Kiosks, vending firms set to fuel the region's retail revolution
Regional companies firms to initiate cutting-edge technology
UAE-based providers record annual growth of 10-15 per cent
Dubai, May 03, 2006: The Middle East Vending and Kiosk Expo 2006, set to be held in Dubai later this month, is set to bring forth the latest technological upgrades in the self-service sector.
Set to be organised at Madinat Jumeirah on May 20 and 21, 2006, the expo is expected to provide an impetus to the vending and kiosks industries and set to grasp the escalating $30 billion global vending industry as well as the 69 per cent growth rate envisaged in the usage of kiosks by 2007.
To be held for the first time in the region, the Expo will be held under the patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and will be organised by Global Links Exhibition & Conference Organizers LLC - one of the leading arrangers of exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East.
Mr Girish Dabrai, Managing Director, Global Links said, "Kiosks will play a key role in success of business models in the retail sector. More and more firms are now learning to build the business case for self-service. The natural extension of this will be the incorporation of technologies like Wi-Fi, Radio Frequency Identification and Biometrics. The retail industry will see not a just an evolving change but will witness radical transformation with the extensive usage of these self service technologies."
The robust business performances of many of the retail solution providers, who will be present at the expo, are indicative of the retail boom in the country. The growth potential can be gauged from the fact that UAE-based E-PoS - a regional leader for Retail Technology in the Middle East, Africa, CIS Countries and the Asia Pacific -- have consistently recorded an average growth of 10-15 per cent every year.
Keeping this growth trend in perspective, the latest technological solutions to be showcased at the expo - including interactive services from bill payment transactions to informative services - will assume increased significance for long-term business efficiency and return on investment.
Among the industry leaders who will showcase the latest in technological upgrades in the sector is BKtel Germany, which will introduce VENDIwatch System. The system, once introduced, is expected set a new trend as a mode of multi-media advertisement and mobile payment without a coin.
The system monitors the Vending Machines and Parking Ticketing Machines remotely, enables client cashless payment through mobile phone and provides Centralized Fleet Management systems. The system will of immense use for cashless payment because statistics show that 10-15 per cent of machines around the globe are vandalized making collection risky and necessitating secured transport. The system also saves on costs like collection and return to the bank which account for nearly 2%-3% of total revenues accrued. In addition to saving there is also increased revenue through broadband advertisement.
Similarly, Dubai-based Duvade LLC will begin the distribution of standalone kiosk at the expo. The standalone dispenser can be easily installed at any hotel, hospital, residential complex, shopping centre, supermarket, petrol station and even school. It is fitted with a touch screen monitor and it can store up to 624 DVDs in a very small space for rental or sale.
Also displaying their vast array of innovative products will be the UAE-based ENERGY International Phoenix Mecano GPT. The company, which specializes in the design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of high quality pay and display parking machines, bus tickets/chip card/stamp vending, will showcase the market's sole optical coin validator that scans the image on the inserted coin. The company enjoys absolute market leadership in design, development and production of optical coin validators.
Some of the world's biggest players who will also be present at the expo are Alhamrani Universal Company, Hemisphere West Europe Ltd, Pyramid Technologies Inc, Aptec Distribution, Kiosk Information Systems, Zupera Technology and Al Sayegh Brothers.
The exhibition and conference is supported by the Worldwide Vending Association, European Vending Association (EVA) and National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA).
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About Global Links:
Global Links Exhibition & Conference Organizers LLC is one of the leading organizers of exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East. Established in Dubai, Global Links has emerged as a trend-setter in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry. The hallmark of the company is its strong organizational structure, with a highly professional management and a team of professional staff who bring with them years of experience in the field of exhibitions. Global Links are the organizers of a number of high-profile events in the region, including the Middle East Natural & Organic Products Expo, Middle East Commercial Vehicle Show, Art & Antique Expo and the Middle East Vending & Kiosks Expo.
The Middle East Vending Expo 2006:
The Middle East Vending Expo 2006 is organized by Global Links Exhibition & Conference Organizers LLC, one of the leading organizers of exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East. The expo is a one-stop business-sourcing center designed to cater to manufacturers, suppliers and vendors of self-service equipment and products, and showcases the most advanced vending products that offer best returns in terms of cost and time savings. The annual exhibition being held for the first time in 2006, will attract manufacturers, suppliers and vendors of beverage vending, bottled water vending, chocolates vending, first aid vending, gifts vending, pay phones, postage stamp vending, newspaper and magazine vending, among others. The Middle East Vending Expo 2006 will provide an opportunity for exhibitors to enter into new business alliances, appoint distributors and agencies, expand their client base, involve in networking platforms, and establish and build customer relations.
The Middle East Kiosks Expo 2006:
The Middle East Kiosks Expo 2006 is being held in conjunction with the Vending Expo, and will showcase procurement solutions that include hardware, software and other network applications required to upgrade machines and make them user-friendly and fully automated. These solutions will enable kiosks to offer various interactive services from bill payment transactions to informative services, thus improving business efficiency and return on investment. The Middle East Kiosks Expo will mainly feature manufacturers, suppliers and vendors of bank teller terminals, cash dispensers, information kiosks, monitors, printers, ticketing solutions, turnkey solutions and signage. Apart from providing exhibitors an opportunity to enter into new business alliances, appoint new distributors, expand their client base, involve in networking platforms, and establish and build customer relations, the show will help visitors' source new ideas and applications, keep abreast with latest trends and obtain industry information first hand.
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Global Links Dubai,
PO Box 86882,
Dubai,
UAE
Tel: +971 4 2686010
Fax: +971 4 2686026
Email: info@globallinksdubai.com
Website: www.globallinksdubai.com
© Press Release 2006
