RIYADH: Saudi Build/Stone 2009, claimed to be the biggest business-to-business construction and stone technology event in the region, opens here today.
The event features Saudi Stone 2009 — the 12th International Stone and Stone Technology Show — and Saudi Build 2009 — the 21st International Construction Technology and Building Materials Exhibition. The concurrent events are being held till Oct. 7 at the newly completed Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, one of the region’s most advanced exhibition facilities located in Riyadh.
Saudi Stone 2009 now accounts for many first-time exhibitors, including numerous designers and landscapers showcasing marble, granite, travertine and stone derivatives; as well as vendors of cutting, polishing and manufacturing machinery and other cutting-edge stone products and technologies. Saudi Build 2009 will gather thousands of high-profile business leaders from Saudi Arabia and around the world, diplomats and high-ranking Saudi government officials. Exhibiting companies from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia will occupy a total of 23,250 square meters of indoor and outdoor exhibition space.
According to Shahid Bhatti, project manager of Saudi Build at Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), the organizer of the event, Saudi Build was launched way back in 1981, making it one of the oldest and most significant events of its kind in the region. “When Saudi Build was launched 28 years ago, it was a biennial event, however, due to the strength of the Saudi market and to meet the high demand from international companies, it was made an annual show from 1991,” he said.
Today, the show is the leading international trade exhibition catering to the region’s construction sector, bringing the best of the world’s construction technology and products to the heart of the Middle East market, where it is in greatest demand, he added.
This year’s edition has achieved a substantial 50 percent increase in participation, with over 650 international companies from more than 38 countries confirming their attendance. “In addition, we are holding the event in the new, state-of-the-art Riyadh International Exhibition Centre, which is one of the most advanced exhibition facilities in the region, allowing us to expand the exhibition space by 100 percent to reach 15,000 square meters,” Bhatti added.
Most of our exhibitors are showcasing their latest innovations, products, services, initiatives and even visions with regards to protecting the environment.
