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Innovation takes centre stage as The Big 5 returns

RMD Kwikform and Doka exhibiting at last years Big 5.

More than 60,000 construction professionals will be expected to descend on the Dubai World Trade Centre on Monday as the regions flagship construction exhibition rolls back into town

For more than 30 years, The Big 5 has been at the forefront of construction industry events across the Middle East. While buildings have continued to rise out of the sand across the Middle East and the number of construction industry events taking place across the region has multiplied, The Big 5 has managed to maintain its relevance as the Gulf's leading construction show.

Held in a city with an ever-changing landscape, The Big 5 has remained consistent as ever, providing construction professionals with a range of solutions for a multitude of sectors, including steel, marble, coatings, HVAC, water technology and concrete.

While it has maintained its status as the region's leading construction show, The Big 5 has never sat still, evolving over the years to meet the demands of the Middle East's fast-paced construction industry.

"We regularly host focus groups and meet with our advisory board members who help us each year to build an event that is relevant for those professionals who influence the procurement of construction products," commented Andy White, group event director at event organiser dmg :: events.

Introducing interiors

The annual event incorporates a number of sector-specific areas, including PMV Live, Middle East Concrete and, for the first time this year, the Building Interiors zone. The zone will feature products related to kitchens and bathrooms such as ceramics and fittings.

"Our research has shown us that there is a clear need for a dedicated zone for building interiors products, particularly for the interior designers and architects who attend our show," explained White. "A common misconception is that The Big 5 is a building-products-only event, however, for many years we have also hosted some of the world?s top interiors brands at the event."

PMV Live and Middle East Concrete (MEC) will return with a renewed sense of optimism flowing through both industry sectors.

"As event organisers, we are definitely seeing a real momentum in the industry, gearing up for a positive 2014 and beyond," said PMV Live event director Nathan Waugh. "With a number of big infrastructure and transport projects underway and in the pipeline, the PMV market sees significant opportunities within these sectors, which will contribute to its growth in the coming years."

MEC will this year focus on concrete application efficiency as the sector works to understand how concrete technologies can contribute to more sustainable building practices. According to dmg :: events, the demand for concrete has been valued at more than US$49bn within the GCC over the next two years, but the educational content at this year?s MEC will see concrete professionals come together to share challenges and solutions for efficient and sustainable applications, while keeping pace with demand.

Waugh, who combines his role on PMV Live with that of event director of Middle East Concrete, said, "MEC continues to respond to visitor demand by expanding its educational programme. More companies than ever are coming forward to present their own findings and research on best practice solutions for a variety of issues including sustainability, maintenance, and new technologies."

The free-to-attend seminar theatre will host a range of industry professionals, discussing some of the latest, leading solutions from across the market, with participating companies including Grace Construction Products, Elematic, Fosroc and FADOX Group.