Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) has signed on as ‘gold’ sponsor of the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) 2016, it has emerged.

BIAS 2016 is scheduled to be held at the Sakhir Airbase from January 21 to 23 next year under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad and BIAS supreme organising committee head and His Majesty’s personal representative Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It is being organised by the Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry and the Royal Bahraini Air Force, in co-operation with Farnborough International.

Sponsorship agreements were signed by acting under-secretary for Civil Aviation Affairs and BIAS supreme organising committee member Ahmed Al Nemah with Alba chief executive Tim Murray.

In a statement after the signing, Al Nemah said the participation and support of Alba is an example of the pivotal role played by Bahraini companies in the aviation industry and the success of the air show.

“It is noteworthy that most of the aircraft structures are made from aluminium and Alba has made significant contributions worldwide to the aerospace industry and we are proud of the company’s continuous support,” he added.

Murray said the smelter was “proud to sponsor the Bahrain International Airshow for the second consecutive time”.

BIAS 2016 will feature a special hall to display unmanned aircraft as well as a dedicated wing to exhibit special equipment and services used to develop infrastructure of airports providing opportunities for interaction and communication with exhibitors and visitors.

On the sidelines of the exhibition there will also be various activities which will include a Host the Buyer programme and a conference titled Air Transport in the 21st Century to be held during the first two days of the show.

In addition, a special symposium for the leaders of the Middle East aviation industry will be held a day before the opening, at which main issues of the industry will be discussed.

Several international companies have now confirmed their participation at BIAS 2016, including BAE systems, Boeing, FLEX, an Italian company, Rostec (Russia), Qatar Airways, Gulfstream and Airbus, and other companies working in the civil and military aviation sectors. - TradeArabia News Service