Buoyed by its success at last year's Big 5 show, the Building Centre is looking forward to welcoming another 21 companies to the British Pavilion, of which 13 are completely new to the Middle East market.

The Building Centre is coordinating one of the two UK Pavilions at this year's edition of the Big 5 in partnership with Montgomery International and with the support of Trade Partners UK.

Many of our exhibitors from last year enjoyed great success from the show and are returning on bigger stands this year, setting a great example to the debutants at this year's event, says Michael Rose of the Building Centre.

Elaborating on the success achieved by last year's exhibitors, Rose says: After the success of last year's show, W Neal Services, for example, will once again be exhibiting at the Big 5 2003 with a larger stand and more products. W Neal Services manufactures rollformers (Pittsburgh Lock) and other sheet metal working machinery including folders, swagers and bending rolls. It also has a large stock of fully-reconditioned machines.

Campbell Marson also enjoyed great success at last year's show and has supplied flooring to the new Ibis Hotel adjacent to the conference centre. This year the company plans to exhibit more of its hardwood flooring products, offering popular timbers such as merbau, maple, cheery and walnut.

Audience Systems is another exhibitor who will be returning to the Big 5 this year following its success at last year's edition. Audience Systems is a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of fixed and telescopic seating systems for educational and sporting facilities, theatres and arenas. Projects currently being undertaken in the region include the Al Sadd Sports Club, Qatar (for the Asian Games) and a boys elementary school in Riyadh.

The Building Centre represents the small to medium enterprises (SMEs) of the building and construction industry in the UK, and involves itself in promoting a variety of export opportunities to its members.

The Building Centre has been fully accredited by Trade Partners UK, the export arm of the British government, and helps its members and other SMEs in the construction industry to break into new export markets through participation in international events. This is facilitated through its partnership with Montgomery International, which has more than 100 years' experience in organising exhibitions and was appointed to act as the Building Centre's agent in organising the UK Pavilions at events such as the Big 5.

Trade Partners UK is able to assist UK companies which exhibit as part of the Building Centre/Montgomery International UK Pavilion by providing them with in-depth market and sector knowledge, financial support in the way of Sesa (Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad) grants and general assistance wherever necessary.

Hema.com one of the leading manufacturers of solid woods, engineering woods, laminates, underlay and accessories is one such company that has benefited greatly from the Sesa scheme and has broken into a number of export markets as a result. It is launching a development in parquet flooring at the Big 5 2003, which will be available in many colours including walnut, wenge, jatoba and merbau.

The Building Centre will be welcoming a variety of UK companies to its pavilion this year, ranging from manufacturers of sewage treatment plants (Balmoral Tanks) or reduced vibration tools and equipment (Trelawny Surface Preparation) to sealing systems for doors (Lorient Polyproducts) and door manufacturers (American Timber Products).

Balmoral Tanks is described as Europe's foremost designer and manufacturer of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) potable and non-potable water storage tanks, sewage treatment plants, utility equipment housings, oil separators, silage effluent and fuel storage tanks and will be displaying a range of products at its stand. Trelawny is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of tools and equipment for the preparation of concrete and steel surfaces.

Products on show will include the new Challenger VL303 Needle Scaler and the new reduced vibration single scabbling hammer. For those who are more interested in the end products or decorative goods, American Timber Products (ATP) will be an essential stand to visit. ATP will be exhibiting a wide range of doors, glazing systems, retractable screens, and roof lights, he says.

Brand names that will be on display at the show include: ODL, a market leader in the clear and decorative door glass market, with innovative products such as roof windows, integral blinds and solar flair tubular skylights. Lorient is a leader in sealing systems for door assemblies, embracing fire protection, smoke control, acoustic insulation and weather exclusion.  The company also manufactures a range of fire resistant glazing systems, and fire and smoke resistant damper/air transfer grilles.  Lorient's Integrity architectural seals range includes door threshold and perimeter seals, retrofit smoke seals, and an award-winning Finger Guard seal.

The Building Centre will also welcome back exhibitors from the past which are well known in the region, (for example, Conren International), as well as those which have enjoyed success elsewhere and are now keen to bring their business to Dubai, for example, Premdor, considered to be the world's largest door manufacturer.

Premdor will be representing a dozen different products at its stand, including residential and commercial doors for both exterior and interior applications.

Conren International will be displaying its Rooftex system of waterproofing membrane which has been used throughout the Gulf region on projects such as the Dubai Internet City, the American University, the Citibank building, Dubai Aluminium, Emirates Lake Villas and the Dubai Twin Towers.