Jeddah’s mayor Dr Hani, left, and other officials tour the exhibition.

A TOTAL of 543 exhibitors from across 32 countries took part in The Big 5 Saudi 2014 that was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last month (9 to 12).

The fourth edition of the leading building and construction event was inaugurated by Dr Hani Abu Ras, the mayor of Jeddah. The event, which took place on an area of 10,282 sq m at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events, has now grown to encompass the entire space at the exhibition centre, as well as a specially constructed arena to meet participant demand.

Exhibitors showcased their latest products and technologies to support efficient and sustainable construction in the country at the event, which featured national pavilions from Germany, Italy, Greece, China and Turkey, among others.

A total of 10,724 visitors attended the show and had access to the new and free to attend two-day seminar series. The sessions covered a range of hot industry topics, with local, regional and international experts providing their insights and best practice examples. The free educational opportunities also included four onsite workshops, covering asset maintenance, concrete repair, project management and an introduction to Leed (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) version four.

The mayor opens the exhibition.

The mayor opens the exhibition.

A dedicated PMV Zone and a live demonstration area were among the features that were introduced to this year’s edition.

The PMV Zone, dedicated to plant, machinery and vehicles, showcased some of the ‘best in class’ of these products from around the globe. Located both inside and outside Hall One of the Jeddah Centre for Forum and Events, the PMV Zone offered purchasers of earthmoving equipment, lifting equipment, access equipment, generators and a full range of other heavy machinery and accessories the opportunity to see and assess the latest products from some of the leading construction equipment brands.

The newly introduced live demonstration arena allowed exhibitors to showcase their products in an “as-live” environment. The show also incorporated its popular features including the concrete repair workshop with world-renowned experts.