Shamari, Saudi Construction Show's Executive Manager (left), Faisal S. Alfadl, head of the Saudi Construction Show Organizing Committee (right in black thobe), and Raz Islam, the show's Marketing Director, taking a tour of the event in Riyadh. (Courtesy photo) RIYADH: The Saudi Construction Show 2011 is being held at the capital's busy intersection off Khurais and Sheikh Jaber streets. The site draws the attention of thousands of motorists to the construction equipment worth about SR1 billion and state-of-the-art equipment and technologies on display for the first time here. The five-day show was inaugurated by Faisal Alfadl, Secretary General of Saudi Green Buildings. “We are in Riyadh and things are big. The show, first of its kind in the region, is organized in the newly approved Expo Center over an area of 100,000 sq. meter featuring state-of-the-art construction equipment and services. The equipment at the event cater to various needs of construction industry in the Kingdom,” he said. Faisal Alfadl, who is also chairman of the Organizing Committee of the show added that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has thrown a challenge to the Kingdom's construction industry by announcing construction projects worth billions of riyals. Saad Alshamari, Executive Manager of the show, attributed the success of the exhibition to the interest and participation of contractors and suppliers and companies from various services sectors. A number of workshops and seminars were also organized on the sidelines of the show with presentation and live demonstration of the construction equipment. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry had issued license to organize the Saudi Construction Show. Organized by Green Construction Company Ltd. (GCC) and marketed by Megapixel Middle East Fz LLC (MME), the event is being held under the supervision of Riyadh Municipality. Green Construction Company Ltd., a multi-discipline contractor, focuses on global brands' services and environment-friendly products in the Saudi construction sector. GCC Exposition and Conference division is the Kingdom's leading event organizer supported by government and non-government establishments with the participation of world's leading companies and industries. Raz Islam, Marketing Director of the show, said the exhibition was organized following feedback received from sources and financial experts which estimated the total value of construction contracts and projects during the current year (2011) to be nearly SR322 billion ($86 billion). King Abdullah's recent announcement and a series of Royal Decrees for building of housing units has further boosted the confidence of construction sector in the country. This will transform the Kingdom into one of the world's giant construction sectors with development projects, including infrastructure in areas like electricity, railways, roads, airports, ports and others.
