Co.Me, which made its debut at The Big 5 show, said it was successful in identifying concrete sales opportunities and the potential to develop new projects and research, thanks to its participation.

“Our first experience of this fair in Dubaiwas beyond our expectations,” said Andrei Belcev, marketing director, research and development co-ordinator and quality control manager.

“We are aware that the Middle East area is a very important and strategic zone for our brand, and the increasing interest in our products has confirmed the quality and the validity of our technical and productive solutions. Though it’s too early to provide details of the proposals we received during the exhibition, we can confirm that we got concrete sales opportunities and scope to develop new projects and research,” he added.

“The show provided a platform to interact not only with the end-users who are familiar with our products but also with new customers,” said Simone Cecchin, general sales manager. “We had a chance to provide visitors with accurate sales information and technical details, thanks to The Big 5.”

Co.Me’s stall at the event showcased building and decoration tools that catered to the specific needs of the regional markets.

One of the most innovative products the company displayed was the Oval trowel, an implement created in partnership with a reputed English academy for decorative effects. It can be used on round and curved surfaces such as those of galleries, arches and domes. Co.Me also presented a re-styled Silver Bull line – a range of tools targeting exclusively the North African and Middle Eastern (Mena) markets in terms of design and features.

Belcev said the fair also helped assess the response of the UAE market to Co.Me’s products, especially since the company is planning to set up its regional headquarters in Dubai. “We’re planning to set up an office and a fully-equipped warehouse to cater to retailers, wholesalers and contractors, small and medium enterprises, who constitute big market potential.”

According to him, a local base will cut transit time and cost and help Co.Me offer products at competitive prices.
Co.Me’s business is mostly focused on countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait where it is represented by agents and distributors. “Our aim is to build a strong market for professional users by making them aware of how to use the products and maintain them,” he said.

Some of the significant developments that have taken place at the company include redesigning of its production layout and the construction of a warehouse. Additionally, quality control on products has been intensified, the entire production process has been automated and new decoration tools like the Oval have been developed.

To support its product research, Belcev said, the company has entered into new ties with academies in the US and UK. Further, Co.Me has been exploring new business opportunities in countries like Qatar, Iraq and Lebanon, in addition to Mongolia and Uzbekistan.

Commenting on the business outlook, Belcev said the Middle East holds better prospects for the company than the Europe. The construction industry in Europe is stagnant with the scope for tools being restricted to the building renovation market, though decoration tools have registered an increase in demand. “The Middle East accounts for about 70 per cent of our overseas turnover,” he said.