The Big 5 exhibition, the region’s largest construction show, gets bigger every year and this year was no exception with every square metre of space having been taken up.

“It was the largest building, building materials and construction exhibition ever held in the Middle East occupying 10 exhibition halls, the Al Multaqua Hall, the new Zabeel Hall and one pavilion at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre,” says Bob Hughes, exhibition director of the Big 5.
There were 2,158 (1,886 in 2005) stands at the show exhibiting products and services of 2,892 (2,477 in 2005) companies who came from 67 (58 in 2005) countries and included 26 (29 in 2005) national and regional groups.
The Big 5 has always played a key role in the Middle East construction industry and, according to Hughes, it is the largest trade-only event in any industry anywhere in the Gulf, offering billions of dollars worth of opportunities to suppliers in the key industry sectors, each of which is represented at the show.
The footfall at the five-day show – held from October 28 to November 1 – was huge  with pavilions packed throughout the day.
“The Big 5 visitors increased by 6.5 per cent to 41,058 as compared to 38,535 in 2005 and brought into Dubai approximately 15,600 overseas visitors and exhibitors,” says Hughes. The Dubai numbers were up 22 per cent reflecting the high level of construction activity in the emirate while the numbers from the GCC states and other Arab countries held up well in view of the Eid holiday that preceded the exhibition.
The figures, however, do not include the approximately 5,600 individuals from the exhibiting companies, many of whom did substantial business at the show which attracted in excess of 11,600 overseas visitors and approximately 4,000 overseas exhibitors.
“Planning has already begun for next year’s show, which promises to be even bigger though the 2007 event will occupy the same floor space as the show maxed out in 2006,” says Hughes. “But given the popularity of the show that draws exhibitors from all over the globe, it will be shifted to a bigger venue three years from now. The Big 5 will move to Jebel Ali in 2009 and the floor space will then be increased substantially, along with the visitor numbers.”
The show enabled exhibitors to market their products and services to the entire Gulf region. According to dmg world media Dubai, organisers of the show, 48 per cent of registered visitors came from Dubai, 24 per cent from Abu Dhabi and the other emirates and 14 per cent from the Gulf states and other Arab countries. Visitors from other countries stood at four per cent and included significant numbers from India, Iran and Europe.
The figures further consolidate the exhibition’s position as the most important and prestigious building, building services and construction event in the Gulf.
“There is no other event of its kind in the region that is able to draw such an extensive audience from the Gulf and beyond,” says Hughes.
The daily sector focus seminars were also a big hit with full attendance throughout the exhibition. “There were two rooms for technical seminars and total of 63 seminars were held during the five days. We will definitely have more seminars next year and we are planning to have three rooms as we had to as we had to limit the number of exhibitors for 2006,” he says.
The seminars were free to visitors and exhibitors and included such topics as power plant and pumping stations, structural glazing and cladding, lightweight concrete, high pressure laminates, passive cooling and innovative building technology.
Would sector focus pavilions have been a better option than country pavilions? “Country pavilions are a very important facet of the show, as they reinforce its global status,” says Hughes, adding that the show was divided into sectors by featuring HVAC in Hall 1, water technology in Hall 4 and marble, stone and ceramics in Sheikh Rashid Hall.
A survey conducted at the conclusion of the show indicated that 68 per cent of exhibitors had achieved most of their objectives while 70 per cent of the exhibitors thought that the visitor quality was either good or excellent. Exhibitors were also pleased with the show promotion and the attendance from outside the UAE.
Both exhibitors and visitors were impressed with the exhibition.
“The quality of visitors was very high. We made very interesting contacts with the top developers in the UAE for outdoor landscaping as well as interior design. I am very optimistic about future business in the region,” says Didier Coste of Stone Design, France.
“It’s a good show; it’s got a real buzz. I judge a show by how often I look at my watch – and here the time just flew by,” says Jeff Wood of Icynene, Canada.
Ahmed Mahdi of Stone Living Innovation, Switzerland, thought the Big 5 was a great opportunity to do business and “one of the best fairs I have been to in the last six years”.
Visitors to the show were equally impressed.
“This was my first time at the Big 5 and I was impressed with the new products and technology here. The show is a good way to help us connect,” says Firas of Jordan.
“We are one of the biggest producers of industrial doors in Europe and this was our first time at The Big 5. This is the right place to come to study this market and our competitors,” says Wolfran of Germany.