Major airport players descend on Dubai

The Airport Build & Supply Exhibition and Conference will be officially opened on Monday by its patron, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Emirates Airline and President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation.

With major airport developments now under way in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, Oman, Morocco and Syria, it is no surprise that leading manufacturers from all over the world are flocking to Dubai.

Organised by event management and marketing specialists Streamline Marketing, the three-day event will gather 100 exhibitors representing 23 countries under one roof at Airport Expo Dubai.

A huge range of specialised equipment and services on show includes escalators, elevators, and moving walkways, security and lighting systems, telecommunications, automated baggage systems, fixtures and fittings, signage and graphics, first and business class lounges, aircraft hangers and fire stations.

'With visitors including key players on regional airport projects, government departments, VIPs and UAE-based consultants and contractors, the exhibition presents superb opportunities for airport suppliers' said Joanne Evans, director of Streamline Marketing.

The Departments of Civil Aviation from Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Dhahran have all taken dedicated stands to promote their expansion plans at the exhibition.

In addition, the DCA authorities in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Bahrain, as well as Doha International Airport, Tanzania Airports Authority, Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India, have committed to sending official delegations to the event.

Private meetings have been pre-arranged for each exhibitor with the relevant project manager, engineer or architect in the Dubai DCA, enabling suppliers to discuss Dubai International Airport's US $ 4.1 billion expansion, while representatives of the DCA authorities from neighbouring countries have also been encouraged to schedule meetings with exhibitors.

Among the extensive line-up of exhibitors competing for lucrative Middle East contacts is Vanderlande Industries, the German designer and manufacturer of automated material handling solutions for distribution centres, e-fulfillment centres, express parcel sorting facilities, manufacturing operations and baggage handling systems.

The company, whose expertise has been successfully used at the airports in Hong Kong, Munich, Paris, Sydney, Oslo, Zurich, Manchester and Amsterdam, hopes to make a big impact with its technology allowing the integration of hold baggage screening equipment into new and existing airport baggage handling hardware and software systems.

Another German company, first-time exhibitor Effertz Tore will launch a new fire protection finish, specially designed to contain fires within crowded areas and high-rise buildings, where the risk of casualties is amongst the greatest. The finish can withhold fire for up to two hours, says the company, which is represented in the UAE by Al Khaleej Metal Coat.

IT leader HP will use its debut at the event to highlight its expertise in designing, implementing and managing wireless business applications and broadband networks for operators, carriers and other public and private airport users.

While wired networks and communications systems still have their place in airport applications, wireless technology has a number of advantages, the company claims.

Wireless communications provide an 'anytime, anywhere' service for all airport stakeholders at lower investment and operating costs, while they also can consolidate voice and data networks, thus eliminating the need for radio communication systems.