H. E. Dr. Mohammed Saeed AI Kindi, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, opened today (February 27, 2007), the second edition of Dubai Woodshow, the Middle East’s only dedicated wood and wood machinery exhibition, at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. Dubai Woodshow 2007, which will run from February 27 until March 1, has grown by 118 per cent to include 125 companies from over 40 countries who are set to showcase a wide range of products and services from across the wood industry spectrum.
Dignitaries present at the opening ceremony included David Venables, European Director, AHEC, Gianni Ghizzoni, President of Eumabois, Jose Menoyo, Director, AFEMMA, Dawood Al Shezawi, Managing Director, Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions (organizers of Dubai Woodshow 2007) and other representatives from international trade organizations.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Kindi said, “Dubai Woodshow 2007 has attracted leading international and regional firms and has been established as the industry platform for global wood manufacturers and players from the woodworking sector. The exhibition’s success is a testament to the fact that Dubai can attract leading technologies and global companies looking to tap the booming potential of the Middle East market. I wish the exhibitors and the organizers of Dubai Woodshow 2007 the very best.”
Dubai Woodshow 2007 features leading exhibitors from more than 40 countries and provides an ideal platform for the regional wood companies to interact with key professionals and decision-makers from the global wood and wood machinery industry. The exhibition will bring together manufacturers, traders, suppliers and distributors of plywood, MDF, veneer, laminates, parquet, paper products, treatment products, and wood processing & woodworking machinery. Further, the event will be attended by timber merchants, interior designers, furniture manufacturers, carpenters, architects, engineers, wholesale dealers, retailers, building material manufacturers and construction suppliers.
“We launched Dubai Woodshow last year in response to the flourishing construction sector spurred by numerous infrastructure and building projects in Dubai and across the Middle East. The show received unprecedented response last year from regional wood-based industries thereby cementing Dubai Woodshow as the premier regional showcase for the wood industry,” said Dawood Al Shezawi. “The show this year has grown by 118 per cent to register close to double the number of regional and international exhibitors, with nearly 90 per cent of last year's participants confirming their presence this year and several discerning regional and international firms making their debut. As such, the regional industry has been abuzz with excitement ahead of the show and I am confident that Dubai Woodshow 2007 will far exceed participant and visitor expectations.”
A major highlight of Dubai Woodshow 2007 is the increased support from leading international associations including the European Federation of Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers (Eumabois), Asociacion de Fabricantes Espanoles de Macquinaria (AFEMMA), American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and Czech Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers Association (SVDSZ). With interactive demonstrations and seminars running alongside the exhibition, and different woodworking tools and treatments being demonstrated, Dubai Woodshow 2007 is set to attract industry professionals from all across the Middle East in a bid to satisfy the growing demand for quality wood products, woodworking machinery and related products & services.
The international representation at Dubai Woodshow 2007 has grown significantly with exhibitors coming from Lithuania, Austria, UK, India, Singapore, Belgium, Hungary, Taiwan, France, and Australia. Also present at the show are regional exhibitors from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and the UAE. Making its debut at Dubai Woodshow 2007 is the American pavilion, which joins the growing list of national pavilions including those from Europe, China, Italy, Canada, Germany, Spain, Brazil and others. Leading global players such as Rehau FZE from Germany, Italian-based Cefla Finishing, and Tropical Woods Intl Ltda from Brazil are displaying their innovative products along with local bigwigs including Simco Industrial Machinery, the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority, Arab Technical Equipment LLC, Al Aqsa Wood Working Tools, Al Humoudi Industrial Machinery, Danube Building Materials, Hakim Machinery Trading, Cobra Industrial Machines, and Mona Trading.
“The importance of having a common platform for the regional and international wood industry to exhibit their offerings can be gauged by the kind of response the Dubai Woodshow has generated. We are looking for another overwhelmingly successful edition of Dubai Woodshow and we hope all the participants at the event achieve their predetermined objectives by the time the show draws to a close,” concluded Al Shezawi.
About Dubai Woodshow 2007
Dubai Woodshow 2007 (February 27- March 1, 2007, Dubai World Trade Centre) is the premier trade event for the wood and wood machinery industry in the region. A highly specialized exhibition that assembles companies from the entire spectrum of the wood industry under one roof, Dubai Woodshow 2007 offers exhibitors an excellent networking platform, where they can build strategic relationships with buyers, traders and investors. The event displays a wide range of wood products, including MDF, plywood, hardwood, softwood, veneers, timbers, parquet, laminates, finished wood merchandise and paper products. Dubai Woodshow 2007 is organized by Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions, a leading exhibition and conference organizer based in Dubai. An acknowledged expert in all aspects related to the exhibition industry, Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions organizes a number of high-profile events in the region, including the annual International Property Show. For more information, please visit www.dubaiwoodshow.com.
