The Middle East’s construction sector is expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.5 per cent through 2015, surpassing growth rates in Europe and North America, said the organisers of an upcoming construction event in Damascus.

The 16th edition of Buildex, the international exhibition for construction, will run from May 12 to 16 at the Damascus International Fairgrounds in Syria.

The event will highlight an expected boom in Syria’s construction business following the announcement of government plans to spend $50 billion on major infrastructure projects within the next five years according to Oxford Business Group Report.

Local companies will also use Buildex as a networking platform to launch their export lines to other Arab countries.

“Many prominent companies such as Grohe consider Buildex as their main gateway to the Syrian and Arab markets as a whole, in light of its stature as one of the region’s largest construction expos,” said Alaa Hilal, CEO of Arabian Group for Exhibitions and Conferences, show organiser.

“We also time Buildex to coincide with Syria’s spring season so that visitors can combine business with pleasure and interact with regional and international players in a relaxed atmosphere.”

“Aside from accommodating regular participants from the Middle East, Europe and the Far East countries, we will be welcoming participation from UAE, Iran, Egypt, Italy, Taiwan, and China, and we will have a large contingent of over 80 companies from Turkey as well, so we are anticipating an exceptional year,” he added.

Omar Ghalawenji, Syria’s Minister of Construction and Housing, said: “Buildex is an ideal platform to get updated with the latest construction trends and technologies. It also opens up great business opportunities and encourages additional investments into the construction industry.”

Buildex welcomed 636 companies representing 1,818 brands from 52 countries last year, with 225,000 Arab and international visitors attending the event.

Arabian Group expects a 10 per cent increase in participation figures for the 2010 edition, and has thus extended the exhibition space to more than 150,000 sq m.

Arabian Group has also signed an agreement with Emirates Airlines to offer a 10 per cent discount to travelers attending the exhibition. – TradeArabia News Service