Booming Aftermarket Attracts Leading International Players To Automechanika ME

The booming automotive aftermarket in the wider Middle East region continues to grab the at-tention of major manufacturers and suppliers of parts and accessories around the globe. Those seeking to tap into an increasingly lucrative market are flocking to Automechanika Middle East 2011, the region’s largest trade fair for the automotive aftermarket, which takes place next week at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from Tuesday, June 7th to Thurs-day, June 9th.

Organiser, Epoc Messe Frankfurt, expects the 2011 edition to be larger and more representa-tive than ever before, with 1,102 exhibitors from 52 countries. The trade fair will also feature 21 country pavilions with Germany, Turkey and Italy being some of the largest amongst them. There is also strong representation from the local aftermarket sector, with 113 exhibitors and a robust presence from the US.

“We are extremely grateful of the support of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum to Au-tomechanika Middle East. This support plays a large part in the success of our exhibition,” said Mr. Ahmed Pauwels, Chief Executive Officer, Epoc Messe Frankfurt.

He added: “With market trends indicating that the automotive aftermarket industry is very much on the upswing, we are seeing a surge in interest from parts, accessories, tyres and workshop machinery manufacturers – in short the entire gamut of the automotive aftermarket. This time around, Automechanika Middle East will also feature additional special features such as a range of product launches and demos from our exhibitors and a seminar programme covering industry statistics, sessions on tyres, detailing and tuning,” he added.

Automotive majors wishing to deal in the region see Automechanika Middle East as a vital part of their promotional programme here. Julian Blackwell, European Sales & Marketing Director, Firestone Industrial Products Europe BV, said: "Automechanika Middle East is an international trade fair receiving global attention for its popularity and rapid growth. The location of the trade fair provides a platform to share product offerings and build relationships with prospective dis-tributors in the Middle East. By exhibiting, we reinforce our dedicated efforts to serve the world-wide needs of the heavy-duty industry. Automechanika Middle East provides Firestone Indus-trial Products with the opportunity to share the latest information on our new line of truck cab springs. We are also actively seeking new direct distributors for the Middle Eastern countries."

Chief Information Officer – Mr. Mohit Khanna of Fleetminder, said: “Automechanika is the most important aftermarket trade fair in the wider Middle East and we intend to make a splash in the spectacular event. It’s a great opportunity for us to make contact with old and new industry friends who visit the event without fail. We would like to showcase some very interesting GPS and Satellite telecom enabled solutions which cover environmental management systems, asset management systems and flood monitoring systems with our world class vehicle tracking sys-tems.”

First time exhibitor ZAFCO, a leading distributor throughout the UAE and GCC region in the fields of tyres, batteries and lubricants will feature their own brand ZEETEX. Mr. Gopiraj KV, Chief Executive Officer of ZAFCO, said: “Our debut at Automechanika Middle East indicates our incomparable clout as an industry leader with unwavering global reach and strong customer base. This will certainly help in understanding the customers’ tastes and dynamics which will allow us to plan the future with innovative new products for the market.” Zafco boasts the larg-est tyre distribution centre in the Middle East region and has one of the world’s largest ware-housing networks with a combined average inventory of more than one million tyres.

Tiss Ltd, world leaders in fuel theft safety devices for trucks, will be rolling out their expansion plans for the region. Tiss Commercial Di-rector, Matthew Rose, commented: ”With recent rock-eting global oil
price rises, there has been a huge increase in the number of enquiries we have received from the Gulf Region. Therefore, the Auto-mechanika Middle East is the perfect opportunity to launch ourselves in the area”. TISS’ products focus on the TankSafe range of devices.

It’s not just the big names who will make an impact at Automechanika Middle East – every spec-trum of the industry is represented. ATH Heinl, for example, will showcase their range of high-quality garage equipment for those on a more limited budget.

