Growing exhibitor and visitor numbers reaffirm Intersec’s stance as leading security exhibition
Altogether, 19,591 trade only visitors made their way to the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre for the 2012 edition of Intersec – an 18% per cent increase than at the previous event in 2011*. There was also an increase of 101 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and innovations meaning the fair featured a total of 909 exhibitors from 52 countries – a near 15% increase on the 2011 edition.
Trade visitors from 106 countries visited the fair, with the top five visitor countries outside the U.A.E. confirmed as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Oman, Kuwait and Pakistan. The top five exhibiting countries were UAE, China, United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.
Organised by German trade fair organiser Epoc Messe Frankfurt, Intersec is the leading regional trade event in the security, safety and fire protection industries servicing the wider Middle East and North Africa region and even further afield.
“Now in its 14th year Intersec has firmly established itself as the leading event in its field outside of Europe. An international showcase of the entire spectrum of the security industry, it is considered an essential platform for anyone wishing to conduct business in the security sector within the region,” says Mr. Ahmed Pauwels, Chief Executive Office, Epoc Messe Frankfurt.
Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the event also enjoyed the support of the UAE Civil Defence, Dubai Police, Dubai Police Academy and the German Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology.
“The ongoing support from government and local authorities including UAE Civil Defence, Dubai Police and Dubai Police Academy is testament to the event’s importance as a key annual meeting place for the industry as well as an ideal sourcing platform for the latest products and services available,” Pauwels added.
Intersec is divided into four vertical sections, namely Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, Homeland Security & Policing and Commercial & Information Security. Apart from the numerous deals being done and contracts being finalised by key buyers and decision makers from around the Middle East and Central Asia, manufacturers chose Intersec as the stage to launch a raft of new products into the region – the reach and reputation of the event making it a vital part of most company’s promotional campaigns.
Also running alongside Intersec is a growing number of fringe events and features. The 2012 exhibition featured the 3rd edition of the UAE International FireFit Championships which saw countries from the GCC, Europe and Canada compete in a range of tasks simulating real to life fire rescue experiences.
The outdoor demonstration area which has become an integral feature of Intersec each year included a range of tactical rescue and close combat operations by FireKraft of Austria as well as interactive scenarios by various exhibitors including Red Helix, Axxon with Chubbsafes and Flir.
This year’s conference series featured the Maritime Security Summit, a Commercial Security Summit and the Fire System Integrity Assurance workshop. Additionally, the 1st Global Network Conference on Emergency Medicine, supported by the European Society for Emergency Medicine (EuSEM) took place parallel to Intersec, targeting those involved with the training of emergency physicians, nurses and technicians.
Having doubled in size on the previous year with an additional hall, exhibitors from the Fire & Rescue section expressed their satisfaction with the exhibition. Long term exhibitor, Mr. Khalid Al-Khatib, CEO from NAFFCO, said: “This is our 13th year participating at Intersec and I think it is the best year. We have had such a successful exhibition. This is one of the biggest annual gatherings in the world for fire, safety and security under one roof. It’s an international exhibition and the visitors are increasing tremendously. It’s a good place to show our services, to meet our clients and to see others.”
Sffeco was also very happy with the results. Mr. Hani Barqawi, International Sales Manager from Sffeco, commented: “Intersec is a great place where we can meet with our key accounts, the suppliers, the end users and where we can promote our products.”
Commenting on their participation, Dr. Hani Khalaf, Marketing & Sales Director, for Firex, the exhibition’s Gold Sponsor, said: “For the second consecutive year we have the largest stand at Intersec. It is the best event in the Middle East for the fire fighting equipment, it’s a place where people are attracted, it’s a good opportunity to grab a good number of new clients and generate new business.”
Commercial & Information Security made up the largest portion at the event and exhibitors in this section reported equally satisfied results. Mr. Hidenori Taguchi, Head of Marketing at SONY, said: “The security business is growing a lot in this region and Intersec is the best opportunity to introduce our products to different customers.”
From the Health & Safety department, Mr. Omar Al-Bahiti, Marketing & Communications Leader from Honeywell, a regular exhibitor to Intersec, commented: “We find Intersec a tremendous opportunity to meet our customers, distributors and potential new clients,” while Mr. Zac Donev, Sales Director from TYCO, said: “Intersec is a vital part of the security industry in the Middle East and this region is key to our growth.”
In the Homeland Security and Policing section which had its own dedicated hall, there was great buzz on the show floor. Ms Valeria Pujana, General Manager, Mezcal, stated: “With this new Homeland Security Pavilion we received very specific people looking for our products.” Additionally, Mr. Paul Lynch, Regional Sales Manager from Streit Group, said: “We find Intersec crucial and beneficial to us. This is where we meet our end users, our suppliers and partners.”
Key supporter of the exhibition each year is Dubai Police who once again had a large presence at the event. Colonel Humaid Al-Ansari commented: “Dubai Police is very keen to be at Intersec. It’s a big opportunity for the security people to meet and be present. It’s the hub of the Middle East and is an excellent opportunity.”
