Glass World Comes to The Gulf

Timing, they say, is everything and what could be a better moment? Plans have just been announced to set up a quasi-governmental council in order to boost foreign investment and, ultimately, to make it easier to set up business in the emirates. And then, amidst one of the notable building sprees in recent history, the world of glass set down in Sharjah for three days last week.

It's certainly no surprise that international heavyweights are putting their bulk behind the new initiatives - the Gulf currencies have continued to surge, lending plenty of impetus to spending power. So, the impressive list of exhibitors at Gulf Glass 2008 had plenty to look forward to.

Glass, glass technology and all its ancillaries will be required to play a vital role in the work ahead. This is more evident than ever before. Ongoing and planned construction projects in the UAE have just hit the US$2.5 trillion mark and, as has been reported often over the past few weeks, keeping up with materials demand is the challenge ahead.

Hardly surprising that the pressure is on - not with 20,000 people moving into the UAE every month. New building and renovations of course, but how about auto glass, housewares, container glass for foodstuffs and beverages? Technology will be the facilitator and Gulf Glass 2008 was the place to see it.

The imperatives in the region are clear. The construction boom accounted for nearly 25% of GDP in the emirates last year. On top of all that, and ignoring commercial and industrial buildings, it is estimated that there will be a housing shortage - in Abu Dhabi alone - this year of around 50,000 units.

If this isn't a flat and processed glass hotspot then there's never been one. Gulf Glass has established itself as this industry's key event in the GCC trading area and continues to bring in the top names (see http://www.glassinthegulf.com).