Automechanika is the leading international meeting place for the automobile sector. As the world’s biggest trade fair for the automotive aftermarket it spotlights innovations and solutions in the fields of parts, systems, tuning, workshop equipment, bodywork & paintwork, car wash, IT & management and the latest automobile services. Automechanika Middle East is one of 13 glob-al Automechanika fairs held in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa.
 

dU Attracts Prominent Business Leaders At The Latest Business Xchange Forum

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Continuing its journey in bringing together a group of pioneering industry leaders and following the astounding success of the last year’s Business Xchange forum, du hosted the recent event as part of its innovative umbrella of leadership series. This year’s forum focussed on du’s “Unlocking the Power of Managed Services” and it’s achievement of ICT operational excellence through managed services, virtualisation and cloud. The forum highlighted various ways in which Cloud & Managed Services could benefit enterprises from different spheres in their overall business development.

The event included collaborative discussions through which du offered CIOs and ICT professionals innovative techniques and ways in which they can support their business growth while managing costs. Cloud & Managed Services experts from du discussed the emerging technology, and thus helped the participants develop a more resolute and crystal-clear view of it. du also demonstrated how new technologies actually give professionals the tools to transform ICT’s direction, strategy and operational profile to fuel growth and continued cost reduction strategies.

Also discussed at great length were ways in which clients would able to optimise their ICT costs and investment, as well as refocus their capital investment into areas that are strategic in terms of revenue generation – as opposed to investing in hardware and telecommunications equipment and infrastructure.

“du has created a platform for collective collaboration in order to elevate the local market and refine its offerings. The carefully selected topics of discussion and theme of the event accurately reflect the situation of the sector today. Enterprises today want to harness the benefits of managed services, and our main focus is making sure these solutions work for them,” stated Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.

The Business Xchange forum also explored issues that focused on providing practical advice that leads customers to success and showcased its highly reliable and cost-effective managed services solutions that keep pace with changes in its various customers’ businesses – and with the rate of ever-evolving modern technologies.

“There is an increasing debate around the future of Cloud computing, especially since many enterprises are still uncertain as to what approach they should take. Cloud computing offers a new path through which CIOs can deliver more value to their organisations, and through this event, du has brought something rare to the table; just by analysing how these new models can deliver real savings at this crucial time for businesses in the UAE,” concluded Faraidooni.

59th UITP World Congress Exhibition Attracts Global Local Sponsors

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has almost completed the sale of its sponsorship programme for the 59th World Congress & Exhibition of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), a global industry event for the international transport community, taking place in Dubai from April 10-14. The RTA, who is the host of the prestigious event, has already secured 60% of the sponsorships for the event at a value of over two million dollars. The handful of remaining packages including a Cultural Evening and Audiovisual sponsorship are currently being negotiated.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister and Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, will officially open the Exhibition “Mobility & City Transport Exhibition” and the Congress taking place under the theme “Boosting public transport: Action!”. The opening and closing ceremonies are presented by the event’s main sponsor, Abu Dhabi Department of Transport (DoT).

In addition to the industry delegates, trade media from around the world will attend the event, also sponsored by the Dubai Driving Center and the Al-Futtaim Group, the most respected corporations in the lower Gulf Region as platinum partners.

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker, is the gold partner, sponsoring the “Dubai City Tour” on Sunday April 10, which includes visits for registered event participants to the iconic Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Mosque.
 

Global industry leaders such as Energy International Corporation (EIC), a full-service engineering, procurement and construction company; Thales, a major electronic systems company acting in various areas including transportation; Bombardier, a global transportation company in aerospace and rail; Alstom, a world leader in transport infrastructure, power generation and transmission; Arabian Automobiles Company (AAC), one of the leading automotive distributors in the Emirate, and Swaidan Trading Co LLC – Al Naboodah have come on board as silver partners for the highly anticipated international event.

Other event sponsors in the bronze category include ETA Ascon Group, a UAE-based contracting firm; Voith, a supplier of drive and braking systems; Kenkart, a Turkish automatic fare collection and vehicle tracking system producer, Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company; SECURITAS, a knowledge leader and service provider in security; NAVTEQ an IT provider; and DEPA, a designer of train interiors.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the partner of Expo Forum sessions that will take place in the exhibition halls.

