Middle East's largest display of Italian products to begin at Expo Centre Sharjah on May 23

The exhibition, which will be in its third edition this year, will focus on Italian products, services, and technologies related to the building, construction, and contracting sectors.

Among the products that will be displayed at the event are building material, accessories, furniture, home furnishings, home accessories, bathroom fittings, sanitary ware, kitchen fittings and equipment, windows and doors, flooring material, ceramic products and accessories, wooden products, metallic and compound materials, and lighting equipment.

'The Italian building materials industry, especially the cement, ceramics, bricks, glass and the woodworking segments, is making major inroads in to the global construction sector due to the superior quality products that it manufactures,' said Mr. Saif Al Midfa, Director General, Expo Centre Sharjah.

'With the Italian Lifestyle in the Emirates Exhibition focusing on the building, construction and contracting sectors, the Middle East construction industry, which is currently at its peak, will get an opportunity to experience Italian excellence and aesthetics first hand,' he added.

The Middle East construction industry is presently experiencing a major boom. Currently, there are 1,400 on-going projects in the Gulf region with a value of over USD $ 695 billion. The total construction spend in the GCC, Iran, and Iraq, at present is around USD $ 294 billion. It is estimated that in the next five years, the GCC region will spend USD $ 200 billion on construction projects.

Besides showcasing a wide range of Italian products, services and technologies related to the building, construction, and contracting sectors, the coming edition of the Italian Lifestyle in the Emirates Exhibition will be an ideal opportunity for regional companies to network and establish contacts with Italian companies seeking to identify local partners.

The Italian Lifestyle in the Emirates Exhibition this year will feature 140 leading Italian companies and service providers occupying two halls at Expo Centre Sharjah measuring 8,000 sq. m.

Some of the major participants at the event include GIANNI SEGUSO (Murano glass manufacturer), FRANCO LAPINI (producer of hand crafted hotel equipments made of sterling silver and silver), PIAROTTO LEGNO (furniture manufacturer), COLLE VILCA (makers of hand crafted crystal), and CADORE ARREDAMENTI (furniture manufacturer) among others.

Though the primary focus of the event will be on construction related products, services and technologies, a limited number of Italian food companies will also be participating in it. Italian food is considered to be one of the richest and most varied in the world.

The Italian Lifestyle in the Emirates Exhibition is being jointly organised by the Italian Trade Commission in Dubai, Artex, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the UAE and GCC, and Expo Centre Sharjah.