A prominent event for the logistics industry, Materials Handling Middle East 2011, which will take place this month in Dubai, is poised for a strong edition, bringing the who’s who in the regional and international materials handling sectors together under one roof.

Trade has for long been the lifeblood of the UAE economy, with sailors and traders playing important roles in making the country the undisputed commercial and logistical hub of the wider Middle East. Fast-growing economies in the neighbourhood, coupled with increasing commercial and logistical links, has spurred demand for further growth of the materials handling and logistics sectors in the country.

The region’s international freight demand is also expected to grow 8.1 per cent during the year as freight links to and via the region continue to develop.  All these developments are expected to be reflected at Materials Handling Middle East 2011 taking place in Dubai from September 25th to 27th.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, patron of Materials Handling Middle East, commented, “With the ongoing development of Dubai International, Dubai World Central and our new airport Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International as well as the continued expansion of the various Free Zones, Dubai is confidently asserting itself as an emerging global trade and logistics hub. Trade fairs such as Materials Handling Middle East are important platforms for supporting this continued development as they shine light on the city’s prospects within this industry and encourage further trade development.”

According to organiser Epoc Messe Frankfurt, some of the industry’s biggest names have confirmed their participation as exhibitors, including Eternity Technologies, SPAN Group, SSI Schaeffer, FAMCO and Interroll and prominent international brands such as Jungheinrich, Decion, Linde, Gebhardt, Crown, Raeder, Vogel, TVH, Hawker Batteries, Hoppecke Batteries, STAHL Cranes, SSI Schaefer and Kardex.

Michael Dehn, Group Exhibitions Director, at Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Materials Handling Middle East, said, “I would say that the materials handling processes deployed in this region are cutting edge in terms of global standards. The region is amongst the first to move to paperless procedures, particularly for import, export and re-export meaning for more efficient operations, cutting turnaround time significantly. Take air cargo for instance – the turnaround needed here is phenomenal, and with this sector expanding at such a fast rate, it is vital that the industry develops speedy processes.”

“As a result there is no doubt that there is a growing interest from around the world for this sector. Materials Handling Middle East provides the ideal platform for international players to access this forward moving region and for entering this competitive marketplace,” he added.

A bi-annual event, and for three days only, this is a rare opportunity to network and collaborate with leading industry players. The trade event provides a unique environment for exhibitors to facilitate business transactions with trade partners and customers.

In a move to bring the region’s entire logistics sector together in order to plan for the future, this year, for the first time, Materials Handling Middle East will run alongside TOC Middle East – the conference and exhibition dedicated to cargo owners, shipping lines, terminal operators and the container supply chain.  It is believed that the events’ shared synergies will greatly benefit trade visitors who can profit from their trip to Dubai by gaining access to these co-located events.

The last edition of Materials Handling Middle East took place in 2009. Over 175 exhibitors from 27 countries represented leading brands in the warehouse, transportation, services and logistics industries from across the globe.

In 2011 the exhibition, taking place from May 24 to 26, will showcase logistics, supply chain, freight & cargo, automation, and information & communication technology products and services.

For more information please visit www.materials-handling-dubai.com.