Union Railway, the agency responsible for managing the development, construction and operation of the UAE’s national railway, is the main sponsor of UITP and RTA welcome reception, one of the many social activities organized on the sidelines of the event.

The event is on course to be a great success as 29,400m² of the floor space has already been sold, hence 98% of the total space available. Dubai has already exceeded the size of the previous two UITP Congress & Exhibition events in Helsinki and Vienna respectively.

The 59th UITP World Congress and Exhibition hosted by RTA will promote, discuss and debate UITP’s PTx2 strategy of doubling public transport market share worldwide by 2025. The event will be the first important milestone for UITP to assess what has been achieved and what is still needed in order to achieve its vision: doubling the public transport market share worldwide by 2025. The event will offer the opportunity to gauge the capacity of the sector to grow rapidly and will showcase the latest innovations in vehicles, information technologies, equipment and services. UITP is the global advocate for public transport and sustainable mobility, and the promoter of innovations in the sector.
 

Airbus Fly Your Ideas Contest Attracts Over 300 Teams Worldwide Comprising Students Of 75 Nationalities

Best ideas for greener aviation in the running to win €30,000 Teams from the UAE are among three from the Middle East through to round 2.

Emirates Aviation College – the team from the United Arab Emirates – is among three from the Middle East through to round 2 after 13 from the region had entered FYI 2011.

Including those representing academic institutions overseas, 15 students from the Middle East are through to the next round; 70 had initially entered the competition.

Overall, over 2,600 students have registered for the second Airbus Fly Your Ideas (FYI) university contest which challenges students from all around the world to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry. Students of 75 nationalities made up the 315 teams which entered in round 1. This is a 40 percent increase in the number of teams compared to FYI 2009. Of these 315 teams representing 287 universities, 84 teams have been selected to advance to round 2 with a chance to participate in the final at the International Paris Airshow-Le Bourget in France.

Airbus invited students to make proposals on any or all stages of the aviation ‘Environmental Life Cycle’, an approach Airbus uses to improve the environmental performance of an aircraft and its production process in five areas: design; supply chain; manufacturing; aircraft operations and aircraft end-of-life.

The round 2 teams were chosen following a thorough, questionnaire-based assessment of their proposals. They will now be supported by an Airbus mentor as they develop their initial ideas into more detailed submissions. One in five participants to FYI 2011 came from a non-technical discipline such as marketing, business, management or design, twice as many as in 2009. Four out of five have a science and / or engineering background. All continents are represented with in particular 44 percent of the teams based in Europe and 39 percent in the Asia Pacific region. The FYI contest, like Airbus, brings people of different cultures and horizons together – 76 percent of the competing teams are international and multidisciplinary-

Charles Champion, Airbus’ Executive Vice President Engineering and FYI Patron, said: “We are delighted to have received a record number of entries to the second Airbus FYI challenge and we are particularly happy to see a wide diversity of participants. By engaging with universities and young people worldwide we can continue to stimulate more new ideas for a greener aviation industry. This is part of our vision for the eco-efficient aviation industry of the future, balancing the growing demand for air travel with a better environment for all.”

The biennial contest involves three progressively challenging rounds. Five teams with the most exciting projects will be chosen in May and advance to the FYI final. The winning team will be picked by a high-profile panel of judges and take home the €30,000 first prize. The runner-up will receive €15,000.

For further details and to keep up with the competition’s progress visit:
http://www.airbus-fyi.com
 

Visually Stunning Sport Performance Acapulco High Dive Show Attracts Crowds At Global Village

Global Village, the premier cultural, shopping and family entertainment destination, today announced the ’Acapulco High Dive Show’ is attracting hundreds of visitors during its four shows that each lasts 20 minutes every evening.

Combining Olympic style diving and acrobatic action, the visually stunning and spectacular sport show will continue to attract crowds until 26 February, 2011.

The high-class sport performance, full of energy and vigour, involves a world-class athlete diving from a staggering 80ft platform into a 10ft deep and 26ft diameter portable pool at the speed of over 90kph.

The performance also includes a stunt man diving as a human torch, engulfed in a blazing inferno, into a pool of water.

