Domotex Middle East Debuts with 246 Exhibitors

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 21, 2006--From the moment its gates opened, the inaugural Domotex Middle East in Dubai was a success. 241 exhibitors from 36 countries showcased their products at the International Trade Fair for Carpets and Floor Coverings. 5,200 visitors used the opportunity offered by the three-day event (28–30 May 2006) to get a close look at the many products and innovations on display. In view of the show’s successful premiere, Domotex Middle East will definitely be staged as an annual event from now on. Even in the run-up to the show, Domotex Middle East was making a name for itself, with the event selling out weeks in advance. Originally, the organizers had booked three halls with a total of 12,000 square meters at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). However, because demand was so high, an extra hall had to be booked, bringing the total size of the exhibition up to 14,000 square meters." Domotex Middle East 2006 is the biggest show ever launched in Dubai," explained Helal Al Marri, director general of DWTC. "We are very proud to announce that the result exceeded our expectations. It is a great success for the organizers." Domotex Middle East is the first trade fair in the entire region to focus exclusively on floor coverings of all types. "Our concept is paying off. This exhibition proves that there is a keen market for specialized trade fairs like Domotex Middle East," commented Stephan Ph. Kuehne, member of the board at Deutsche Messe AG. The largest display category focused on hand-woven and machine-made rugs and carpets, with both classic and modern designs being on show. Other large exhibitor groups included producers of textile floor coverings. Parquets and laminates, which are becoming increasingly popular in the region, were represented by 45 companies. "I am very impressed with the range of products on show," commented Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, executive chairman of the Dubai Ports, Customs and Freezone Corp., who opened Domotex Middle East alongside Hannover's Lord Mayor, Dr. Herbert Schmalstieg and Board Member Stephan Ph. Kuehne. The exhibition focused on the following major themes: Rugs and Carpets (Handmade); Rugs and Carpets (Machine-Made); Textile Floor Coverings; Resilient Floor Coverings; Laminate, Parquet and Wooden Floors; Marble, Stone, Ceramic Tiles; and Laying, Cleaning and Application Technology. Many market leaders took part in Domotex Middle East. 208 of the 241 exhibitors came from abroad, thus highlighting the show's outstanding international credentials. The largest foreign nation represented at the event was Turkey--with 23 companies accounting for over 1,200 square meters of exhibition space. Germany, India, Saudi Arabia and Belgium were also major contributors. According to the exhibitors, who also praised the event’s international profile, there was a large number of high-caliber visitors. "We appreciate the quality of visitors. We've seen many different nationalities here and everyone has been very busy," remarked Willem Van de Velde, project manager at Flanders Investment & Trade, Belgium. The success of the first Domotex Middle East is further underscored by the results of the visitor survey, with every second visitor found to have been a management executive or company owner. Over 43 percent of visitors came from abroad and a total of 45 countries were represented. The catchment area comprises the United Arab Emirates and the other member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi Arabia, as well as Iran, India, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt. Visitor groups to Domotex Middle East included wholesalers and retailers of floor coverings, decision-makers in the contract business, planners, architects, and interior designers, interior decorators, construction companies, their buyers and project planners and managers.