More than 500 exhibitors take part; first event to build purpose built hall extension to Exhibition Centre

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. March 10, 2012: With an estimated US$163.5 billion worth [1]of construction projects currently in concept stage in Saudi Arabia in the coming year, The Big 5 Saudi 2012 will open today (Saturday) to provide unrivalled opportunities for the regional and international industry to access these projects in concept stage.

The Mayor of Jeddah, His Excellency Dr. Hani Abu Ras, will officially inaugurate the event at 4pm, and the show will run from 10-13 of March at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events. Encompassing the full dedicated hall at the Centre, show organisers have had to construct a bespoke second hall in order to ensure demand for space could be met.

There will be more than 500 companies from 36 countries in attendance, and the event will also include a brand new dedicated Concrete Zone, which will provide a platform for exhibitors to position their products and services in a tailored environment. This ensures visitors have easy access to international products, trends and innovations all in one place.

Gold sponsor, Emirates Steel commented on the increasing significance Saudi is having on business in the construction industry as a whole. Mubarak Al Khaili, vice president for Commercial & Strategy, at Emirates Steel said: "We are looking at the Saudi market with enthusiasm and optimism, especially that the Saudi construction sector is expected to maintain its upward momentum in the short to mid-term. We recently commissioned our heavy sections mill and we aim to market its produce within the Saudi market, which is the largest market within the GCC states."

In addition to the exhibition, which has doubled in size this year to accommodate demand, there will be two workshops taking place alongside. The LEED workshop will take delegates through the key components of the LEED ratings system and the most successful way to develop LEED strategies and achieve credit categories. The workshops modules will cover a variety of related topics, including water efficiency, materials and design innovation.

The second workshop to take place at the event will focus on Concrete Repair, ensuring participants are up to date with concrete repair and corrosion knowledge in line with the most recent European Standards and Concrete Society Technical Reports. It will also provide the opportunity to improve their ability to effectively mitigate the risk of concrete damage to improve life-cycle costs and maintain structural integrity.

"The response we have received to this year's event, in advance of it officially opening its doors, has been exceptional and we look forward to a very exciting event at the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events," Andy White, event director for The Big 5 Saudi, said. "Our knowledge partner, Ventures Middle East, has estimated there are $163.5 billion worth of projects currently in the concept stage in Saudi, meaning there is phenomenal opportunity for exhibitors to do real business during the event and for buyers to source thousands of new and innovative products."

-Ends-

For further information:
Contact BPG PR for The Big 5 Saudi
Mamdouh Zackout: mamdouh@batespangulf.com /+966 2 664 1111 (ext. 5550, 5551)
Tooba Zafar: Tooba@batespangulf.com /+971 4 295 3456 Ext 309/ +971 55 6796 346

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.

© Press Release 2012