Every dimension of the steel fabrication industry was represented at SteelFab

STRONG foreign participation was the highlight of the region’s premier steel fabrication industry exhibition – SteelFab 2014 – that was held last month (January 20 to 23) at Expo Centre Sharjah, UAE.

The event attracted a large number of foreign exhibitors due to the increasing global limelight on the country that will be hosting World Expo 2020.

“SteelFab 2014 had a strong presence of leading manufacturers and dealers from countries like Taiwan, Germany, Italy, Turkey and China. Germany and Taiwan had special pavilions, while Italy and Turkey were facilitating the participation of a large contingent. This is apart from exhibitors from other countries,” said Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah.

“The foreign pavilions have been set up in association with industry bodies from those countries and form an integral part of SteelFab 2014. Foreign participation in SteelFab has been increasing and our partnership with these associations has gone a long way in ensuring that visitors have access to the widest range of products from across the world,” he added.

The German pavilion that hosted 17 exhibitors displayed sawing technology, punching and bending machines, precision tools, grinding products, vacuum systems and plate bending machinery and equipment. This is aside from other German exhibitors who took part in the show.

The Taiwan Pavilion showcased spot welding, pipe making, fittings, roll forming and welding, CNC drilling seamless tube and linear motion components by nine exhibitors. Several other exhibitors exhibited independently.

Steel structures were among areas of interest at SteelFab 2014

Foreign organisations that supported SteelFab included Ucimu Sistemi Per Produrre - Association Of Italian Manufacturers of Machine Tools, Robots, Automation Systems and Ancillary Products; Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA); German Engineering Federation (VDMA); and Machinery Trade International (MTI).

Other major participant countries included Italy with 33 exhibitors, China with 23, Turkey with 14 and UK with 11. Several other exhibitors from Turkey and the UK took part independently.

Growth in the core sector that propels the regional fabrication industry resulted in SteelFab expanding fast, with the show this time occupying 50 per cent more exhibition space at 24,000 sq m than the previous edition in 2013. The number of exhibitors too increased by 25 per cent to 300, and the brands represented at the show stood at more than 700.

“The addition of three new segments to SteelFab and improvements to the existing special sections resulted in SteelFab achieving such high growth rates. With such an extensive line-up of exhibitors, brands and live display, we believe the regional industry has the most comprehensive sourcing point in SteelFab,” said Al Midfa.

The three new segments featured at SteelFab 2014 were steel-tech, fabricators pavilion and steel showcase, while the regular special focus areas included welding and cutting, material handling, machine tools and pipe and tube machinery, as well as a section on used and re-conditioned machinery.

Visitors also found a range of products for all their sheet metal working requirements and equipment that is specific to industries such as oil and gas and pipeline.

The event also lined up technical seminars and product presentations.