NEWS

A record number of 110 exhibitors representing all the key industrial sectors in the kingdom were showcasing their products, services and capabilities at the sixth Gulf Industry Fair which opened its doors yesterday.

 

The trade event was inaugurated by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who spent more than two hours visiting exhibitors at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

 

For the first time, a Dutch Pavilion is hosting 14 specialist companies showcasing the European country's industrial expertise and heritage in oil and gas, water and electricity, process management, and training and education.

 The pavilion is an initiative of the Netherlands' consulate in Bahrain, working in partnership with two Dutch consultancies based in the kingdom.

 

Also for the first time, the tradefair features an innovative Industry Week concept, which includes seminars and site visits to world-class industrial facilities. The seminar series is being hosted by leading exhibitors including Alba and Bapco, and aims to share knowledge on the latest projects and trends with visitors.

 Organised by Bahrain-based Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), Gulf Industry Fair is the leading business-to-business (B2B) exhibition of its type in the Northern Gulf. It runs until Thursday.

 

It is open to trade and business visitors from 9am to 7pm on each day.

 

"Governments are implementing the next phases of their industrial strategies, which will involve many hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and generate unprecedented business opportunities," said HCE managing director Jubran Abdulrahman.

 "Gulf Industry Fair's appeal is that this ambitious economic foresight and momentum are reflected in its exhibitors.

 

"The added value is the show's close proximity to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in particular and the wider Northern Gulf in general, and the 2013 edition will reflect this," he added.

 The fair's strategic sponsors include National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) in association with Bapco, Alba, one of the world's largest aluminium smelters, and Majaal, a Bahrain-based small and medium enterprises-focused industrial facilities developer.