The SteelFab and SteelTech exhibitions at Expo Centre Sharjah showcase the latest in steel production technology.
Owing to astronomical investments in infrastructure projects and industrial development across the Gulf states, demand for iron and steel products in the region has, of late, been experiencing a significant increase. It is estimated that by 2008, demand for basic iron and steel products will reach 19.7 million tonnes, up from 15 million tonnes in 2005. Within the UAE alone, demand for steel stood at 3.5 million tonnes in 2006.
According to industry sources, the GCC region has one of the highest consumption levels of iron and steel products in the world. Whereas the individual consumption per person at the world level is 182kg, in the GCC States it is over 378kg of steel per person annually.
Besides the GCC States, other countries in the Middle East region too are witnessing a rise in demand for iron, specifically steel products.
According to Steelworld, a leading trade magazine in the Asian iron and steel sector, the total steel production from January 2006 to November 2006 in the entire Middle East was 13.5 million tonnes against a figure of 13.4 million tonnes during the same period the previous year. On the other hand, the world crude steel production for 2005 stood at 1.129 billion tonnes while for the period from January 2006 to November 2006 it was around 1.111 billion tonnes.
Rise in demand
Going by the production and consumption figures, there is no doubt that the GCC region is well on its way to becoming an important steel hub in the Middle East region.
The rise in consumption of steel products and the subsequent increase in production of these in the region has led to a massive demand for machinery, equipment and consumables by the Middle East steel working industry. This is where SteelFab comes in.
Since 2004, the SteelFab exhibition at Expo Centre Sharjah has been catering exclusively to the regional steel working industry's complete sourcing requirements. In fact, SteelFab is now considered the largest display of steel working machinery in the Middle East and the only platform in the region that showcases the industry's requirements of machinery, machine tools, welding equipment, supplies and consumables used in pre-treatment and post-treatment of steel, and ancillary equipment.
The SteelFab exhibition has been consistently growing in size, both in terms of exhibitors and occupied exhibition space since the debut edition three years ago.
In fact, today the event attracts some of the most reputed global brands engaged in the production of machine tools, machinery, and consumables for the steel working industry, as well as their regional distributors and agents.
"Over the last three editions, the SteelFab exhibition has clearly established itself as an effective entry channel to the lucrative regional steel working sector for global companies and brands that are engaged in the production of machinery, machine tools and consumables for the industry," says Fasahat Ali Khan, Advisor to the Chairman and Board of Directors of Expo Centre Sharjah.
Global brands
"The trust and confidence that international brands and their regional distributors and agents have reposed on the exhibition may largely be attributed to its focused yet quality visitor turnout," says Khan.
"SteelFab, over the years, has come to be perceived as a common platform that brings together the regional steel working industry and the global manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of machine tools, machinery, consumables and other items related to the steel working business, under one roof," says Saif Al Midfa, Director General of Expo Centre Sharjah.
"It is considered to be the region's window to technological advancements taking place within the industry in other parts of the globe, besides being the only established and credible sourcing platform for the steel working sector. The exhibition attracts a wide category of senior technical personnel from the industry. In fact, the regional steel working sector considers the exhibition as a must-visit event for all its decision makers and key personnel," says Midfa.
SteelFab
The third edition of SteelFab, which concluded at Expo Centre Sharjah on January 31 this year, attracted a total of 5,797 visitors. Of the total visitors, 69.1 per cent were from the GCC States. The UAE accounted for 87.49 per cent of total visitors followed by Saudi Arabia with 6.09 per cent. The 2007 edition of SteelFab witnessed a 73.87 per cent jump in visitor turnout from the GCC States compared to the previous edition.
At the end of the third edition of SteelFab, almost all the exhibitors said that they were highly impressed with the visitor turnout and its quality. A majority of them reported receiving confirmed and secure orders during the show while others revealed that they had received serious queries, many of which had strong possibilities of translating into deals at a later stage. Almost all the machines that were shipped in for the show were reported sold. The 2007 edition of the exhibition featured over 280 brands and companies from 34 countries.
"The growth of the SteelFab exhibition to such a stature and magnitude within such a short span of time may be pointed towards the fact that it is the only trade platform in the region that caters exclusively to the demands of a rapidly expanding steel working sector," says Khan. "With demand outstripping supply as a result of infrastructure development and industrial progress in the Middle East, the regional steel working industry is fast expanding its existing capacities, resulting in a huge demand for steel working machinery, equipment and consumables."
