With increased construction and growth of retail space, the demand for logistics and supply chain services is enjoying enormous growth in the Middle East. Reflecting this is Material Handling & Logistics 2007, a premier event to be held in Dubai from May 27-29, where over 125 exhibitors from 20 countries representing the leading brands in warehousing, transportation services and Logistics from across the globe will be present. The exhibition will focus on freight, cargo, logistics, distribution, warehousing, airports and ports, construction and machinery.
The location for the exhibition couldn't be more appropriate. After all, Dubai Port Authority with Jebel Ali and Port Rashid, ranks among the top five container ports and top 10 ports in the world. Year on year, there has been an astonishing 20 per cent growth in general cargo. Dubai Ports Authority, DPA and DPI Terminals have merged to create one of the largest port operators in the world. Add to this mix the fact that the construction industry in the Gulf region is estimated to be worth $ 750 billion, with some media estimates even putting the figure at around $ 1 trillion, and you realise the incredible scope for the material handling industry to boom.
So what exactly is material handling equipment?
Well, it is defined as equipment used for the movement and storage of material within a facility or at a site.
Material handling equipment can be broadly classified into the following five major categories:
Transport equipment: Equipment used to move material from one location to another (between workplaces, between a loading dock and a storage area, etc). The major subcategories of transport equipment are conveyors, cranes, and industrial trucks.
Positioning equipment: Equipment used to handle material at a single location so that it is in the correct position for subsequent handling, machining, transport or storage. Unlike transport equipment, positioning equipment is usually used for handling at a single workplace.
Unit load formation equipment: Equipment used to restrict materials so that they maintain their integrity when handled as single load during transport and for storage.
Storage equipment: Equipment used for holding or buffering materials over a period of time. Some storage equipment may include the transport of materials.
Identification and control equipment: Equipment used to collect and communicate the information used to coordinate the flow of materials within a facility and between a facility and its suppliers and customers.
In essence, material handling equipment encompasses a wide range of equipment including different varieties of conveyers, cranes, trucks, hoists, balancers, manipulators, levellers, etc.
Major players in this sector in the region include Airlink International, Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co (FAMCO), Al Shirawi Enterprises, Aras Development Fze, Fleet Management Solutions, Genavco, Inma Gulf Development & Construction LLC, Juma Al Majid Est, Kanoo Machinery, Liftek Fze, Lootah Lemmens LLC, LXE Middle East & Africa, Metrovol Fze, Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Bahar, Move It Middle East Fze, National Engineering Group and Psion Teklogix (FZCO). And you can be sure they'll all be there at Material Handling & Logistics 2007 -handling their success with aplomb!
© Construction World 2007
