EXHIBITORS and visitors at ecoConstruct Expo, held in Abu Dhabi in April, were upbeat following the Government of Abu Dhabi announcements earlier that it plans to spend Dh330 billion ($89.8 billion) on development projects over the next five years.

The mega-spending will give a major impetus to the steel sector in the UAE, with projects planned in the construction, railway and oil and gas sectors set to drive the steel industry’s growth. According to recent reports, some $4.3 trillion worth of construction projects in the Mena region will be the key drivers supporting the steel industry’s growth between now and the year 2020, the event’s organisers said.

Emirates Steel, one of the UAE’s largest steel plants and principal sponsor at ecoConstruct Expo 2013, took part in the event for the third year running.

Mubarak Al Khaili, Emirates Steel SVP of marketing, commented: “In a market poised for exceptional growth in the present decade, it makes good business sense to be present there. We are looking to enhance our access into the lucrative UAE and GCC markets and have direct contact with end customers. The many strategic alliances that the company is establishing with leading technology providers will enable Emirates Steel to maintain its position at the forefront of the industrial sector in the Emirate.”

Emirates Steel is the first steel maker in the GCC region to attain the UK CARES Sustainable Reinforcing Steel certification for their product quality standards. UK CARES, the esteemed BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), recognised responsible sourcing certification scheme for steel products, also participated in the three-day exhibition. The organisation hosted a seminar covering operations and the certification business for the Responsible Sourcing of Constructional Materials, which included a session on the Estidama Building Rating System.

The seminar was part of a series of diverse, quickfire sessions held within an open theatre on the exhibition floor during the event, covering topics such as emerging sustainability regulations, new ways to test existing structures for energy management, structural integrity assessments, the promise of BIM, building cost forecasts, design elements that improve sustainability and other topics that affect the sustainable future of the built environment, both steel and non-steel. The sessions ran concurrently over the three days and were available free of charge to ecoConstruct expo visitors.

The exhibition was held alongside Cityscape Abu Dhabi from April 16 to 18 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec). Other local and international steel companies that took part included Rahji Steel, which accounts for over 25 per cent of the local market share; Mabani Steel, the designer, fabricator and erector of pre-engineered steel buildings within the Middle East and overseas; MMFX Steel DMCC, the Middle East subsidiary of the North American company which delivers branded concrete reinforcing steel products throughout the Mena region; Genesis Manazil, the leading international light-steel framing innovator; and New Chang Cheng Steel Engineering, the Chinese organisation that has annual structural steel capacity of 50,000 tonnes.

ecoConstruct Expo is jointly organised by Informa Exhibitions and Clarion Events Middle East.