Construction industry professionals are all geared up for the largest building and construction show the region has ever witnessed when the Big 5 opens this month (November 20 to 24) at the Dubai international Exhibition Centre (DIEC).

The statistics are impressive: a total of 2,118 exhibitors (direct and indirect), 26,600 sq m of exhibition space, and an anticipated audience of around 30,000 visitors.
International firms will be out in full force, accounting for more than half of the total number of companies that will be represented at the show. A total of 1,302 internationals will join the contingent from the UAE (228), other GCC (32) and other Middle East (36) companies who will promote their products and services to visitors not only from the region but across the globe. Also present will be 520 firms which be represented by their agents in the region, says dmg world media Dubai, the organiser.
Germany – with 178 exhibitors taking up over 3,000 sq m of space – has the distinction of having the largest of the 27 national pavilions at the event. Other national pavilions include those of Australia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the UK.
Other countries represented at the show will include Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Oman and Vietnam – which will make their debut at the Big 5 – as well as Bahrain, Denmark, Finland, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, the UAE and the US.
The level of participation is up by a whopping 33 per cent on the already-large showing last year.
 “This year’s Big 5 is the largest in its quarter century history, and now occupies all eight halls in the DIEC, as well as the Al Multaqua hall, a purpose-built pavilion, and the Sheikh Rashid Hall in the DICC,” says Bob Hughes of dmg world media Dubai.
“The number of exhibitors and the net space occupied have increased by more than 30 per cent compared to the record-breaking Big 5 2003. The construction and contracting industry in the region is experiencing an enduring boom. A record number of visitors: 27,097 professionals attended the show in 2003, and we hope to exceed 30,000 visitors in 2004.
The Big 5 show is a wide-ranging event including dedicated product sections for air-conditioning, water technology, glass and steel, marble, bathrooms and maintenance, as well as general building and construction materials and technology. The largest of these sectors is ‘Building and Construction’ while the fastest-growing sector is ‘Marble, Stone, Machinery’. This sector has now – for the first time – been grouped in Sheikh Rashid Hall. “The importance of this sector for the contracting industry in the Middle East inspired the decision of the organisers to dedicate the Sheikh Rashid hall to exhibitors from all over the world who specialise in stone and ceramics products and machinery,” says Hughes.

Highlight
Among the highlights of this year’s event is the display of the work of more than 70 finalists for the Architecture+ Awards 2004 – ‘Design for a New World’ throughout the main concourse at the DIEC. Visitors to the show will be able to cast their own vote for The Professional Choice Awards.
The main concourse will also house a display of models of the most recent major construction projects in the region.
In addition, a number of exhibitors, especially in the machinery sector, will be conducting live demonstrations of their products, while a series of seminars will be held in conjunction with the show on a wide range of topics including natural ventilation control and ventilation systems, wood of the future, thermo-reflective insulation as well as thermal and acoustic insulation, trends in photovoltaic with glass, cogeneration, intelligent protective coatings, fire protection, trenchshoring technology, marble, building technologies, saving energy in industrial refrigeration systems, flooring, facade systems, acoustic ceilings and HVAC.
Coinciding with the show will be the Gulf Construction Conference Week 2004, which will be held at the Godolphin Ballroom, the Emirates Towers Hotel from November 20 to 24. The series of conferences organised by Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions – the events division of the Al Hilal Group – includes the Annual Aluminium and Glass Conference, Annual Insulation Conference, Annual Concrete Technology and Corrosion Protection Conference and Annual Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Conference.
“Construction in this region is rapidly expanding and as organisers of the region’s largest industry exhibition, we are constantly striving to provide a showcase opportunity for the world leading suppliers and manufacturers,” Hughes comments. “The region has boomed, becoming a flourishing hub of trade worldwide, offering excellent opportunities for companies who wish to become involved, in keeping with this, dmg world media Dubai continues to provide the solution with an internationally recognised exhibition covering every aspect of the industry.”