Huge new Saudi investments provide impetus for Gulf Industry Fair 2010

To be held at Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) from 12 to 14 January 2010, GIF is set to build on momentum generated by the 2009 show, when more than 120 exhibitors showcased their products and services to decision makers and visitors from around the world.

The high profile exhibition, billed as the most important and comprehensive industry-related exhibition in the northern Gulf, provides a highly targeted opportunity for companies and organisations marketing products or services aimed at the Northern Gulf's industrial sector.

Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director, HCE, said interest in GIF 2010 among companies supplying products and services to industries in the northern Gulf was being propelled strongly by market opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

"The Kingdom is witnessing huge investments in iron, steel, aluminium and petrochemicals. Some optimism is also returning to the market as the global economy recovers from the uncertainties of 2009. Dynamic regional industrial players view GIF as the start of an exciting new chapter, an unmissable opportunity to make fresh statements to target markets," he said.

Industrial investments in Saudi Arabia are led by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), which is expected to spend a minimum of $48bn on 30 major petrochemical projects between 2011 and 2020, and the Saudi Electricity Company, which plans to invest $51bn on increasing electricity production capacity by 60% by 2015.

GIF 2010 will feature a diverse and dynamic mix companies looking to establish or enhance their market footprint in the northern Gulf, from large national industries and well-established downstream suppliers to innovative new enterprises. The exhibition covers industrial segments including aluminium, machine tools, industrial equipment and manufacturing, automation, metal, energy, logistics and metrology. The Fair also provides a unique opportunity for the operators of industrial areas and free zones to meet an interested market of decision makers in the manufacturing and distribution sectors.