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DBX 2005
The first international Rebuilding Iraq trade event in the
new Iraq: Kurdistan DBX Expo – “A Smashing Success!”
Erbil, September 18, 2005 – Without a single security
incident, the first ever Rebuilding Iraq Kurdistan DBX Trade
Show and Conference turned the expectations of world media
pessimism upside down.
An incredible 95,640 people visited the venue of the trade
show within the four days of the event, which lasted from
the 15th to the 18th of September. Every element surrounding
the event was a symbol of pulling together resources and
expertise, boasting tremendous efforts and show of support
from the Kurdistan Regional Government headquartered in the
capital-city of Erbil, Iraq.
Kurdistan government officials and promoters have long
suggested that Kurdistan would be the “Gateway to
Investment” in Iraq, and the conclusion of the Kurdistan DBX
Trade Show and Conference has proven that this is more than
just a suggestion.
The event was held in a specially outfitted warehouse-like
facility, providing exhibitors and visitors with over 20,000
square meters of indoor space. The facility was constructed
in a record 60 days, utilizing the expertise of engineers
from both Kurdish and Arab Iraqi companies combined.
257 different companies participated in the event, occupying
exhibition spaces of different sizes and varieties. 404 were
indoor booth spaces measuring 9 square meters each, 48 were
indoor booth spaces measuring one square meter for
lower-budget exhibitors, and approximately 70 were outdoor
exhibition sections measuring 20 square meters each.
Companies represented 18 different countries, with the
majority being Iraqi, and including Turkish, American,
British, Japanese, Kuwaiti, and other nationalities.
Awards were given the last day of the event for the best
booth in 10 different categories. Among the best booth
winners was the King Abdullah II Design and Development
Bureau from the country of Jordan, who had an entire small
airplane assembled and suspended above their 90 square meter
indoor exhibition area (occupying 10 booth spaces). Other
winners included the US companies Skylink and General
Motors, the latter of which occupied approximately 360
square meters of indoor space and utilized special design
services of an Iraqi booth design company for an extra
touch.
The event was organized by the Iraqi American Chamber of
Commerce, in partnership with a specially appointed
committee of Kurdistan Regional Government representatives
including Mr. Aziz Ibrahim, the regional General Director of
Trade; Mr. Hoshyar Siwaily, the Deputy Minister of
Humanitarian Aid and Coordination, and Mr. Abdullah Abdul
Rahim Ahmed, the regional Deputy Minister of Economy and
Finance.
The Iraqi American Chamber of Commerce is not new to the
trade show scene. Last year, in April of 2004, the
organization attempted to hold a similar event in Baghdad,
to kick off the grand opening of Iraq in partnership with
the then Coalitional Provisional Authority. Unfortunately,
the security situation proved to be prohibitive, and the
event was postponed. Many of the original exhibitors that
had signed up for that event participated in Kurdistan DBX
Trade Show and Conference free of charge.
IACCI CEO, Raad Ommar, remarked that “this event is a
historic occurrence, and may be the biggest and best thing
that has happened to Iraq with real results since Sadam
Hussein was removed from power. The event has been a
smashing success. Finally, a dream to hold a rebuilding Iraq
expo in Iraq has been realized, and business in Iraq is
moving in new directions.”
US Commercial Counselor based in the US Embassy in Baghdad,
Andrew Wylegala, commented that he was "thoroughly impressed
with the DBX trade show" and thanked IACCI for extending
courtesies which made it possible for participation of US
Embassy officials. He further remarked that "the city and
venue were marvelously secure," and that he was pleased to
see evidence that invaluable business linkages were cemented
through the interactions at the DBX show.
Among the companies that participated were Platinum Sponsors
ICCB (Iraq) and Motorola (USA), in addition to General
Motors (USA), Matta Group (Iraq), IAM Group (Iraq), Al-Nabaa
(Iraq), PCO Prime Contractor Environmental Chemical
Corporation (ECC) (USA), and others.
Iraqi Consultants and Construction Bureau (ICCB)
ICCB is perhaps the most direct example of a benefiting
company, participating in the event as a Platinum Sponsor.
In a post-exhibition interview, Kurdistan-based ICCB
informed IACCI that approximately $135,000,000 (US) of new
business in construction and related contracts was generated
for their company with projects primarily in Kurdistan as a
result of their presence in the show. ICCB currently has an
office in Erbil and employs about 213 people there.
In the words of ICCB, the company's perception of the
affairs of the show is that it was very "positive and
excellent," and thanked IACCI and the KRG for the "good
organization and security" that was essential to the show's
success.
Motorola
Platinum Sponsor Motorola, doing annual business
worldwide of over $31 billion in sales, praised the event.
“We are very satisfied with the broad attention we
experienced during the past days, and the valuable contacts
we made. Through our participation in this first
international trade show in free Iraq, we were delighted to
reinforce our long-term commitment to help with the
reconstruction of the country of Iraq and the federal region
of Kurdistan”, said Mazin Al-Eshaiker, Country Manager for
Motorola in Iraq.
General Motors
Gold Sponsor General Motors, as a result of the event,
has decided to open a regional office in Erbil, and has
gifted many of its exhibited vehicles to the KRG. The
regional office will employ around 10-15 persons and will
most likely see at least $1,000,000 US in business in the
coming year alone, all benefiting the Kurdistan Region.
IAM Group
The Baghdad-based IAM Group has decided to open a
regional office in Erbil within one week of the closing of
the show. The office will employ 4 people from the very
beginning and is expected to see at least $500,000 US in
turnover in the region in the coming year.
Matta Group
Matta Group, also based out of Baghdad, signed two
supply contracts with regional entities of an estimated
$500,000, and has decided to open regional representation
both in Sulaymania and in Erbil as a result of their
positive experience at the event. They have signed agency
contracts with existing Kurdistan companies to this end.
Over $300,000 of new business annually is expected to come
from this arrangement, all benefiting the Kurdistan Region.
ECC
The US Prime Contractor, ECC, remarked that their
participation in the event was most favorable, benefiting
from the many connections that were made as a result of
visits to their booth.
Al-Thuraya Group
Baghdad-based Al-Thuraya Group was very satisfied with
their participation in the expo, and as a result, have
negotiated to purchase an entire brand-new building in Erbil
for their branch office there. The company is primarily
involved in construction and water-treatment as well as
other trade activities. An expected $2,000,000 (US) plus
will be generated in revenues from this location.
With this years ringing success, plans are in the works to
plan for future events of similar size and scope in
Kurdistan, as well as in other regions of Iraq where the
security situation is not so prohibitive as it may be in
Baghdad. |
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