To the delight of onlookers, performers demonstrate the dangers involved in the super human acts and highlight interesting facts on the physics involved such as speed and impact.

The 111-day new season at the Global Village that opened its 15th season on 10 November, 2010 will run until 28 February, 2011. It is featuring 28 pavilions from over 45 countries, showcasing a colourful array of heritage and handicrafts.

For more information on the activities at Global Village, please contact the call centre on 04-3624114 or visit www.globalvillage.ae. Updates are also available on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
 

25th International Autumn Trade Fair Attracts 500 Exhibitors From 25 Countries

The 25th edition the International Autumn Trade Fair (IATF10) taking place from December 13 to 15, 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will feature around 500 exhibitors from 25 countries, an indication that the Dubai consumer goods industry is recession-proof, according to organisers of the region’s pioneer consumer goods show.

The three-day Autumn Fair, to be held in Halls 2, 3 and 4, is a leading regional buyer-seller meeting ground for the consumer goods segment. The exhibition, ranked as one of the more popular general trade fairs in the region running in its successful 25th year, will occupy 13,000 square meters of space.

Satish Khanna, General Manager of Al Fajer Information & Services, said: “Over the last 24 years, IATF has been recognised as a robust regional business platform for the global consumer goods industry keen to expand footprints in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Dubai is ideally poised to sustain its position as a trading hub for consumer goods being surrounded by fast growing markets of the Subcontinent and Africa.”

Khanna added: “This year, the fair will host the official national pavilions of eight countries, occupying 80 per cent of exhibition space. The national pavilions include 250 exhibitors from China, 40 from Hong Kong, 15 from Singapore, 40 from Korea, 25 from Iran, 20 from Turkey, 35 from India and 10 from Malaysia. India and Turkey are coming for the first time as official pavilion. Other countries participating at IATF10 at individual levels include Indonesia, UAE, Taiwan, Italy, Pakistan and Japan.”

Zhejiang Foreign Trade & Economic Co-operation Bureau will be taking part for the continuous fourth time. Geared up to meet the contemporary living with style & innovation, they will bring in a wide range of goods manufactured in Zhejiang Province of China with participation from over 85 well established enterprises.

In line with the past trends, participation from China continues to be huge, with the pavilions being organised by several official bodies like Shenzhen Wanbo China Foreign Trade organisation, Sinobal China, Shanghai Global, CCFNA and others. These participants have been represented at the IATF since its inception.

Hong Kong will be part of IATF’10 for the seventh consecutive year on a larger scale, with 40 exhibitors. The large scale participation of Hong Kong comes against the backdrop of the increasing trade between the East Asian country and the UAE and the region in general. The UAE is the single largest trade partner of Hong Kong in the Middle East region.

The HK pavilion is being organised under the banner of Hong Kong Trade Development Council and will display a variety of consumer products, including gifts and premium, electronics, houseware and household products, and fashion products and accessories.

Korea is also set to make its presence felt with over 40 companies from various provinces of Korea participating. Organisations like IKED, KITA & Busan Economic Promotion Agency are giving extensive support to Korean exhibitors in the show.

Khanna added: “IATF’10 will also witness an official pavilion from IRAN, with over 25 companies taking part. Iran is one of the extensive export destinations for UAE and IATF offers immense trade opportunities between the two countries. Iran pavilion will be organized by Iran International Exhibitions Company under the banner of Ministry of Commerce.”

IATF10 will unveil an exciting mix of products comprising cosmetics, foodstuffs, electronics, household appliances, plastic household products, toys, stationery, electrical items, handicrafts, carpets, garments, textiles, house ware, kitchen ware, sanitary ware, novelties, machinery, machine tools, hardware accessories and diary products.
 

Children Tent Attracts 200-500 Children Daily

The children’s tent which is presented by the 9th Ramadan Forum organized by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing ‘DTCM’ receives between 200-500 children from 10 pm to 12 midnight every day. The children enjoy the games, competitions and entertainment facilities as well as the program for discovering young religious talents. The tent is sponsored by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.

