Over 500 companies from 36 countries take part in four-day event

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. March 11, 2012: The Mayor of Jeddah, His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Ras, officially inaugurated The Big 5 Saudi yesterday (Saturday) at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events.

Spanning over two halls, one purpose built for the event due to demand, the show is hosting over 500 exhibitors from 36 countries across a variety of sectors from the intentional building and construction industry. The Mayor met with a selection of VIP dignitaries before being given a guided tour of the exhibition.

As well as the exhibition, there will be a number of added value elements to this year's event, including the brand new Concrete Zone: a dedicated arena for those working within this buoyant sector to showcase their products and services. There will also be two education workshops, one focussed on LEED and similar sustainability rating systems, and the other on Concrete Repair.

Mr White commented: "Thank you to His Excellency Dr Hani Abu Ras for officially opening the second edition of The Big 5 Saudi. Even though in only its second year, the event has doubled in size and we are hosting companies from across the world, with more than 75 per cent of our exhibitors representing international locations."

Taking place 10-13 March the event is expecting to attract more than 12,000 visitors and organisers are optimistic that the week will provide a successful networking and business platform for the industry.

Sponsors
Emirates Steel is the Gold Sponsor for The Big 5 2012. Emirates Steel is a direct subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation (ADBIC), which is, in turn, wholly-owned by the General Holding Company (GHC). It is the only integrated steel plant in the UAE, utilizing the latest rolling mill technology to produce reinforcing bar and wire rod. Emirates Steel will be on stand D50 and will be welcoming visitors in the ES café opposite Hall 2.

Al Arabiya comes on board as the official broadcasting partner for The Big 5 Saudi 2012. The news channels has been broadcasting since 2003, with viewers tuning in from across the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia, North Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Australia.

About The Big 5
The Big 5 Saudi launched in 2011 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following the phenomenal success of the flagship exhibition, The Big 5, in Dubai, UAE.

The Big 5 is the largest event for the building and construction industry in the Middle East. It attracts more than 2,500 exhibitors from 70 countries, taking place at the Dubai International Conference & Exhibition Centre.

For more than 30 years The Big 5 has provided a business and networking platform for the construction industry. It is an opportunity for buyers and sellers of construction products and services from around the world to source an astounding array of the very latest technologies, innovations and techniques.

More than an exhibition, the event provides attendees with unrivalled access to information, intelligence, contacts and hands on experience. Experts from around the world engage in the industry's most topical discussions, finding solutions, facing challenges and seizing opportunities.

It is the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) providing both exhibitors and visitors with the opportunity to conduct serious business with like-minded professionals.

www.thebig5saudi.com

About dmg :: events
dmg :: events is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT, www.dmgt.co.uk), one of the largest media companies in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1989, it now manages over 80 Exhibitions, Conferences and online platforms for a variety of industries in up to 25 countries each year.

dmg :: events produces market-leading exhibitions and conferences for the global energy, technology, digital marketing, gift, construction, hospitality and interior industries, with events in North America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

dmg :: events Middle East has operated since 1995 delivering exhibitions, conferences, events and publications across the Energy, Construction, Hospitality, Commercial, Residential and Interiors industries.

As a leading supplier of face-to-face business information, with a customer-centric focus that localizes operations and relationships, our objectives are to keep businesses informed and connect them with relevant consumers to create vibrant marketplaces across multiple event platforms.

For further information:
Contact BPG PR for The Big 5 Saudi
Mamdouh Zackout: mamdouh@batespangulf.com /+966 2 664 1111 (ext. 5550, 5551)
Susan Parker: susan@batespangulf.com /+971 4 295 3456 Ext 310/ +971 50 101 4403

© Press Release 2012