The Office Furniture Exhibition opens today in Bahrain. The event, organized by Bahrain Light Industries Co. (BLICO), will run until May 13th. Four leading Saudi firms and other representatives of Gulf firms confirmed their participation. BLICO is expected to sign BD 500,000 in deals with the Saudi firms at the exhibit, Akhbar al-Khaleej Daily reported. BLICO intends to use this forum to introduce 20 new products. It also plans to issue an electronic catalogue (on CD). Furthermore, the company is considering the intensification of its sales volume by strategically utilizing the Internet, thereby becoming the first Bahraini company to market its products to world markets via the Web.
In its recent General Assembly meeting last month, BLICO decided to close down its Bahrain branches as part of its policy to reduce expenditures. It also decided to cover the Arab Gulf markets through alliances with other companies active in this industry. Accordingly, BLICO initiated the Office Furniture Exhibition and invited interested agents in Saudi Arabia to conclude substantial deals. The Saudi office furniture market is estimated at approximately SR1 billion per annum. The four Saudi companies taking part in the display are considered leaders in their country's office furniture sector. Among them, Al Ajou Group, ranked in the list of the Arab Gulf top 70, boasting sales of about SR600 million. (BD1=$2.65; SR3.75=$1).
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