The Germans are once again out in force using the Big 5 platform to establish new contacts and bag more contracts with key regional decision-makers over the five-day event.

With major developments continuing to draw incredible amounts of investments and a slew of multi-million-dollar contracts in the commercial and residential sectors making their way from the drawing boards across the Gulf, the Germans are making a strong bid to penetrate even further into these markets with their quality products and latest technological innovations.
The official German pavilion covers about 6,400 sq m in the new Zabeel Hall with 328 companies, among them 271 direct exhibitors taking part. Together, the firms are exhibiting an extensive range of products under the label ‘Made in Germany’.
The high-quality products and services are all related to the construction industry and, not surprisingly, as in previous years, Germany represents the biggest national group.
Visitors to the pavilion can see and be informed on the wide range of product and technologies made by the German firms.
Germany holds a leading position not only in the area of investment goods but also durable consumer products and enjoys an internationally high reputation due to its outstanding technology and design.
“Trade relations between the UAE and the Federal Republic of Germany have strengthened continuously. Both sides are aware that successful business in the long run requires confidence and reliability among the partners. Last year, Germany’s overall exports increased by 22 per cent to 4.312 billion euro (Dh19 billion),” says Boris Abadjieff of VDMA-German Engineering Federation.
“Among this general export stream from Germany to the UAE, about 16 per cent or 702 million euro, contained capital goods in terms of mechanical engineering. In 2005, the German share amounted about 14 per cent of the market in terms of international machinery exports to the UAE,” he adds.
“The Big 5 is the prestigious forum for professionals from the refrigeration and air- conditioning community as well as the whole construction industry,” says Volkswirt Rudolf A Pütz, general manager German Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (VDKF), the co-sponsor of the German Pavilion.
“Energy efficiency and the avoidance of direct and indirect carbon dioxide emission are some of the main global topics of interest for the industry and the exhibitors will show their latest technologies related to these themes,” he adds.
The VDKF is the organiser of the IKK – the world’s leading trade fair for refrigeration, air-conditioning and ventilation. “Using the IKK, we link the small and medium-size contractors with the manufacturing industry. The Gulf market is very important for the German refrigeration and air-conditioning branch. Not only technology but also know-how and technical knowledge of the German contractors are in demand in the Gulf and the region as a whole,” says Putz.
This year the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), in coordination with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (Auma) is again participating. As one of the leading industrial and trading countries, the Federal Republic of Germany uses the opportunity of fairs and exhibitions at home and abroad to meet its commitments as an international economic and trading partner. Most of the companies presenting their products are medium-sized businesses.
The huge German presence at this key exhibition can, to a large degree, be credited to Internationaler Messe-und Ausstellengsdienst (Imag), the international arm of the Mess Munchen Group. For decades, Imag has been successfully expanding the number of German companies exhibiting in Dubai. On behalf of Germany´s Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and Auma, it has so far organised almost all the German joint presentations at the Big 5 show and thanks to its efforts, German firms traditionally make up the largest contingent of foreign exhibitors at this event.
“These firms benefit from Imag´s experience and full range of services, which also include a comprehensive stand-system package,” says Harald Müller, chairman and CEO of Imag.
“Imag, thus, makes an important contribution to forging closer business and trade links between German and international firms and Dubai and the UAE. It also helps further consolidate the position of Germany as one of the most important western trading partners of the Middle East and North Africa,” he concludes.