New Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre prompts record interest in IDEX 2007

In Paris, the IDEX/ADNEC stand had a prominent and accessible location and staff was continually in demand to meet the requests of existing and potential exhibitors for space in the February show. By show's end, staff members were scrambling to find any space at all for new exhibitors wishing to show at IDEX, as space was for all intents and purposes, sold out.

"We anticipated strong interest for IDEX 2007 but were pleasantly surprised by the demand for exhibit space from national delegations as well as the international industry," a spokesman for ADNEC said at Farnborough. "Exhibitors are very excited about the new ADNEC venue, which will put all exhibitors under one roof in a world class facility," the spokesman explained.

The biennial Farnborough International Airshow is the world's largest aerospace event attracting exhibitors from more than 30 countries and over 130,000 trade visitors. "We are just putting the final touches on exhibitor requests here at Farnborough from the aviation sector. Farnborough attracts a strong rotor wing and UAV component that also exhibit at the next major tri-service defence show, which is IDEX in February 2007," the ADNEC spokesman said.

The IDEX/ADNEC stand at Farnborough features several large architectural renderings of the new Exhibition Centre with its futuristic hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2009, a year after the full exhibition centre is completed. The main exhibition halls, where IDEX 2007 will be held, are on schedule for a completion date at the end of this coming December.

Show visitors have a tendency to stop in front of the stand just to take in the eye-catching display. At Eurosatory, the stand was located in the centre of the main hall and directly across from the 40 companies housed in the Turkish national delegation.

It is no coincidence that Turkey, with its new emphasis on defence exports will be the largest exhibitor in terms of indoor floor space at IDEX 2007. Murad Bayar, Turkey's Undersecretary for Defence Industries said Turkey is planning to showcase its capabilities in many defence sectors at IDEX 2007.

"We are well placed to assist countries wishing to acquire tested products that meet NATO interoperability standards. Look at the F-16s we have operated for many years. We have maintenance facilities specifically tailored to that aircraft. For land forces as well, IDEX complements our national interest in trying to shift from procurement to partnership agreements, particularly with those countries who are our neighbours within the region," Bayar said.

Rising international concerns about the possibility of political instability in the region are also focusing attention on IDEX 2007 as an important window into the Gulf region. As Joseph Hollis of the Association of the US Army put it, "IDEX is one of only four shows we go to. We feel that our presence at IDEX is very critical for US relations, as it is part of our Association's business plan to ensure the American defence industry through the Association has a presence in several areas of the world, including the Middle East. We choose participating at IDEX as the means of doing just that."