The Construction Products Association (CPA) of the UK is poised to break all previous records as it plans to organise the largest-ever presence for a UK pavilion at the forthcoming Big 5 Show.

“Working along with the Building Exhibitions Management (BEM), I am delighted that this year we have set yet another record for the number of companies we have brought to this show,” says association chief executive Michael Ankers.
“The response we have received from UK companies wishing to exhibit at the show is overwhelming. UK companies are determined to have a major presence in this vital export market and this is reflected in the way our group has grown over the past three years, if we had been able to obtain more space at the exhibition, our group would be even bigger!” says Simona Novelli, BEM project manager of the Big 5.
“We are working closely with the British Embassy in the UAE to promote UK Trade and Investment and are confident that the British companies exhibiting with us will enjoy a tremendous amount of success of business generated from the show,” Novelli adds.
This is the third time in a row that the CPA has been appointed as the lead accredited trade organisation by UK Trade & Investment for the official UK group of exhibitors, for the Big 5.
Located within Hall 2 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, the pavilion will feature the likes of ACO International, Haddonstone, Corus, Command Alkon, Steelfields and Yale Locks. The exhibitor range covers products from various industries including bathrooms, ceramics, environmental, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) and water equipment as well as covering various elements of the huge and diverse construction sector, says a spokesman for the association.
This year will see 52 companies exhibiting under the CPA banner and the pavilion will cover over a 1,000 sq m area.
“These companies illustrate the wide range of products available from the UK and demonstrate how innovative our industry can be,” says Ankers.
The UK construction industry contributes around eight per cent of its GDP and employs about two million people. The UK’s construction output is 12 per cent of total European output. It has the third largest construction output in Europe and is the fifth largest in the world with annual exports in the order of £10 billion ($18 billion).
“Our aim is to build a growing, profitable and sustainable future for the $61 billion construction products industry, which accounts for 40 per cent of total construction output and nearly 20 per cent of the UK manufacturing base,” says the spokesman.
“One of the roles of the CPA while assisting its members in their export activities, is to act as a sponsor of UK Trade & Investment-funded exhibitions worldwide and The Big 5 is the largest of such events on our calendar” he says.
“In the current economic climate, export markets are fiercely competitive with the Middle East no exception, and as this is the event that the industry acknowledges as the premier exhibition for the region, the UK must have a significant presence at it if we are serious about exporting/investing in this region,” says Novelli.
With larger UK companies already gaining a significant foothold in various export markets, there has been a new approach adopted by UK Trade & Investment and as a result, the government financial support for exhibiting at The Big 5 this year has been solely limited to SMEs (small and medium enterprises).
“This has not affected our presence at the show. We have 44 SMEs within our group, many of whom are new to the Middle East market and they will get the opportunity to see first hand what opportunities lie ahead of them in the Middle East and can gain valuable experience by exhibiting alongside some of the larger, more established UK companies within our group.
“It is important that our small to medium size enterprises are given as much assistance as possible to compete in their export efforts and it is our aim to support them every step of the way,” adds Novelli.
Further information on the CPA and the companies exhibiting at its pavilion can be obtained at stand 2C61.