The fourth edition of the SteelFab exhibition will be held at Expo Centre Sharjah from January 21 to 23, 2008. According to Al Midfa, the exhibition — following the path of its growth in previous editions — will be bigger in terms of profile, exhibitors and occupied exhibition space.
"The 2008 edition of SteelFab will occupy three halls of Expo Centre Sharjah, measuring 12,000 square metres. The growth, in terms of number of exhibitors, will be around 30 to 35 per cent," says Al Midfa. "SteelFab 2008 will feature a dedicated hall for Sheet Metal Technology and will display equipment and machinery for AC duct manufacturing, kitchen manufacturing, cabinet manufacturing and other similar sheet metal product manufacturing in the Middle East region."
SteelFab 2008 will coincide with the SteelTech exhibition — a trade fair for the growing steel production industry in the Middle East. The Middle East steel manufacturing industry is currently on a roll. The growth in the sector, it must be noted, is a fairly recent phenomenon, mainly driven by a significant increase in demand for steel in the region and an attempt to keep the spiralling cost of steel under control. However, despite the increase in steel production in the region, there are no dedicated trade shows focused exclusively on the sector. SteelTech will fill that void.
SteelTech 2008
As an exhibition, SteelTech 2008 will feature technology, equipment and products for the Middle East's steel manufacturing sector including rolling mills, tube and pipe manufacturers, wire manufacturers, steel processors, and rebar manufacturers. SteelTech is a highly focused and dedicated trade exhibition that is aimed at exclusively catering to the sourcing requirements of the region's booming steel manufacturing industry.
It is estimated that the demand for steel from the UAE alone stood at 3.5 million tonnes in 2006. Now, with the expected growth in demand of steel, many business houses have announced brown-field as well as green-field expansion programmes which will substantially increase the steel making capacity of the region.
Studies suggest that regional expansions could well see the capacity double in four to five years across all GCC member states. The Middle East is fast becoming a steel production hub. Along with it, down-the-line facilities such as rolling, slitting, galvanising and fabrication are also coming up. Indeed, the iron and steel industry in the Gulf region is set for a big leap in demand for steel in the next few years.
A substantial portion of that demand is being met by the Middle East steel industry. According to Al Midfa, the SteelTech edition will act as a platform to introduce new technology and developments in the steel manufacturing process to the region's industrialists and investors looking to put up new steel-making plants or expansion of existing facilities.
"In recent years, Expo Centre Sharjah has launched and nurtured successful trade shows with special focus on industrial segments. SteelTech will be the first full fledged exhibition and conference for the steel-making industry in the region, and we are fully committed to growing it to its full potential." says Al Midfa.
A major attraction of the debut edition of the SteelTech exhibition will be the Gulf Iron and Steel Conference on the sidelines. The conference — in its second edition — will be organised by Steelworld and will focus on several crucial issues facing the regional iron and steel sector. The conference will be addressed by key players from the global iron and steel industry. Also among the participants will be top decision makers from the regional iron and steel sector as well as technology providers, equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers to the industry.
The first edition of the Gulf Iron and Steel Conference, which was held on January 29 and 30, on the sidelines of the SteelFab 2007 exhibition, dealt with a range of industry and region specific issues including opportunities and threats facing the industry, technology-enabler for cost competitiveness and growth, challenges ahead in steel fabrication, prominent projects — problems and prospects, and steel trading — emerging markets and emerging applications. The conference attracted 128 delegates.
Given the profile, the event will be a perfect networking opportunity for global and regional players engaged in the sector. In fact, SteelTech is the only exhibition of its kind in the region to feature a conference that is focused on the iron and steel sector. Both the SteelFab and SteelTech exhibitions will be organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with the able support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A list of major exhibitions taking place in the steel industry between October 2007 and October 2008
Middle East Steel Forum
On October 30, 2007
Venue Hilton Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
Middle East Steel
On November 6-7, 2007
Venue Raffles Hotel, Dubai
MEMEX
Middle East Manufacturing Exhibition
On December 9-12, 2007
Venue National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi
11th Middle East Iron & Steel Conference
On December 9-11, 2007
Venue JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai
Gulf Iron & Steel Conference
On January 21-22, 2008
Venue Expo Centre Sharjah
SteelTech Middle East
On January 21-23, 2008
Venue Expo Centre Sharjah
SteelFab
On January 21-23, 2008
Venue Expo Centre Sharjah
— Compiled by Shikha Mishra
