A large number of exhibitors at the Saudi Construction Expo, currently being held at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, expressed their satisfaction with the high turnout for the products offered by the participating exhibitors. Participants in a tour organized by Amlak Real Estate newspaper confirmed that the exhibition has achieved its intended goals through excellent coordination and organization, attracting more than 500 local and international brands, Speakers noted their optimism regarding the upcoming development boom outlined by the Kingdom in its National Transformation Plan 2020 and Vision 2030, which will generate massive projects to boost demand in the construction sector.
Al-Qublan: The Future Lies in Solar Energy, Water, and Electricity
First to speak was Ibrahim Suleiman Al-Qublan, owner and general manager of Al-Qublan Thermal Pipe Factory, who described the exhibition as one of the largest in terms of attendance by companies, contractors, and citizens, especially since now is a good time to build due to the drop in construction material prices. Al-Qublan described demand as strong and unaffected by the travel and movement of many residents, noting that it has remained robust due to the major development projects underway across the country.
Al-Qublan added that the Ministry of Housing’s projects influence demand and market growth, noting the need to intensify these efforts to keep pace with citizens’ ongoing housing needs, and called on the private sector to continue cooperating and partnering effectively with the ministry so that it can serve as a pillar of support in fulfilling its mission.
Regarding the market’s outlook for 2018, Ibrahim Al-Qablan said that the near future will see steady market activity accompanied by falling prices and a willingness on the part of citizens and development companies to build, He called on exhibition organizers to focus future exhibitions on solar energy, water, and electricity solutions so that we can keep pace with the ambitions and goals of Vision 2030, which aims for conservation and innovation.
Eng. Al-Aqil: Include Holidays in Exhibition Dates
For his part, Engineer Muhammad Ahmad Al-Aqil, CEO of Al-Muna Plastic Products Factory, explained that competition in the Saudi market is fierce and is not significantly affected by economic fluctuations, and, by the grace of God and with His guidance, we are constantly working to develop our products, which are distinguished by being purely domestically manufactured using Saudi raw materials, Engineer Al-Aqil pointed to the high demand we are seeing in the market and what we observed through our presence at the exhibition, where we found excellent opportunities for sales and contracts among the large number of companies and individuals who visited the exhibition.
Al-Aqeel noted that the current trend in construction will have a positive impact on the market’s recovery, especially since Vision 2030 includes massive infrastructure projects, all of which are based on construction and its components—particularly on the part of the Ministry of Housing, which has already begun actively constructing buildings and complexes in partnership with private-sector companies, At the conclusion of his remarks, Al-Aqeel called on exhibition organizers to intensify their media and promotional efforts to market their events so as to attract all those interested in this sector. He expressed his desire to adjust the exhibition dates to include official holidays in order to ensure high attendance.
2018 Will Boost Market Optimism
On the same topic, Abdul Latif Khalid Al-Rabiah, General Manager of Caparol Paints, confirmed that such a high turnout and level of interest were unexpected, which demonstrates citizens’ eagerness to seek out and explore the best options, Al-Rabiah explained that the current market situation is showing remarkable progress, noting that there is a significant difference between 2016 and 2017, and that the coming year, 2018, will see further market positivity in terms of sales, especially given government initiatives by the Ministries of Education, Health, and Housing to implement numerous projects that will boost demand for all construction-related materials.
Al-Rabiah praised the exhibition’s excellent organization, effective marketing, and the support provided to participating companies, which had a positive impact on the exhibitors whose booths were packed with visitors—especially during the middle of the week. Had the exhibition included Friday and Saturday, the number of visitors and interested parties would have been even higher. He also noted the participation of women in decision-making through their involvement and expertise within the exhibition halls, where they were actively present (both as exhibitors and participants).
