together 60 exhibitors showcasing 100 brands despite the global financial turmoil stands testimony to the fact that enough business opportunities are available in the region and heavy industry is especially in focus here," said Mr Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa.

Direct exhibitors have come from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada,China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US.

"We have international companies like A-Tec, Christian Pfeiffer, Inductotherm, Reitz, Ajax Tocco, Aumund Group that are leaders in their field of supply worldwide, as well as locally based engineering houses like Synergy International, Al Taqaniah, Ocean Rubber, Karavan Refractory and Engineering Dynamics, which, with their overseas principles, provide engineering and service back-up to the regional heavy industry," said Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

"The response from India has been very encouraging and the show will feature more than 20 Indian brands. This is mainly due to the geographical proximity of the two markets, and the advantage seen in transferring the technical know-how of the Indian heavy industry to these emerging markets," Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa added.

"Some of the leading Indian names at the show are Tata Refractories, Vaas industries, Wearresist technologies Shanthi Gears, Tecknoweld, Duraweld, Keld Ellentoft, Electrotherm, Electro Magnetic Industries,
HimEnviro, Cumi Refractory and Elecon Gears," he added.

"The range of products that can be sourced and discussed at the show are also quite vast and varied, as visitors can enquire on grinding systems, conveying systems, bagging systems, maintenance and repair, refractory, induction furnaces, drive and transmission, etc. Thermal Industry Middle East will be an interesting show for visitors from the cement, steel, aluminium, glass, ceramics and other heavy industry segments in the Middle East," Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa said.

For the inaugural show, steel and cement will be key focus areas, mainly due to the relative larger number of plants in the Middle East.

Steel-Tech will feature suppliers of turnkey steel plants, furnaces, rolling mills, mill instrumentation, refractory, mill accessories & consumables, coil-handling machinery, galvanising & annealing lines and will attract visitors from the region's steel producers & steel mills, primary steel processors, tube and pipe manufacturers and steel wire manufacturers.

Steel Arabia 2009 conference, being held alongside Steel-Tech in association with ourmetals.com, will examine in detail the latest and future regional developments and changing trends in the steel, armature (rebar and galvanised steel) and raw materials sectors.

"Unlike hotel-based shows, TIME will be held at a full-fledged, state-of-the-art exhibition centre which will allow all exhibits, including oversized and heavy industrial components, to be displayed, creating a true touch-and-see exhibition experience. TIME will be 'free to attend' for all trade visitors with no delegate or entry fee charged, while the conference will host paid delegates," said Mr Khan.

"Inventories of most steel, aluminium, cement, glass and ceramics are coming down due to the continuing infrastructure projects in the country and the region. Industry watchers see this as a positive sign and expect demand to pick up in the near future. Moreover, most expansions and investments into major manufacturing facilities and companies are going ahead as per schedule. And this is sure to see good demand coming for core sector equipment," Mr Khan added.

Another key component of the show, Cement-Tech is poised to benefit from demand for cement from the infrastructure sector and trillion-dollar upgrades in production facilities. The sub-section will host the A-Z requirements of the industry, including raw materials, plant & equipment, equipment & supplies, accessories & supplies and services.

Cement Arabia 2009 conference, held on the sidelines of Cement-Tech in association with ourmetals.com, will discuss cement market in Middle East, its future trends and price dynamics; provide presentations from manufactures about new plants, expansions, challenges and examine regional construction sector and technology innovations.