Amidst the news of companies signing deals worth millions of dollars, a vast majority of the exhibitors at the first-ever Gulf’s International Exhibition for Building and Interior Design (gulfBID 2006) – which concluded last month at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre – said they definitely would be back for next year’s event, based on the response they had received during the show.

The three-day event – held under the patronage of Bahrain’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa – attracted significant interest from regional and international exhibitors, with a total of 135 companies from all around the world having exhibited at the show. The exhibition was jointly organised by dmg world media and Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE).
dmg is the organiser of Big 5 and Index, the region’s largest construction and interior design exhibitions, being held in Dubai in October and November, respectively.
One of the highlights of gulfBID 2006 came from Bahraini architectural firm Collage, which announced contracts estimated to run into millions of dollars, while other firms like Arqadia, Ceramica Delmon Company and Artland Gallerie were also among the success stories of the show.
Amidst the brisk business generated, the verdict of the exhibitors was almost unanimous: gulfBID 2006 was an unqualified success.
BlueBoxME marketing manager Tafseen Elahi said he was delighted by the response. “Our stand was one of the busiest at the hall and by the afternoon of the second day we had run through all our brochures and entertained more than 1,200 visitors,” he said. “We have had nine partnership offers – from Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi and Qatar. We will be definitely here next year.”
EcoQuest’s international sales manager Hugh Sylvester said it had had a very successful run with several serious enquiries. Sylvester said the interest level for the company, which already has distributors in Dubai and Bahrain, was “unprecedented.”
“We will be a regular here,” he added.
Royal Doors’ Ridha Al Malik, said there was a good response from trade visitors, especially those from Saudi Arabia. “We’ve had 15 contacts from Saudi Arabia, all seeking agency rights for our traditional doors, as well as several interested buyers. “Next year we will be definitely there.”
Oman’s Sadolin Paints received enquiries from Saudi Arabia for dealerships and “would be giving them serious thought”, according to sales development manager John Mendes. “We would certainly like to be here next year,” he said.
Falcon Industries technical design engineer S Rajkumar said there was a very good response to the company’s new range of Alpobond composite panels. “We will be back,” he said.
Artland Gallerie also had its share of success. “We have already presold 10 beds – the first having been sold within minutes of the opening of the exhibition,” says Heni Ngikuru, a Sydney-based interior and fabric designer with Martheni Design, exhibiting at Artland Gallerie’s stand. “The visitors have been highly impressed with my collection. I am flying to Kuwait on an invitation from a visitor.”
“Yes, we will definitely be back again next year,” says Reiner Lingelbach of Degussa (Advanced Polymer Shapes), which is exhibiting alongside its Dubai-based agent Blue Rhine. “In fact, if we can get other divisions within our company such as the paints section, we may take up space on our own.”
Khazana marketing manager Mubashir Hussain said: “We are looking for exposure and this exhibition provides a nice platform. Exposure is important, business will follow later.”
Bassim Al Saie, general manager of Installux Gulf, said: “Yes, we will be back next year. The show is well-organised and we’ve had good response. It can only get better.”
Jane Dempster from Floors at Home said   that a trade visitor had offered to buy her “entire display”.
But perhaps the highest praise for the exhibition came from Reynaers Middle East’s managing director Ali Khalaf. “We had visitors coming not only from the Gulf but also from Turkey and Jordan. It’s the best construction show that Bahrain has ever held.”
gulfBID 2006 showcased a wide range of products serving the construction sector, including building materials, heating and cooling technologies, water technologies and environment, flooring, cleaning and maintenance, glass and aluminium, roofing and cladding, real estate and architecture and engineering. It also featured interior design products and services including furniture, fabrics, wall coverings, lighting, bathrooms and kitchens, artworks and accessories as well as marble and stonework.
In addition to the Gulf, exhibitors also came from the UK, Korea, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Germany, Spain and Italy.
The trade show attracted visitors from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the UAE, as well as further afield primarily from the UK, Egypt, South Africa, Germany, Greece and Singapore.
The next gulfBID will be held from May 15 to 17, 2007.