Regional Steel Industry Homes In On Sharjah SteelFab 2013 Begins At Expo Centre Sharjah

The regional metal working and steel fabrication industry is keenly looking at SteelFab 2013 to assess the dynamics of a market that is set to be driven by an aggressive core sector.

SteelFab 2013, which has evinced greater industry attention and participation due to its proven ability to reflect the underlying market fundamentals and opportunities, got underway at Expo Centre Sharjah on January 14 and will run until 17.

It was opened by H.E. Sh. Salim bin Abdur Rahman Al Qassimi, Director of the Sharjah Ruler’s Office, in the presence of Mr. Mohammed Sultan Bin Houwaden AlKetbi, First Vice Chairman, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General, Expo Centre Sharjah, senior government officials and industry representatives.

"Ambitious economic development plans of regional governments have given a major fillip to the steel fabrication sector, with projects planned in the construction, railway and oil & gas sectors set to drive the industry’s growth. The expanding industrial sector and export prospects to new markets emerging within MENA and the Sub-Saharan Africa also augur well for the industry," said Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Midfa.

"SteelFab will continue to help manufacturers and dealers take advantage of this positive market conditions and act as a facilitator of seamless trade," he added.

The UAE, which is the most diversified economy in the Middle East, is moving fast to boost manufacturing, so that in the next 15 years the sector will comprise 25 per cent of it gross domestic product from the current 14 per cent. From US$ 34.6 billion in 2010, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the UAE’s overall GDP swelled to an all-time high of US$ 38.5 billion in 2011.

In the region, estimates have put non-oil industrial growth at 9 per cent, which is largely being propelled by manufacturing and is a growth driver for the steel fabrication industry.

"There is good presence of all the key segments such as sheet metal products, welding & cutting equipment, machine tools and pipe & tube machinery for SteelFab 2013 in anticipation of greater demand from the manufacturing, oil & gas, ship-building, food and construction & infrastructure industries," said Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.

SteelFab 2013 is hosting over 250 direct exhibitors from 24 countries, displaying more than 600 international brands of machinery and equipment in metal forming, surface preparation & finishing, grinding & cutting, machining & other allied engineering disciplines at 16,000 square metres of exhibition space.

"Foreign participation has also increased at the show, mainly owing to slackening demand from Europe and other western countries that has forced several metal working and steel fabrication machinery and equipment manufacturers to focus more on the Middle East market," Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa added.

The show is supported by UCIMU Association of Italian manufacturers of machine tools, robots, automation systems and ancillary products, highlighting scope to enhance non-oil trade between the UAE and Italy that has risen from US$ 1.5 billion in 2001 to US$ 6 billion in 2011, an increase of 295 per cent.
According to UCIMU, Italy was set to see a rise of 12.3 per cent in machine tools export to a record of almost US$ 4.5 billion in 2012.

The industry was propped up by exports as domestic demand slumped by 11.1 per cent year on year. While exports to several emerging economies skyrocketed, orders from European countries like Germany fell.

"Manufacturers and dealers from Italy and other foreign countries at SteelFab 2013 are banking on the Middle East market to help offset drop in demand from several European countries," said Ms Lilian Segundo, Director - Sales, Expo Centre Sharjah.
Germany and Taiwan too have pavilions at the show. This is the third time in a row the German and Taiwan pavilions are being held in the show. The Machinery Trade International is also organizing a special pavilion for used and re-conditioned machinery.

Offering a unique proposition in showcasing products, SteelFab 2013 is also featuring a live machinery display, showcasing shears, press brakes, punch presses, CNC profile cutting, bevelling, grinding, oxy-fuel cutting, water-jet cutting, plate drilling/cutting, beam drilling/sawing, blasting/painting, cut-to-length, slit-to length, and stud welding displays.

An important component of SteelFab 2013 is technical seminars that will be held on January 15 and 16, featuring sessions consisting of a technical presentation followed by questions and discussions pertaining to technological innovations and latest product offerings for the industry. The exhibition will run till 17th January at Expo Centre Sharjah and the timings are from 10am to 7pm only. Admission is strictly restricted to trade and business visitors only. 

Emirate:  Sharjah

Date: Jan 14, 2013

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