The Construction Sector Is Once Again Providing Work for The Regional Metal Working

The construction sector is once again providing work for the regional metal working and steel fabrication industry, thanks to mega projects worth billions of dollars that were announced recently in the UAE.

And, an upcoming trade show, SteelFab is set to showcase the technologies for the fabrication required to complete these projects. Set to be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from January 14th to 17th 2013, SteelFab, which had already assumed significance due to a growing economy, is now keenly awaited in anticipation of a surge in demand from the construction industry.

Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa director general of Expo Centre Sharjah said that "Before 2008, the regional steel fabrication was heavily driven by the construction industry. After that, sustenance continued with projects from the infrastructure, oil & gas, manufacturing, and rail projects. Now, with the return of mega projects, we are going to see good demand for products from the construction sector once again. The interest being shown by confirmed as well as prospective exhibitors are pointing at this trend."

Recently, Dubai unveiled the Mohammed Bin Rashid City, which consists of 100 hotels, the world's biggest shopping mall and a Universal Studios theme park. Other projects include USD 2.7 billion entertainment complex in Jebel Ali, a USD 1 billion replica of the Taj Mahal, a canal connecting Dubai's business district to the sea and Adnoc's large projects worth billions of dollars.

Mr Midfa said that "With the UAE ranking at 14th as the world's largest importer of steel products, SteelFab 2013 will continue to showcase the evolving growth of machinery and equipment in metal forming, surface preparation & finishing, grinding & cutting, machining & other allied engineering disciplines. It will also feature the largest welding & cutting segment to be found anywhere in the Middle East and North Africa."

For its 9 edition, SteelFab will host over 200 direct exhibitors from 24 countries who will display more than 600 international brands for steel machinery, welding equipment and surface preparation. Supported by UCIMU Association of Italian manufacturers of machine tools, robots, automation systems and ancillary products, the show will occupy 16,000 square meter of exhibition space.

He said that "Trade between the UAE and Germany is growing at a fast rate and machinery is one of the principal items that Germany exports to the UAE," adding that the importance German manufacturers are placing on the show.

He added that "This is the third time in a row the German pavilion is being organized as part of SteelFab and, with each participation, the number of exhibitors at the pavilion is increasing."

According to figures by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, which places the Europe's largest economy as the fourth largest trade partner of the Emirates, bilateral trade between the UAE and Germany rose nearly 120% from EUR 3.9 billion in 2004 to EUR 8.5 billion in 2011.