The Big 5 | International Building & Construction Show - 2015

GCC´s largest construction event saw over 80,000 participants and more than 3,000 exhibitors attend the four-day show in Dubai from November 23-26, 2015.

Alot has been said about how oil prices might affect construction markets. But each of the GCC nations has continued to invest heavily in infrastructure, housing, and healthcare. The total value of contract awards in 2015 in the Gulf region may have reached over $194 billion, according to a report titled ´GCC Construction Industry û Trends and Challenges for 2015´. In view of this, the Big 5 International Building & Construction Show kicked-off at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which saw participation up by 8 per cent.

Construction in the GCC will increase in value despite a slight dip in the overall contract awards this year, for Andy White,Vice President, DMG events ME, the company responsible for The Big 5 International Building & Construction Show. The show at the Dubai World Trade Centre is the biggest and most popular in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region and regularly attracts thousands of participants. In 2015, the show had more than 81,500 reported participants, 3,104 exhibiting companies, 113,526 exhibition space, with 67 exhibiting countries.

Key highlights

• New! The Big 5 Focus: A brand new hall with more products, exhibitors and new features.
• The Big 5 Focus hall also hosted the Technology in Construction and PMI workshops, as well as the CPD certificate collection point and prize give-aways.
• 75 CPD certified educational workshops: Each workshop was delivered by a leading industry professional, who shared cutting-edge insight into the latest trends and innovations in the construction industry.
• The Design Summit: The Design Summit brought together architects, consultants, urban planners, engineers and contractors, and offered free detailed insight into the latest design trends, new technologies and techniques.
• Gaia Awards: The 2015 Gaia Awards saw almost 300 entries, whose products have been successfully integrated into the built environment in the MENA region. This year, there was also a prize of $50,000 marketing support on offer to the winning entry.
• Live product demonstrations: Live demonstrations offered an interactive display of the most innovative products and technologies. Experts showcased their products live, giving visitors the opportunity to assess the suitability of a product for their projects on the spot.

The Big 5 in Dubai is a main focus for suppliers to the region from across the world. Major infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have and will continue to drive diversification, but what is also seen, is large-scale investment being sustained across Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, according to a Ventures Onsite report.

The global construction equipment market is forecast to reach $241 billion by 2020, and growth in the Middle East is expected to be a major part of this figure. The Big 5, the global meeting place for the construction sector, plays a huge role year-on-year to boost this growth. In all, the event provided a great interacting opportunity and The Big 5 Focus was designed to make it easier to find certified products available locally.