Intermat Middle East opens in Abu Dhabi

The third Intermat Middle East exhibition has opened in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with the opening ceremony being performed by His Excellency Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al-Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works. The exhibition is a joint venture between Comexposium, the organiser of the Intermat exhibition in Paris, France and Clarion Events Middle East.

Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the show features 130 exhibitors, representing 200 brands in the construction equipment industry.

Intermat exhibition director Maryvonne Lanoe said, “2013 was not the biggest year in market history for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area, despite the growth seen in promising areas such as Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq. However, the announcement of the World Expo in Dubai has already fuelled the market with orders for road building, sewerage works, transport and tourism infrastructure.”

The significance of the World Expo for the market has been confirmed by several Intermat Middle East exhibitors and other industry figures in the region. Ahmad Halwani, general manager for dealer Famco, which is not exhibiting at Intermat Middle East said, “Last year and the start of this year has seen good demand in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with genuine plans to invest in infrastructure such as airports and highways. Dubai winning the Expo 2020 will be a big driver, so we see a genuine requirement for machines.”

Famco represents Volvo Construction Equipment, among other brands in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Laurent Berthouloux, regional sales director for French generator manufacturer SDMO said, “Dubai 2020 means there is growth and there will be space for newcomers, but (in the UAE rental segment) they will be established players from other parts of the world, with experience.”

He added, “Recruitment is an issue. It’s not easy to find good people.”