After breaking records of sorts this year, the largest ever construction trade show of the region, the Big 5 will be organised on an even bigger scale when it opens up next year at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 28 to November 1, says a spokesman for the organiser.

The exhibition, which has progressively grown bigger over the years, occupied 10 exhibition halls within the Dubai World Trade Centre and spilt over into the Al Multaqua Hall and a pavilion as well, with exhibitors from 58 (up from 54 in 2004) countries taking 1,886 (1,644 in 2004) stands representing 2,477 (2,145 in 2004) companies) and these included 29 (29 - 2004) national and regional groups. 
Opened by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, this year's show also witnessed a 14.4 per cent increase in exhibitors to 38,535 (up from 33,689 in 2004).
“By the time the curtains went down on Day 5, the exhibition had brought into Dubai approximately 16,700 (13,700 overseas visitors and approximately 3,000 exhibitors) overseas visitors and exhibitors, all of whom were lavish in their praise of the exhibition,” says the spokesman.

Exhibitors
“The response we have received so far has been excellent and we are happy to be part of this premier show. We certainly want to make a bigger participation next year,” according to an exhibitor Diego Pintus, of Giacomini, Italy.
“We are happy to be back at Big 5 for second year running. The Big 5 is the biggest show and we get audiences from across the Middle East, Africa and other parts of the world,” said Abdullah Al Askar of Saudicast.
Some of the exhibitors including Union and Tesa also announced the signing of major deals through the show.
UAE with 280 exhibitors (as opposed to 238 in the previous year) accounted for the largest participation at this year's Big 5. This was closely followed by Italy* with 240 visitors (222 in 2004), Germany* with 234 (191 in 2004) and China* with 185 (163 in 2004). Other exhibitors arrived from Australia* (90); Spain* (83); UK* (75); Taiwan* (56); Turkey* (55); France* (44); Malaysia* (42); Korea* (40); Thailand* (39); Greece* (38); Saudi Arabia (38); Austria* and Belgium* (34 each); Portugal* (29); US (24); Kuwait (21); Switzerland* (20); Canada* (19); Finland* (18); India* and Malta* (11 each); and other countries (126).

Visitors
As regards visitors, approximately 58 per cent (2004 also recorded a similar figure) of registered visitors came from outside Dubai, with Abu Dhabi and the other emirates accounting for 23 per cent and Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states accounting for 13 per cent. Visitors from other countries (22 per cent) included significant numbers from Egypt, India, Iran, Africa and Europe. The visitor profile also saw a significant change with engineers constituting a sizeable portion, closely followed by contractors at 21 per cent.
“Visitors from India and Pakistan increased by 30 per cent, those from Iran by 9 per cent and those from Europe by 39 per cent, demonstrating the increasing importance of Big 5. The figures do not include approximately 3,800 individuals from the exhibiting companies, many of who did substantial business at the show.
“The significant increase in numbers further consolidated the exhibition's position as the most important and prestigious building, building services and construction event in the Gulf.
Big 5 trade visitors indicated, on their registration cards, an interest in over 94,000 items in the different product categories (Table 1).
In addition, a total of 57 seminars were presented during the exhibition. The seminars were free to visitors and exhibitors and included such topics as: The latest developments in construction IT, the certification of construction products, aqua purification systems, natural ventilation systems, and multilayer roofing systems.
This year's Big 5 also witnessed the attendance of a number of VIPs including ambassadors and consul-generals of the countries represented at the exhibition. The exhibition also hosted Claudio Scajola, the Italian Minister for Productive Activities (Foreign Trade and Industry), Ambassador Umberto Vattani, president of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Sheikh Salman Al Salem Al Hamoud Al Sabah of the Kuwaiti royal family.

* Countries with above 10 exhibitors, who were represented by national or regional groups.