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Gulf Industry Fair opens in Bahrain

Manama, February 8, 2011

Some of the top industry-related firms are displaying market-leading products, services and capabilities at the fourth Gulf Industry Fair (GIF 2011) which opened this morning (February 8) in Bahrain.

HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, inaugurated the fair at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIEC).

The Prime Minister also toured the exhibition.

A total of 107 exhibitors, up 24 per cent from 86 last year, will participate in the expo.

At 2,602 sq m, the fair is nine per cent larger than the 2010 show, said organisers Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE).

GIF 2011 will be open from 11am to 8pm up to February 10.

For the first time this year, organisers are introducing dedicated pavilions for energy, aluminium and logistics, to not only facilitate networking opportunities for same-sector businesses but also ensure visitors make optimum use of their time at the show.

“The fact that GIF 2011 is larger than last year reflects its growing role as the leading B2B event of its type in the Northern Gulf,” said Jubran Abdulrahman, HCE managing director.

“The industrial manufacturing and services sector will see outstanding growth opportunities over the next few years and our positive view of the future of the region forms the basis of HCE’s vision for Gulf Industry Fair,” he added.

The fair enjoys high level strategic support from top-calibre organisations including Bahrain’s National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) in association with the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco); Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), First Bahrain’s flagship warehousing and logistics project Majaal; the British Offset Office; and Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry).

Alba, one of the world’s largest smelters, is participating as a Strategic Aluminium Partner for the second year running.

Alba’s CEO Laurent Schmitt said: “One of Alba’s remits is to stimulate the growth of the downstream aluminium sector in Bahrain and further integrate the aluminium value chain in the kingdom, in line with government objectives.”

“Alba’s strategic support for GIF 2011 demonstrates our commitment to this approach, through which we aim to help showcase the services and capabilities of the local and regional aluminium community at the fair,” he added.

The role of Noga and Bapco as catalysts for Bahrain’s economy will also be underlined at the fair for the third successive year.  The ongoing commitment of these entities as a strategic energy partner demonstrates their appreciation of the role that B2B exhibitions play in Bahrain’s development.

First Bahrain, the strategic logistics partner, will be seeking to raise the profile of Majaal, its industrial warehousing and logistics project, located in the Bahrain Investment Wharf (BIW) and which launched in December 2009.

Amin Al Arrayed, First Bahrain general manager and Majaal managing director, said: “GIF 2011’s exhibitor and visitor profile matches our target audience, and is an excellent vehicle through which we can establish new contacts with SMEs from Bahrain and around the world.”

The British Offset Office (BOO), meanwhile, will have representatives on hand at BIEC ready to advise on how BOO can assist companies from around the world plan and implement joint ventures in Saudi Arabia under the Saudi British Economic Offset Programme.

Companies from Bahrain, China, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK and the US will represent the key industrial segments of aluminium, machine tools, industrial equipment, manufacturing, automation, steel, energy, logistics and ports and free zones and training and education. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | Hilal computers | Gulf Industry Fair | GIF |

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