MUSCAT: Infrastructure projects valued at $86 billion were awarded in the Gulf region in 2014, an increase of 78 per cent over 2013, according to industry reports.
Multi-billion dollar investments in GCC-wide commercial and civil infrastructure projects are having a positive impact on the materials handling sector, as the region’s dedicated logistics and warehousing trade show reaches full capacity ahead of its September opening in Dubai.
Reports indicate that increased investments are fueling demand for providers of logistics, transportation, materials handling, and supply chain solutions.
This upbeat sentiment is underlined by the industry’s biggest names exhibiting at Materials Handling Middle East 2015, which has sold out its exhibition space and will take place from September 14 to 16 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Headline companies returning to the biennial three-day event to expand business opportunities include UAE-based powerhouses Kanoo Group, Al Futtaim Motors, General Navigation and Commerce Company (GENAVCO), SPAN Group, and Al-Futtaim Auto & Machinery Company (FAMCO).
“The continued growth in the sector can not only be attributed to the ongoing infrastructural development across the region, but also to increasing demand for a streamlined supply chain and logistical framework from a growing number of regional businesses,” said Ahmed Pauwels, chief executive officer of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organiser of Materials Handling Middle East 2015.
“As the premier trade event in the region for the industry, Materials Handling Middle East provides exhibitors and trade buyers with a dedicated networking platform and unmatched business promotion and development facilities.”
Al Futtaim Motors’ Commercial Vehicles division will be at Materials Handling Middle East 2015 to showcase its Hino Trucks and Toyota Material Handling equipment, including Toyota and Raymond Forklifts and BT Warehouse Equipment.
Further, GENAVCO, a leading supplier of high-tech industrial and construction equipment, will have on display some of the world’s leading brands in warehousing equipment, racking and shelving systems, including Crown, JLG, Weiro, and Flexi articulated trucks.
