The Hellenic Foreign Trade Board (Hepo), supported by the Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance, arrived in larger numbers at the recent Big 5 show in Dubai to promote high quality building materials and services from Greece in the Middle East markets.

'As a non-profit organisation under the supervision of the Hellenic Ministry of Economy and Finance, Hepo aspires to direct, encourage and guide Greek enterprises in all export-related activities, by promoting a wide range of their products and services,' says deputy director Harry Sgourakis.
Growing from its participation in 2006, the Greek contingent at the event included over 50 companies exhibiting a wide range of products and services over an area of approximately 1,000 sq m.
'We have been targeting specific groups particularly civil engineers, architects, specifiers and others involved in the construction industry,' says the spokesman. 'These efforts will serve as a mode of networking between Greek and foreign companies and be a communication channel to exchange their know-how, experience and expertise. Through the initiative of Hepo, trade communities worldwide will benefit from the advantages of partnering with local Greece companies.
As part of an aggressive promotional and marketing strategy of Greek building materials and services, Hepo will undertake a wide range of activities such as trade missions, road shows and business-to-business meetings. The organisation also participates in major international fairs such as Partenariat Athens, which will be held in Athens in Greece during the first quarter of this year. This event will include conferences, exhibitions and business to business meetings for the construction and building industry.
Meanwhile Hepo will shortly launch a special website along with creating an extensive directory of Greek building materials and services companies to increase awareness in international markets.
Panagiotis Papastavrou, chairman of the board of directors of Hepo, used the Big 5 platform to speak on the development of export collaboration between Greece and the international markets.
Well-renowned architect Alexandros Tombazis - who has been awarded prizes in more than 110 national, international competitions - gave motivational speeches entitled 'Letter to a young architect' and 'Works of AN Tombazis & Associates' to prove that Greece can be a major player in the worldwide construction industry.
Hepos' strategy focuses on building the image and the promotion of Greek export products and services, supporting the local companies and encouraging business promotions to enter new markets and become international brand names, the spokesman concludes.