Dubai Exports sees increase of UAE exports in construction sector to Saudi Arabia in 2011

UAE firms are expected to increase exports of local products and services to Saudi Arabia’s booming construction sector over the coming year, as a result of their recent participation at Saudi Build 2011, the Middle East’s largest construction and building material exhibition in the region.

An extensive business matchmaking event, organised by Dubai Exports, an agency of the Department of Economic Development (DED), witnessed a strong response from Saudi Build key buyers and investors. The event served as an important venue for mutual trade cooperation between companies from both countries including discussion of government facilities and services provided by Dubai Exports.

Engineer Saed Al Awadi, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Exports, said that Saudi Arabia’s booming building and construction sector provided potential opportunities for UAE exports. “Our successful participation at Saudi Build signifies a continuous growth of the country’s exports in the construction and building materials sectors. The business matchmaking event, one of our supports to UAE companies, provided them with a venue to meet with key buyers which aims to increase their export opportunities in regional markets such as Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The matchmaking event, which was attended by 35 local companies and more than 35 major Saudi buyers, resulted to overwhelming sales and business leads of export opportunities. Among the local companies that participated in the event were based in Dubai Investment Park and other companies from the manufacturing sector.

“We are keen to enter new markets for our companies at Dubai Investment Park and Saudi Build is an important exhibition for us to introduce our products to the Kingdom as well as enhance the awareness of the services our companies can provide to the construction sector. We have had remarkable success in our latest participation at Saudi Build and Dubai Exports’ support and the matchmaking event it organised was key in closing deals during the show,” said Abdul Aziz Al Serkal, Chief Executive Officer, Masharie, the private equity arm of Dubai Investments.  

Saudi Build 2011, the largest business to business construction fair in the Kingdom, provided contractors, real estate developers and building owners with a full range of building solutions.