Selma Roth Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia is experiencing a boom in its construction market as consumers' interest grows for high-quality products, primarily from Europe and Turkey. This trend has been observed during the Saudi Kitchen and Bathroom Expo 2013 and the Saudi Poll and Spa Expo 2013 which run side-by-side at the Jeddah Center for Forums and Events. The event opened on Tuesday and Thursday. It was the first time the exhibition, organized by Reed Sunaidi Exhibitions, was held. The exhibition demonstrated the growth of the lucrative construction market, expected to be worth $24 billion by 2015. It also indicates the high standards Saudi families demand for two of the most important spaces in their lives – the kitchen and the bathroom. Talaat M. Abdulrahman, show director at Reed Sunaidi Exhibitions, said the event attracted about 3,000 to 4,000 visitors at the rate of 2,000 visitors a day. The expo hosted 132 international brands of construction products from 11 countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Malaysia and China as well as some local brands. The Turkish companies exhibited in a separate Turkish National Pavilion organized by a subsidiary of the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON). “I can see that Saudi families are now looking for brands and for good quality products,” Abdulrahman said. Other exhibitors also noticed the growing interest for modern designs and international brands. Whereas a decade ago, Saudis would mainly opt for beige or sand-colored ceramics, they now choose more daring shades, including dark brown, purple, or green, said A. Nawaf Al-Azm, who exhibited for Ebaa House Ceramic & Marble Co. He said ceramics had become the most widely used material for floors, while only 10 to 15 years ago people mainly preferred carpets in their homes. An exhibitor for Siematic and Veneta Cucine, who did not want to be named, said Saudi families used to buy classic, wooden kitchens 10 years ago. Nowadays, they ask for famous brands and kitchens made of glass and steel. The design used to be in a U-shape, but now L-shaped kitchens and kitchen islands have become very popular in the country. He said the crisis in Europe also contributed to this trend, as European manufacturers are turning to the booming markets in the Middle East to sell their products. Dubai already has many suppliers from all over the world and this is new in Saudi Arabia. An organizer of the Turkish pavilion, who also did not want to be named, said Turkish companies were eager to sell in the Kingdom because of the rapid market growth. He said the companies exhibiting at the center took this expo not only as a chance to promote their products, but also to find out the trends in Saudi Arabia. Nearly half of the exhibition space was reserved for pools and spas. Boris Van Roosbroeck, sales manager for AlttoGlass, a Spanish manufacturer of glass mosaic, said the latest trend is illuminating mosaic that absorbs sunlight or artificial light and glows in the dark. Another emerging trend, he said, is digital printing on mosaic, which is now being introduced in the Kingdom.
