Middle East's first self service technology expo to showcase dual automation gadgets from top firms like Sony, Kodak, Fuji and Kiosk Information Systems

Dubai, May 17, 2006: H.E. Abdul Rahman G. Al Mutaiwee, Director-General of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), will inaugurate the Middle East Vending and Kiosk Expo on May 20, 2006 at the Joharah Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah Hotel. The event will be first self-service technology expo to be held in the Middle East.

The vending and kiosks exhibitions, held under the patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), is organised by Global Links Exhibition & Conference Organizers LLC - one of the leading arrangers of exhibitions and conferences in the Middle East. The two day regional expo is supported by the Worldwide Vending Association, European Vending Association (EVA) and National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA).

In his comments on the expo, Mr. Girish Dabrai, Managing Director of Global Links, said: The expo will redefine the prevailing trends and projections for the self service and convenience technologies in the buoyant retail industry in the region as well as globally. The retail sector will witness a phenomenal shift towards automation with the usage of kiosk set to cross 69 per cent growth rate by 2007."

Speaking on dual automation technologies to be showcased at the expo, he said, "The region is currently witnessing a period of steady and sustained economic growth. Several factors like rising oil prices, buoyant property market, increased trade etc have contributed to the current levels of prosperity that the region is enjoying. This represents an opportune setting for business expansions, particularly retail and finance, to adopt increasing level of automation through kiosks and vending."

In addition to the displays by the exhibitors, the Expo will also feature conferences that will witness industry experts speak on topics like Rules & Regulations of the Kiosks Industry, Transforming Vending Business through Technology, Challenges, Opportunities and Trends in Worldwide Vending and Revenue Generation and Maximizing ROI of self-service Kiosk project. The sessions will address strategic issues facing the US$30 billion global vending industry.

The two-day event will feature Kiosk Information Systems (KIS) - the largest kiosk brand that will be displayed by SelfTech, Kiosk Technology Systems and Aptec Kiosk Services. Key applications of KIS include self-service terminals for banking and bill payments, communication, ticketing, photo, media kiosks and e-government.

Among those who will showcase their products at the Expo are ALMOE Digital Solutions, the providers of Large Format Digital Colour Printing Solutions and Support Services. ALMOE will display Sony Kiosk - a standalone photofinishing solution kiosk, which can accept payment through cash and coins. It can print from all types of data storage devices like memory sticks, USB flash sticks, Bluetooth-enabled phones and CD ROMs.

At the Expo, Emirates Photo Marketing -- a solution provider in Digital Imaging Market Segment -- will display their Kodak Kiosk. The picture kiosk is designed to edit and enlarge pictures and facilitates wireless transfer of pictures from phones and supports various media like compact flash cards, memory stick, secure digital cards etc in TIFF, BMP and JPEG formats.

Grand Stores, the exclusive authorized dealer for Fuji within the UAE, is displaying its highly popular Fujifilm Digital Kiosks. At the Expo, consumers can plug into the kiosk, browse through options and choose the image which will be ready within minutes.

The Expo will involve leading companies including 3M Touch Systems, Aptec Kiosk Services, Trigon LLC, Alhamrani Universal Company, OpenSys (M) Berhad, AIM Global Corp, Al Sayegh Brothers Trading, GM Vending S.A., E-POS International LLC, Energy International/Phoenix Mecano/Global Payment Technologies, Walvyn Group Inc., International Integration Group, Waterlogic International, Microtronic AG, Duvade Vending Machines Trading LLC, BKTel Gmbh/ CGNet.

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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,
P.O.Box 86882,
Dubai,
UAE.
Tel: +971 4 2686010
Fax: +971 4 2686026
Email: info@globallinksdubai.com
Website: www.globallinksdubai.com

© Press Release 2006