Middle East, Asian firms major attractions at the Construction Expo

Hamsol Home Decor sales manager Hyemin Lee, dmg Events President Matt Denton, Public Works Principal Secretary Joel Arumonyan and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency Deputy Managing Director Jungoel Shin during the Big 5 Construct Kenya Exhibition in Nairobi. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Manufacturers and construction companies based in the Middle East and Asia proved to be a major pull on prospective customers as a major construction sector exhibition closed in Nairobi on Friday evening. 

More than 150 local and international companies showcased their products and services at the Big 5 Construct Kenya expo held at Sarit Centre on November 6-8.    

On the opening day, a government delegation from Egypt comprising Mostafa E. Saad, Deputy Chief of Mission DCM, Deputy Permanent Representative; Amr Elbakry, Economic Counsellor; and Mohamed Osama, Consul, Egypt Embassy attended the event and interacted with exhibitors.

Seven country pavilions shone the spotlight on construction solutions, services and systems from China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Türkiye and the UAE.

Big 5 Construct Kenya also had participants from countries including Djibouti, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia and the US.

A ceramics and porcelains company based in Shuaiba, Kuwait was among the exhibitors from the Middle East that drew lots of interest at the event.   

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the General Manager of National Industries Ceramics Hussain Salmeen said this was their first time in Kenya.

“We export our products in the Gulf area of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, but now include Ghana in Africa,” he said.

Salmeen said they were looking for a distributor in Kenya and hoped to expand to the African market through the country because it has a booming construction industry. 

“Our factory was the first ceramic tile and porcelain manufacturer in Kuwait. Established in June 2011, it lies on a 64,000 square-metre area and with a daily production capacity of 20,000 square metres from four production lines.”

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra) and Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport joined forces to bring Korean industry leaders to Kenya. 

“Over the last six decades, Korea and Kenya have collaborated and advanced in political, economic, and cultural arenas,” said KOTRA managing director Ko Sung Min.

He said the three-day event marked a significant moment in Kenya-Korea relations, commemorating 60 years of diplomatic cooperation.

Mehtap Gursoy, Portfolio Director of Construction at dmg events said the international representations underscore Kenya’s growing status as a hub for construction excellence.

“(The expo) aims to support international companies to tap into diverse opportunities within Kenya’s construction industry and facilitate their engagement with influential buyers and decision-makers,” she said.

The manager said robust support from the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development highlighted the event’s role in facilitating key partnerships that contribute to the growth of the construction sector in Kenya, aligned with Kenya Vision 2030.

The expo was held as the Kenyan construction sector continues its growth momentum as the cost of construction output is anticipated to reach $10.5 billion (Sh1.3 trillion) by 2028.

According to her, this focus on fostering connections between local and international stakeholders is crucial for nurturing a robust construction value chain.

“It supports the local construction value chain and promotes collaboration between local and international stakeholders. It also provides active buyers with the opportunity to find the products, services and innovations they are seeking,” said Gursoy.

She said the surge in residential, commercial, and infrastructural projects is a testament to the rapid urbanisation that continues to redefine Kenya’s landscape.

“As the country embarks on ambitious initiatives like Konza Technology City and the Lapsset Corridor, the Big 5 Construct Kenya offers an invaluable platform to showcase and discuss these transformative projects,” she said.