Thermal Industry Middle East (TIME) made its mark with its very first edition as the technology trade fair for the heavy manufacturing industry in the Middle East.

Now in its second edition, this biennial event exclusively caters to the core sector industries showcasing technology, equipment,

products and services for aluminium, steel, cement, glass and ceramic manufacturing.
Each industry is brought into focus with sub-sections such as Steel-Tech, Alu-Tech, Cement-Tech and Glass & Ceramic -Tech.

Heavy manufacturing industry is energy and labour-intensive. Regional heavy manufacturing industry will benefit from the regions geographical advantage of cheaper energy, the availability of some raw materials in the region and a close labour market that can provide an economical and experienced workforce.

Investment in heavy industrial plants is largely by governmental agencies, investment arms or large corporate houses. They tend to belong-term investments and less influenced by current market fluctuations. Even now, several projects are proceeding ahead and being tendered for. Whilst some new plants or expansions may be put on hold, they are nevertheless very much on the charts and will go online in the short to medium term.

Existing plants require continuous and periodic maintenance and supplies of parts and consumables remains a strong business opportunity for suppliers of industrial plants & consumables.

In this scenario, T.I.M.E. will serve as a platform where industry representatives can showcase their products, gain access to a dynamic Middle East market, assess market needs, and network and share latest developments in the field.

The UAE and other GCC states have been highly successful in leveraging on the natural advantage of cheap energy and the availability of some raw materials in abundance. This has resulted in the emergence of production units for aluminium, steel, glass, cement, ceramics and other energy-reliant industries.

Local demand for these construction related products is still high, considering the on-going infrastructure developments and the expansion in the oil and gas sector.

Although the current economic scenario has enforced a slowdown on many construction projects, it is effectively only a slow down and not a shut-down. The ongoing construction projects in the UAE are valued at around US$650 billion, according to recently released statistics, with the construction sector remaining the third largest contributor to the country’s economy.

The UAE is continuing to develop several projects in tourism, housing, industrial and commercial facilities, education and healthcare amenities, transportation, communications, utilities, ports and airports. Regionally, there are about US$1.35 trillion worth of active civil building projects in the Gulf, where infrastructure investment by governments continues at a robust pace.