Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi inaugurates SteelFab 2019 at Expo Centre Sharjah

Sharjah:

Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ports and Customs Department, inaugurated SteelFab 2019, the region’s premier metal working event at Expo Centre Sharjah. The 15th edition of the exhibition, which is considered the largest event of its kind in the region, brings together more than 300 companies that represent some of the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers.

The inauguration ceremony for the exhibition, which will be held until January 17, was attended by HE Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and a number of members of the Board of Directors for the Chamber, as well as HE Mohamed Ahmed Amin, Acting Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and HE Saif Mohamed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah.

The ceremony was also attended by a number of government officials and representatives of the manufacturing sector in the country, and a large group of businesspeople and investors, as well as an official delegation from the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima in Morroco, who are visiting the Emirate of Sharjah on a mission in coordination with the Sharjah Chamber. The two sides aim to discuss the development of economic cooperation and mutual investment between the business communities of Sharjah and Morocco, and to review the best practices and expertise of the SCCI and its affiliated institutions, including Expo Centre Sharjah.

Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, accompanied by the Chairman of the SCCI and a number of dignitaries and officials, toured the trade show, which is organized by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the SCCI, and covers an area of 24 thousand square meters. During the tour, he visited various exhibits and met with a number of exhibitors, where he listened to them while they reviewed their latest products, technologies and innovative solutions in the metal working industry.

Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ports and Customs Department, praised the continuous success of Expo Centre Sharjah in attracting the participation of new national pavilions, as well as the most prominent global leading exhibitions and companies. He remarked that this accomplishment highlights Sharjah’s vital role as a prominent centre on the global exhibition arena, and as a destination for investors looking for new opportunities, as well as for global companies that seek to promote their products in the Middle East market.

HE Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the importance of continuously developing the events organized by Expo Centre Sharjah, and enhancing their reputation both regionally and globally, which helps to establish the leadership of the emirate of Sharjah in the region during the next few years, as well as enhance its status as a prominent business centre and an ideal platform that attracts companies and investors from around the world.

Al Owais stated that the centre’s continuous efforts to enhance the importance of SteelFab as an annual forum for the global and regional metal working industry to discover the latest products and technologies, comes in line with the UAE's plans to raise the industry's contribution to the GDP from its current rate of 14% to 20% by 2021, especially since there are expectations that the demand for iron and steel products is increasing due to the continued strategic spending in the infrastructure sectors of the country, as well as in many other countries in the region.

HE Saif Mohamed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, stated that SteelFab 2019 is witnessing enthusiasm and positive momentum in its new edition. He revealed that the number of trade visitors that registered in the event have exceeded 4,000 visitors and representatives of the sector that come to the exhibition from all around the world, and that this figure represents the visitors of the first day only, which makes up almost half of the total number of visitors of the exhibition during the previous year. He added that the number of people who pre-registered for the exhibition reached 4,402 visitors (until January 13), which represents an increase when compared to the 3,900 visitors that pre-registered last year.

Al Midfa added that the high turnout for the exhibition is a positive indicator that reflects the growing importance of the exhibition both regionally and gobally as a platform to review promising investment opportunities in the metal working sector.

The pre-registration process has witnessed a strong presence of visitors from the GCC and the rest of the Middle East region, in addition to a significant presence from the rest of the world. The metal working industry is supported and propelled by a buoyant construction industry in the Middle East and North Africa region, which is set to grow at the fastest pace globally in 2019. Steel fabricators are also busy engaged in preparations for the World Expo 2020 with most of the tenders already been issued.

According to Fitch Solutions, the MENA construction industry is estimated to grow on an average 7.5% year-on-year in 2019 and will expand at an average of 6.8 per cent every year until 2022. Meanwhile, the UAE currently has 11,334 projects valued at US$272.7 billion under construction as of November-end 2018, according to construction intelligence platform BNC Network.

SteelFab 2019 is hosting a new national pavilion representing the United Kingdom for the first time, which includes the participation of 6 of the largest British manufacturing companies. The 15th edition of the exhibition is also hosting a number of other national pavilions from prominent countries in the field such as Italy, China, India, Taiwan and Turkey, in addition to the global Essen Welding and Cutting Pavilion, which is participating in the event for the second time in a row and includes 13 German companies.

SteelFab is also featuring a series of special focus areas such as Wear Resistant, Welding and Cutting, Machine Tools and Tube & Pipe that make it the most comprehensive and dedicated show of its kind in the region.

SteelFab has continued its partnership with the International Tube Association, the global association for the tube and pipe industry, for the third consecutive year, which has resulted in an expanded Pipe and Tube Machinery section. SteelFab is also being held concurrently with the 4th Fasteners Middle East, which is a dedicated platform for sourcing all types of industrial fasteners and fixings.

Seminars and technical presentations and live displays are also key attractions at the show. The seminars on January 15 and 16 will take up topics related to fabrication, metal-cutting, robotics, welding, grinding, surface preparation and software.

SteelFab 2019 is open from 10am to 7pm daily for trade visitors only, and entry and parking are free.

-End-

About SteelFab 2019:

SteelFab 2019 is being organised and hosted by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry from January 14 to 17, 2019.The exhibition is showcasing machinery and equipment in metal forming, surface preparation & finishing, grinding & cutting, machining & other allied engineering disciplines. It is also featuring several international pavilions, and enjoys support from leading industry associations from Italy, Germany, Taiwan, the UK and the UAE.

© Press Release 2019