Issues surrounding training and safety standards, construction industry regulation and new equipment technologies are being tackled by industry experts at the Saudi Cranes Conference and PMV Show.

The two-day event, organised by ITP Events, began yesterday (April 29) at the Saudi Aramco premises in Dammam.

Saudi Cranes 2008 is showcasing leading suppliers of PMV and cranes in the Kingdom and the Middle East through regional and international speakers who are presenting both tactical and strategic case studies.

“Saudi Arabia is the fastest growing economy in the region, and it is set to become one of the top ten global investment centre. This incredible growth is fuelling infrastructure expansion, with a number of large-scale projects such as economic cities, the Saudi Land Bridge project, the Aramco total export refinery and the Sabic Kayan Petrochemicals company,” said event director Kimon Alexandrou.

“Hundreds of billions of dollars will be invested in the construction and fit out of these major projects. The Saudi Cranes and PMV show is designed to discuss how these major projects impact the continued growth and expansion.”

Speakers included Amer Al Sulaim, executive director, industrial services, Saudi Aramco, Hosam Hashem, chairman of the Lifting Equipment Engineering Chapter of the Saudi Council of Engineers and Mike Martens, director of operations for the US National Association of Heavy Equipment Training Schools (NAHETS).

The topics included certifying crane operators, how design impacts equipment choices now and in the future, recruitment and retention of labour, suppliers and reviews of competitive marketplaces such as India and China in comparison to the Middle East.

Also discussed at the conference was how training needs to keep up with technology if a company is to get the best out of its equipment. There was also a panel session about developments in design of mobile and crawler cranes with presentations by manufacturers Terex-Demag and Tadano. – TradeArabia News Service