Al Anood Al Balooshi, member of the organizing committee and supervisor of children’s activities in the forum said: “The activities of the children’s tent aims for providing children between 4-12 years old with a suitable place allowing their parents to attend the lectures of the 9th Ramadan forum noting that children are only allowed to enter the tent with their mothers with a certain tag number according to an electronic system in order to guarantee the safety of the children and ensure that their parents attend the lectures with no worries”.

Al Anood Al Balooshi, member of the organizing committee and supervisor of children’s activities in the forum indicated that the tent is sponsored by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai with a number of supervisors and teachers to guarantee security and discipline. It also organizes awards to encourage children to know more information about their religion and nation noting the abidance of both parents and children with the rules of the tent let to the success of the activities during the past days.

Al Anood also explained that children under four are only allowed to enter the tent with a help to guarantee their needs when required noting that she and her colleague Enas found great assistance from parents and children. The tent is designed to fit excessive numbers without any problems and all facilities are suitable for children at all ages.

“The tent has become one of the main attractive means for the audience as some children encourage their parents to visit the forum daily either to enjoy their games or give their parents the chances to attend the lectures and receive gifts. The supervision committee does not allow the child to enter the tent without their mother taking a serial number”, Al Anood concluded.
 

Kids Fashion Week Attracts Crowds To Deira City Centre

Kids Fashion Week, a signature event of DSS, brings some of the renowned names in children’s fashion to the ramp at Deira City Centre. To be held till August 7, the week-long event features the latest trends in international children’s fashion. The shows will be held at 6:30pm everyday.

Brands being showcased this year include A2Z, Sanrio, Zara Kids, Stadium, Okaidi, Woolworths, United Colors of Bennetton, Carnival 4 All, and Classy Style.
 

Karma Kafe Attracts All Age Groups!

The innovative concept of Karma Kafe is created by Raymond Visan, the founder of eminent Buddha Bar. This exceptional combination of restaurant and bar allows the people of all age groups to experience lavish dining, unique drinks and parties with grooving music everything under one roof.

The dining area of Karma Kafe is decorated with massive chandeliers, candles and a 3 meter high Buddha statue which allows the visitors to feel the oriental ambience. It makes a perfect atmosphere to have a relaxing evening with your family combining with luscious menu of Sushi and Sashimi. You can also sample many Vietnamese appetizers like spring rolls with sweet chilly sauce, Hawaiian-smoked pot stickers, lettuce wraps with minced Mongolian beef, etc. It has also been observed that Karma Kafe’s distinctive appearance have managed to captivate the attention of couples as well.

The spot lights and the candle which is placed in the middle of the dining table have its own charm. It creates the perfect aura for the couples to spend a memorable evening with their partner. Then comes the spectacular bar area whose extravagant and modish carvings have made a perfect hang out place for youngsters. The bar area allows the youth to enjoy handcrafted cocktails and mock tails. Grooving music, dark wooden floor and attractive lightings sets the youth in party mood and allows them to have maximum fun.

Karma Kafé offers their guests the chance to indulge into an exotic world of luxury and elegance. This restaurant and bar is known for its vivid combination and aims to invite people belonging to all age group. It is not just another hotel; it’s a lifestyle that you will experience at Karma Kafe.

Get more details about Karma Kafe at http://www.karma-kafe.com/

Contact Information:

Old town Burj Dubai
Souk Al Bahar
Zone No.4 – Level 3
P.O. Box 283350 – Dubai ­ UAE
Tel: +971 4 423 09 09
Email: info@karma-kafe.com
 

International Character Show Stories Of SpongeBob Attracts Crowds To Dubai Festival City

The international character show SpongeBob SquarePants’ Stories of SpongeBob is attracting crowds to Dubai Festival City as the show continues at the Festival Centre. Brought exclusively by the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment, the show is free and runs until August 7 when Dubai Summer Surprises ends.

Show timings are 4:30pm and 6:30pm (Saturday to Wednesday) and 4:30pm, 6:30pm and 8pm (Thursday and Friday). There are no shows on Mondays.