More than 115 companies and business councils from around the world with expertise in facilities management services, such as landscaping, maintenance and cleaning, found out how they could become part of the Expo 2020 Dubai journey at the latest Meet the Buyer event.

The event was aimed at connecting representatives of companies, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), with members of the Expo 2020 Dubai Procurement team and its main contractors to help them take advantage of a wide range of opportunities available in the run-up to, and during the Expo.

Previous editions have included construction, event management and operations contracts.

At the latest Meet the Buyer event, the FM companies learnt how they could become part of the Expo 2020 Dubai journey.

This latest edition attracted representatives from more than 115 companies and business councils from 13 countries including Australia, France, India, Oman and the UAE, and showcased how Expo 2020 Dubai can be a platform for the region to show a different, modern, progressive side to its culture and people.

It was the latest Expo initiative to work with businesses before 2020 by facilitating networking through opening its supply chain, encouraging interaction, exchanging ideas, sharing expertise and enabling SMEs to sell and deliver the best solutions.

Manal AlBayat, the senior vice president of Business Development and Integration at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: "Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to building a long-lasting and sustainable economic legacy, not just for the UAE but the wider region."

“Companies of all sizes are recognising the opportunities for them to be part of the Expo journey, and the benefits and long-term value that participation has to offer,” she noted.

This Meet the Buyer edition was for both ‘soft’ services, such as cleaning, litter collection, landscaping and pest control, and ‘hard’ services, such as air conditioning maintenance, repair works and plumbing, as well as waste management, stated AlBayat.

The event took place during the Expo 2020 Dubai Procurement team’s search for facilities management suppliers, with the request for information (RFI) period now open.

These opportunities will be available until October 4 for companies of all sizes on the Expo 2020 Dubai e-Sourcing portal (https://esource.expo2020dubai.ae).

Attendees also participated in workshops with members of the Expo 2020 Dubai Procurement team.

Those who attended include Martina Martino, the operations manager at IFA Residential Services FZE, a major operational services management firm based in Dubai.

"Expo 2020 Dubai is important for businesses in so many ways. For example, being part of such a large, global project such as this will have a big impact on a company from our background. It will help companies grow," stated Martino.

“The Meet the Buyer event is important to us as it offers a chance for us to find out about the many opportunities at Expo 2020 Dubai and what organisers are looking for from potential contractors,” he added.

Fellow attendee Hacene Terghini, the business and FM consultant at ABFM Consulting, a facilities management consultancy firm in Dubai, said: "Expo 2020 Dubai will create huge opportunities for SMEs in the UAE. Meet the Buyer has been a great success and the chance to meet the Expo team and the information delivered today will be very useful."

Samer Hani Mohammed, the general manager of Cleanco, which provides cleaning and building management services in the UAE, pointed out that FM sector will be an important part of Expo 2020 Dubai.

“This will be a global exhibition and the world will come to see it, so we have to make sure we present Dubai in the best way. If people come to Expo 2020 and see it clean, well maintained and everything in place then this will reflect on Dubai and be a benchmark for other future Expos,” observed Mohammed.

Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to supporting SMEs and tapping into their innovation and agility, with more than half of its procurement contracts to date being awarded to SMEs, he stated.

By empowering SMEs and integrating them into the Expo 2020 Dubai supply chain, Expo is ensuring that businesses can take advantage of benefits including long-term job creation and economic growth, as part of its plans for a lasting economic legacy, he added.

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first such event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. It opens on October 20, 2020 and closes six months later on April 10, 2021.

Millions of visitors are expected to come and more than 180 countries will participate at the global destination.-TradeArabia News Service