For close to five years now, Cyprus-based Suricom Consultants has been trying to help Cypriot manufacturers gain a firm foothold in the markets in the Gulf by making it easy for the companies to showcase their products and services in one of the leading construction fair in the region – the Big 5 show.

Says Demetra Chrysostomou, managing director of the consultancy firm, which has been actively setting up the platform for the Cypriot industry in the region: “It is more than five years that we entered the scene in Dubai – one of the fastest-growing markets in the region – to help Cypriot manufacturers to showcase their products and services. And things are slowly picking up. Most of the companies that have attended the Big 5 along with us have been highly pleased by the number of enquiries and the very nature of the show.
“The Big 5 has allowed the participating companies to meet, sell and take orders at the same time and strengthen their presence in the region. Most of the Cypriot companies have been very positive of the show and have continued to participate at the show. This has given further incentive for the other Cypriot manufacturers to come out and exhibit and later expand their operations into the Middle East.”
“There has been a big difference from how it has been five years ago and now. Now I no longer have to take great pains to convince companies to come forth and participate at this expo and list out the benefist of such an exposure,” she adds.
This year again the stands of Suricom will be featuring five Cypriot companies that include manufacturers of brushes, Stonecrete, kitchen furniture, construction machinery, paints, water pumps and tools. Of the five companies participating at the show, two of them – including G Neokleous – will be making their debut at this year’s Big 5. Several others have promised to participate when the exhibition arrives next time around, she says.
Established in 1993, the consultancy  has been representing Cypriot companies at several exhibitions across the globe.
In 2005, Suricom intends to increase its participation to 29 exhibitions across Asia, Europe and the Middle East including the following construction exhibitions: The Big 5 – Dubai; The Resta – Lithuania; Construma, Budapest – Hungary; IBF, Brno – Czech Republic; and Construct Expo, Romania.