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For the first time more than 1,000 exhibitors at IDEX |
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Monday,
February 14, 2011, 11:54 AM |
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Abu
Dhabi set for record-breaking 10th IDEX 2011 with 1,060
exhibitors, 124,000sqm space exhibition |
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ABU
DHABI - Monday 14th February 2011: Abu Dhabi is set to host
a record-breaking IDEX edition when the show's 10th anniversary
takes place 20 - 24 February 2011 at the Abu Dhabi National
Exhibition Centre under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa
Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
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From right: H.E. Saif Al Hajeri, CEO, Tawazun Holding; Staff
Major General Obaid Al Ketbi, Head of Committees & Spokesman
for IDEX 2011; H.E. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Managing
Director ADNEC, Mohamed Al Mashgouni, IDEX 2011 Show Director.
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Addressing
the official pre-event press conference in the UAE capital
today, His Excellency Major General Obaid Al Ketbi, Head
of Committees & Spokesman for IDEX 2011 said: “For
the first time since IDEX’s inception in 1993, exhibitor
numbers have gone past the 1000-mark recording 18.2 percent
growth over IDEX in 2009, to reach 1060 exhibitors”.
“Total
event space (gross sqm) has grown 14.8 percent to 124,000sqm
(108,000sqm in 2009), with IDEX exhibitors this year,
representing 53 countries (50 in 2009), including 32 national
pavilions (same as 2009). Net event space (net sqm) has
increased 14.58 percent to 43,219sqm (37,719sqm in 2009)”.
IDEX
(International Defence Exhibition & Conference) is
organised by ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company)
in association with the UAE Armed Forces. Tawazun Holding
is the headline sponsor for the event.
“Despite
being a long-established show, at every IDEX we strive
for something new: new companies, new countries, new facilities
and innovations and this time, is no different,”
Major General Ketbi said
Of
the 1060 exhibitors this year, 49 exhibiting companies
will be located within the dedicated First Time Exhibitor
Zone (FTEZ) introduced at this edition.
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NAVDEX 2011 in parallel with IDEX 2011 exhibition vessels
at ADNEC Marina |
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Also, a new feature at this edition is
NAVDEX - a dedicated naval defence exhibition that’s
being held in parallel, at the ADNEC Marina and connected
via a pedestrian bridge to the main exhibition venue. Organised
by Clarion Events on behalf of ADNEC in association with
the UAE Armed Forces GHQ, NAVDEX occupies 16,000sqm (gross),
with 81 exhibiting companies, as well as 4 visiting navy
ships from the UAE, the UK, Italy and France. NAVDEX is
set to enter the record-books as the largest launch event
in the UAE in 2011, as well as ensuring the naval component
is a crucial and increasingly important element at all future
IDEX editions.
Stating
that ADNEC was greatly honored to play a key role in the
organisation of IDEX along with the UAE Armed Forces GHQ,
His Excellency Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, ADNEC’s
Managing Director said: “A show of this stature gives
us the opportunity to showcase our organisational capabilities
as well as the excellent facilities we have been able to
establish at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre under
the Abu Dhabi leadership’s mandate.
For
IDEX this year, the historic ADNEC Grandstand, a 30-year
old city landmark and an integral element in the IDEX Opening
Ceremony, has been significantly enhanced with the development
of a brand-new Royal Box; a striking new canopy which arches
over the Grandstand; and a new, tiered-seating system, to
create a comfortable spectator experience. Also, the display
area which is located directly in front of the ADNEC Grandstand
has undergone significant development to create a permanently
expanded parade area which will be used for the show. Another
key investment made by ADNEC since the last IDEX, is the
addition of the 408-room Aloft hotel, inter-connected with
the exhibition centre.
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Archive
IDEX 2009 inside exhibition area |
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“ADNEC
is firmly committed to the success of IDEX and will continue
to make ongoing improvements to our facilities in order
to drive home the show’s pre-eminent status as one
of the premier showcases for systems, equipment and technology
for the tri-service defence sector. I am convinced IDEX
2011 will once again prove ADNEC’s abilities in delivering
a world-class event at a world-class venue,” said
Al Dhaheri.
The UAE will have a significant
presence at IDEX 2011 with 169 exhibitors occupying an area
of 12,260sqm. The largest international country pavilion
is Germany (3,595sqm) followed by USA (3,411sqm), Turkey
(2,179sqm) and Italy (1,782 sqm).
The largest international
exhibitor is Germany's Rheinmetall AG, occupying 1,274sqm
space whereas the largest UAE exhibitor will be Mubadala
Development Company and its subsidiaries, with a 1,870sqm
stand. Tawazun Holding will occupy a total of 1,662sqm of
combined indoor and outdoor space and is also looking to
capitalise on the opportunity of being the Headline Sponsor,
an honour that the company also held at the last IDEX.
H.E. Saif Al Hajeri, CEO
Tawazun Holding and OPB (Offset Program Bureau) said: “Under
the country’s wise leadership and the guidance of
the UAE Armed Forces GHQ, IDEX has, over the past 18 years,
become one of the world’s leading gatherings for the
defence industry. Tawazun is delighted to be the headline
sponsor of IDEX in its 10th edition during 2011.”
The official conference
for IDEX, the Gulf Defence Conference (GDC), will be held
on Saturday 19th February at the Armed Forces Officers'
Club. The GDC, organised by INEGMA (Institute for Near East
& Gulf Military Analysis) on behalf of ADNEC, is expected
to host more than to 400 delegates and 9 international speakers
focusing particularly on the emerging threats and novel
technologies for GCC defence and security. This 2011 edition
of the Gulf Defence Conference will be essential attendance
for anyone seeking to understand the fast changing defence
and security environment in which they are working, whether
from government, industry, the military or academia.
More than 50,000 visitors
including heads of state, high-ranking military and defence
procurement officials, as well as business visitors are
expected to attend IDEX 2011.
As IDEX, the MENA region’s
largest tri-service defence shows prepares to celebrate
its 10th anniversary, strong growth - both in exhibitor
numbers and show size, new components such as NAVDEX and
the First Time Exhibitor Zone as well as traditionally-popular
IDEX elements such as the GDC, and the live mobility and
marine demonstrations, will be underpinned by the significant
business deals that are expected to be announced at the
show.
IDEX 2011 will open its
doors to an audience of VIPs, Media and 150 official delegations
on Sunday 20th February with a grand opening ceremony. |
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