Major airport players descend on Dubai with USD billions at stake

Decision makers for airport projects worth an estimated $5.72 billion across the Middle East and North Africa alone have already confirmed their presence at the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition, taking place on 7-9 June at Airport Expo Dubai.

Event organisers, Streamline Marketing, will announce shortly the attendance of more consultants and civil aviation officials behind other Middle East airport developments. The Dubai event is now well established as a forum for the selection and pre-qualification of suppliers and contractors for the region's airport industry.

Among the invited targeted audience of regional departments of Civil Aviation, government departments, VIPs and UAE-based consultants and contractors is leading airport consultant Dar al Handasah, which will be seeking subcontractors for Dubai International Airport's US $4.2 billion expansion project.

Dar al Handasah is also involved in a US $540 million renovation project for airports in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh, part of the Egyptian Airports Company's overall development plan for all 21 airports in the country.

Held under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DDCA) and chairman of Emirates Airline, the exhibition will give participants the chance to meet official delegations representing the Departments of Civil Aviation in Sharjah and in Bahrain, where expansion works underway are worth an estimated $975 million. The DDCA and the regional airports in Qatar, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah have all booked dedicated exhibition stands, while the event is also enjoying the support of the UK and German governments.

"Of the 100 exhibitors participating last year, 92 per cent said they were likely to exhibit again, while the regional governments' ambitious airport development plans are gaining the attention of companies new to the Middle East market," said Nick Webb, director of Streamline Marketing.

The exhibitor line-up will include suppliers of a huge range of specialised equipment and services; from escalators, elevators, and moving walkways, to security and lighting systems, telecommunications, automated baggage systems, fixtures and fittings, signage and graphics, aircraft hangers and fire stations.

Among the other major projects of interest to them in the Middle East is the New Doha International Airport, worth $5 billion, while developments are also under way in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, Oman, Morocco, Ajman, Syria, Sharjah and Al Ain.

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 expansion, while representatives of the DCA authorities from neighbouring countries have also been encouraged to schedule meetings with exhibitors.

Last year, the Airport Build & Supply Exhibition attracted 1,679 targeted industry visitors from 45 countries. Most visitors came from the Gulf region's civil aviation authorities, while the Tanzanian Airports Authority, Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India also sent delegations to the event.