International industrial heavyweights are lining up to demonstrate the latest technology at the upcoming Light Middle East, the leading industry networking and lighting sourcing exhibition and conference, as they look to win a share of the region’s rapidly expanding smart lighting market estimated to be worth over $2 billion by 2030.

More than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries have signed up for Light Middle East, which will run at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 15 to 17, with participants representing the full industry spectrum from the US in the north to Australia in the south, from Singapore in the east to Slovenia in the west, said the organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East.

“The response has been unprecedented with significant turnout from the UK, Europe and the US,” remarked Dishan Isaac, the senior show manager, Light Middle East. “The interest has been spurred by a forecasted 25.55 per cent uplift in the region’s smart lighting market within the next decade.”

Consultant TechSci Research says the sector will account for around $2.16 billion by 2030 with the UAE taking the lion’s share of 39 per cent, Saudi Arabia at 38 per cent, Qatar at 13 per cent and Kuwait at 5.8 per cent and the remainder being spread across the region.

LED technology will take up the majority of the market (75 per cent) with indoor lighting responsible for 75 per cent of business. Light controls will account for 48 per cent of business transacted, fixtures 42 per cent and smart bulbs 10 per cent, said Issac.

“Though the outdoor lighting sector only accounts for 25 per cent of the market, the smart outdoor solutions sector is expected to attain the highest compound annual growth,” he noted.

 TechSciResearch attributes the expected uptick to governments’ pro-energy-efficiency and smart city initiatives, growing preferences for secure, luxury homes and heightened demand in the Internet of Things (IoT) market.

It singles out the emergence of LI-FI (Light Fidelity) and other technological advancements, surging penetration of non-visible LED lighting, rising demand for real-time home security, and growing innovation and advancements in wireless technology as key market drivers.