Optical Middle East generates wealth of new opportunities and business for participants

The exhibition which closed yesterday attracted numerous trade professionals representing a broad regional cross-section and several exhibitors said the number of visitors from Iran was higher than ever before.

Satis Vacuum Industries, an exhibitor from Switzerland, which has participated in the event since its inception, claims that roughly 40 per cent of its overall business in the region is generated through the biennial event and this year the show again provided important new contacts.

"During the exhibition this year we sold two coating machines that integrate the newest technology available, one to Egma Lens in Dubai and another to a firm in India. We are anticipating concluding at least two more deals before the show ends," said Silvano Salina, Manager of Satis Vaccum, adding that the value of deals confirmed exceeded $US 900,000 mid-way through the event.

Meanwhile, Cerium Optical of the UK reported sales of more than $US 50,000. Ronak Overseas of India; Texpo International of Hong Kong, which specializes in spectacle cases; Yves Cogan SA of France; Hoon Sung Optical Co. of Korea; Zhenjian Wanxih Optical of China and locally-based Look Optics also reported brisk business and said they finalized deals during the exhibition.

The companies exhibiting tools, machinery and equipment for the optical and ophthalmic sectors were particularly enthusiastic about the leads generated. A representative from Gerber Coburn, which featured a lens laminating machine that could enable opticians to produce prescription lenses within an hour, said it fielded inquiries from visitors from Kenya and Eritrea as well as various Gulf countries.

Bernd Pigorsch of German-based Breitfeld-Schliekert, manufacturers of parts, tools and small machinery for the optical sector, said he believes the company can double its annual sales in the region within two to three years. He said they may also appoint distributors in Dubai and Kuwait following discussions held during the event.

Mahr General Trading, a local company that provides optical equipment that participated in the event for the first time this year, said one of the new products it showcased, its LM-8 Lensmeter, generated significant interest, particularly among visitors from Iran, Jordan and the UAE.

"We are quite pleased with the response we've had and expect to be back for the next edition," said Hiba Al-Khateeb.

LTL Spa, a lens manufacturer from Italy, another newcomer to the show. has been providing optical lenses to Middle East markets for the past three years. Mauro Maloberti, the company's Export and Sales Manager, says the exhibition enabled him to make important new inroads with trade professionals from Iran and that, given the region's growth potential, he will recommend the company open an office in Dubai within the next year.

Stephanie Dorin, Export Manager for Wood France, which specializes in frames, said she met with traders from throughout the region, including visitors from India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE and said the company appointed Al Maghraby, as its distributor in Saudi Arabia during the exhibition.

Meanwhile, the manager of Dahmmi Ind. Co. Ltd. (DMC Group), a newcomer from Korea, said he is confident that the contacts he made at the exhibition will enable him to boost exports to the region from his current US $300,000 to $US 1 million within the next year. The company markets a range of lens cleaning cloths featuring ultrafine microfibers and has business links with more than 200 optical brands already.

More than 85 exhibitors - with more than one-third from Europe - including France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Austria - participated in Optical Middle East 2002. Other countries to have a presence included Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.

The biennial exhibition showcased a wide-range of products and services from the optical and ophthalmic industry, which industry sources say is worth an estimated US$2 billion (Dhs 7.35 billion) in the Middle East region.

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