Portuguese push to 'dress up your home' at INDEX

Portugal the world's third largest exporter of high quality textiles and fabrics is exhibiting at INDEX 2005 under the theme of "Dress up your home". Participants on the Portuguese Pavilion, which include some of the world's largest manufacturers of interior finishes, traditionally export to markets in USA, Spain, France and Italy. However, Portuguese companies are now realising the exceptional market potential in the Middle East, through the Portuguese Trade Centre (ICEP) office in Dubai and are experiencing strong sales growth due to their exceptional quality and highly competitive pricing.

Carlos Carvalho Costa, Director of the Portuguese Trade Centre, based in Dubai commented,

"INDEX is the gateway to the furnishings and interiors market in the Middle East. Portuguese products have gained an enviable international reputation for excellent quality at very competitive prices and are now successfully competing with other European market sources".

The sectors represented at the show this year are, home textiles, ceramics and decorative ceramics, tableware porcelain, artwork and framed art, kitchen equipment and decorative accessories and structural components. The Portuguese contingent consists of industry heavyweights such as Bonvida, which produces over one million raw articles of porcelain products each month, Textels J.F. Almeida, who are one of the largest Portuguese producers of terry towels and table linen, Probos, Resinas e Plasticos, who under the brand name Proadec, are one of the largest manufacturers of edgebanding for the furniture industry and Sonae Industria a major global player in the wood based panels business.

Grestel specialises in stoneware with attractive colors and styles, and is another of Portugal's key export companies. Amongst Portugal's top kitchen equipment lines, FRASA will showcase the latest trends in new steel products. B. Sousa Dias, Sorema, Domingos Almeida, Penedo, Bordalima and Borfil, who produce quality textiles for the hospitality and retail markets will also be on show.

One truly unique aspect of the Portuguese Pavilion this year is the artwork sector which is being represented by renowned Portuguese icons 'The Polo Art' and 'Ernesto Santos', who make abstract paintings and sculptures of different textures and materials, such as resins, acrylics, glass, oil paints and wood.

Costa added, "These are unique and exquisite works of art and can be supplied in volume to adorn grand scale or major projects. Not only are they unique, they are highly decorative and the perfect solution to providing the region's iconic projects with an exclusive 'designer' feel at an affordable price".

INDEX 2005 takes place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC) on 28 November to 2 December 2005.

The Portuguese Pavilion can be found in Hall 3 and Sheikh Rashid Hall.