The gulfBID and gulfInteriors exhibitions, which opened in Bahrain yesterday, are breaking records not only in terms of exhibitor participation and trade visitors but also in the total value of deals signed.

Business is firmly back on track in Bahrain, said exhibitors as contracts worth over $30 million were signed after two days of the show.

The expos, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC), will conclude tomorrow (April 26).

The kingdom’s Bahrain Prism Glass Factory reported signing about $19 million worth of deals, while the Dubai-based Alomi Real Wood Floors, after entering a $10-million deal on the opening day, followed it up with orders worth $1.6 million on the second day.
The first order for Bahrain Prism Glass was worth $2.2 million for the supply of 8,000 sq m of high-end architectural glass to a palace in Abu Dhabi, said T Mani, general manager of the company. “We will start supplying the glass from June 1,” he said.

The second order is worth QR27 million ($7.42 million) from Doha, Qatar, and the third from India worth $6 million, he said.
Before the show is over, Bahrain Prism will sign two more orders worth $1.27 million and $1.07 million for a five-star deluxe hotel in New Delhi, India and the Gosi Villas in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province respectively, he said.

“We already have around 38 projects in Bahrain and we have the capacity to supply all of them and more from our state-of-the-art 35,000 sq m factory at the Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP), which we set up two and a half years ago at a cost of $33 million,” he said.

“We have all types of glasses ranging from architectural to bullet proof glasses. Our aim is to become a one-stop-shop for any type of glass,” he said.

Alomi’s second deal is worth $1 million for the supply of 13,000 sq m of natural oil finish tropical timber for a palace in Saudi Arabia, said company managing director Albert Douglas. It also signed a deal worth $500,000 for the supply of 20,000 sq m of British wool carpet for a wedding hall in Dammam, he said.

The company is also supplying $100,000 worth of commercial laminated flooring to a housing project in Bahrain.

“This is my sixth participation at gulfBID. And every year I go back to Dubai doing better business than before,” he said. The remarkable attendance at the show illustrated that business is firmly back on track in Bahrain, he added.

Meanwhile, Saudi Insulated Blocks Company (Sibco), one of the leading producers of cellular concrete blocks in the region, is expanding its footprint and has appointed Bahrain-based Janada Building Materials as its agent in the kingdom.

“We look forward to a fruitful engagement with Janada,” said Tarek Olama, official, export department, Sibco, after signing the agreement at the show.

Sibco, which has two factories in Riyadh and Jeddah, specialises in the manufacturing of insulating white blocks to serve Saudi Arabia’s growing construction industry.

Meanwhile, the Italian Ambassador to Bahrain Enrico Padula visited the iGuzzini stand at gulfInteriors. The Ambassador said he is delighted to visit the stand and to support the collaboration between Italy (iGuzzini) and Bahrain (Al Bait) and to highlight Italian design and quality at its highest level.

At the gulfInteriors show, Bahrain-based Berger Paints displayed its latest offering, Royale Play, which will hit the kingdom’s market in June.

“We are the leading local paint manufacturer in the kingdom and despite the troubles our business is doing good,” said R Raghupathi, manager sales and marketing, Berger Paints.

Mohammed Al Moamen, marketing director of Magic Wall Décor, said the exhibition will help expand his business within the kingdom and overseas. “I have had some very good enquiries, which I hope will translate to business,” he said.

First-time exhibitor Marmara Trading sees good market in the kingdom for its imported bathroom and sanitary ware. “Business is expected to pick up this year,” said Hani Khuzam, senior sales manager. - TradeArabia News Service