Musac at PALME 2005 set to hit all the right notes with the region's musical instrument industry

A highly focused B2B event, PALME is dedicated to putting key regional decision makers in contact with the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers. Clear evidence of this continuing commitment is the launch of three brand new vertical arenas at PALME 2005.

Extensive on-site visitor research at PALME 2004, plus subsequent discussions with the regional industry clearly identified the need for a dedicated event for musical instruments and accessories alongside the core PALME exhibition. Hence the creation of Musac, the first industry showcase of its kind in the region.

"With the valued support of VV & Sons, Peavey, Zak Electronics and Korg, the inaugural Musac will deliver a dedicated, specialist and unique regional forum which will showcase instruments and accessories from the world's leading manufacturers and regional distributors under one roof" said Darren Brechin, Project Director, PALME. "MUSAC gives the region its own bespoke event, one that we are confident will take its place on the global circuit - it will give visitors the chance to see and hear, first-hand, the best that the industry has to offer."

The comprehensive profile of Musac is all-encompassing - Musical instruments and accessories; music distribution; music publishing; music production; music promotion; music sheets; computer software for music plus merchandising and retail support.

Tony Sawyer of VV & Sons, who will be exhibiting the full range of Peavey musical instruments, is looking forward to Musac. "Peavey has never had the opportunity to expose its wide range of musical instruments in the Middle East before. People know the name, but most have only seen a small part of the range, which covers guitars, keyboards, drums, amps and cabs" he said. "Musac at PALME is the first event to focus on musical instruments in the region, and it was a logical move for us to get involved right from the start".

Musac is just one of three exciting new sector showcases that will further enhance the focus of PALME, providing an unrivalled platform for companies looking to maximise their share of the business opportunities throughout the MENA region. The highly lucrative Middle East sound and lighting sector alone is estimated to be worth $2 billion a year within five years, and major industry players are, therefore choosing PALME as the launch platform for new products and innovations - over 100 regional launches are expected to take place at PALME 2005.

Following the success of the inaugural show in 2003, PALME 2004 was an outstanding success, attracting 3,275 trade professionals from across the region, an increase of over 45% on 2003 figures. "One of the main reasons for PALME's huge success is that we always listen to our exhibitors and visitors and develop the event in line with international trends, the requirements of the region and the objectives and requirements of the industry in general" said Brechin. "Statistics clearly show that decision makers, specifiers and purchasers find that visiting PALME is highly beneficial."

Internationally acknowledged as the key forum for the industry in the Middle East, the event is supported by PLASA UK, the professional lighting and sound association (one of the few shows in the world to receive their official endorsement). Other major industry associations such as APIAS (Italy), Secarty's (Spain) and ILDA (U.S.) are also enthusiastic supporters.