Following an overwhelming response at the annual Saudi Building Industries Exhibition (SBIE) held earlier this year, the organiser Al Harithy Company for Exhibitions is looking forward towards a bigger participation when the show returns again next April.

“The 2005 edition recorded more than 11,000 registered professional visitors from Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf states, and included among others: real estate developers, building contractors, entrepreneurs, architects, designers and engineers, as well as top officials and executives in the public and private sectors,” says a spokesman. Exhibitors included a large contingent of international companies alongside leading Saudi firms.
“SBIE 2006, to be held from April 1 to 5, promises to be an even greater success as healthy oil prices and increased production provides a boost to an already bouyant construction and building sector,” he adds.
“With its location in Jeddah – the kingdom's commercial and leisure centre – SBIE provides an ideal platform from which to access the vibrant and lucrative Saudi market and is seen as ‘an unrivalled exhibition in an unparalleled market,” he adds.
Saudi Arabia is progressively looking at the private sector to further its growth in a number of areas through various build-operate-transfer (BOT) and build, own and operate (BOO) schemes. Private investment is also very evident in the domestic tourism sector.
Two particular growth areas that have been identified by the organisers of SBIE are the safety,security and fire prevention and environmental solutions and protection.
“Saudi Arabia has become the world's fastest growing single market for safety and security, fire equipment and technology, with an annual value of $250 million,” says the spokesman. “Imports of industrial security equipment into the kingdom totals in excess of $165 million annually, and is expected to increase at a rate of around 12 per cent over the next few years. Strong growth is expected particularly within the construction and industrial sectors for health and safety equipment as a consequence of new stringent laws governing the workplace.
“Saudi Arabia is at the forefront in the Arab world's planned expenditure in the environmental sector, which over the next 10 years, is estimated at $100 billion. The Saudi environmental technology market was estimated to be worth $164 million in 2004.”
“The increasing industrialisation and a burgeoning population is placing intense pressure on all areas of the Saudi infrastructure, including power, water and waste as well as the environment. SBIE encompasses the most important sectors and provides a unique platform for suppliers to display the latest products and services to a discerning high profile audience of business professionals.” the spokes concludes.