Fourteen Dutch companies turned up to take part in the Gulf Industry Fair 2013, as part of the Netherlands pavilion covering 170 sq m.

This comes after Dutch honorary consul in Bahrain Jaap Vaandrager booked a 24 sq m site at the Gulf Industry Fair 2012, encouraging companies in the Netherlands to look at Bahrain and GCC markets.

He was supported by 22 firms who sent out brochures to promote their businesses in the Middle East, which proved to be a massive success.

"We did a roadshow round with some of the companies who showed an interest a year ago and the take-up has been excellent with some of the Netherlands' leading companies coming out this year to tap into this market," said Vaandrager.

"Already a number of companies who have come to Gulf Industry Fair this year are looking to set up joint ventures and do business in the region and their decision is proving a big success."

Cutting tools firm Euroboor was one of the Dutch businesses that decided Bahrain could be a key destination to tap into to the Northern Gulf market and it has proved a good move, according to director Albert Koster.

"This is a good exhibition but we had an unexpectedly positive response on the first day," he said. "The quality of people coming here is excellent and they are here to do business.”

"We have made a lot of contacts and did some positive business on the first day and I was extremely impressed with this show. I can say that we will definitely come back next year," he added.

TGS managing director Emiel Bleyenberg, said: "We have some business with Abu Dhabi and Dubai but this is our first venture into the Northern Gulf and it is proving fruitful."

"We have made a lot of good contacts and have set up some appointments to follow up these opportunities."

Specialist in in-house training group ROVC also praised the quality of visitors to the show.

"We train people in-house who already have jobs rather than students and we have had good discussions with employers," said ROVC chief executive John Huizing.

"We have picked up a lot of information which will help us to proceed in offering services across this region in the future," he added. – TradeArabia News Service