EVENT PREVIEW
For the first time at SteelFab , a specialist two-day day conference for the steel fabrication industry will be held in association with the Construction Week news portal . The conference will feature a keynote speech and four panel discussions on the COVID-19 impact on demand and supply ; the changing face of the structural steel fabrication market ; digitisation in steel fabrication and the future of the steel fabrication industry .
“ The formidable manufacturing and industrial sectors of the region were the main reason behind rising demand for welding and cutting equipment in the UAE and the rest of Arabia . Heavy fabrications and a focus on renewable energy usage also gave rise to an impetus for growth in welding markets ,” said Expo Centre Sharjah .
“ Other sectors contributing to the overall market growth of welding equipment , consumables and services include the energy , construction and shipbuilding industries , besides emerging sectors such as aerospace and defence . The construction of new power plants and repair and maintenance activities in the region are also likely to boost demand for welding consumables . Additionally , returning investments in oil and gas industries would further augment demand for welding consumables ,” it added .
The economic diversification push has given added impetus to the metal working industry to acquire the latest tools for metal cutting and metal forming , including automation and robotics , tooling systems , CAD / CAM and other technologies essential for manufacturing . Machine Tools has therefore become a key segment of SteelFab . A special section for CNC machine tools and metal-cutting machinery and the live display area are additional attractions in this special focus area . In the Wear Resistance special focus area , visitors will find manufacturers or suppliers of materials that improve product quality , extend wear life , reduce maintenance cycles & costs , and improve energy efficiency . Wear is one of the most common modes of mechanical failure ( fretting , abrasion , erosion , corrosion or a combination of all these factors ). With high demand from industries such as oil & gas , construction , steel processing , ceramics and petrochemicals , the use of wear-resistant materials are on the rise in the region .
“ Rising demand from the core sector propels demand for pipes & tube machinery and tools . Regional fabricators working with pipes and tubes have seen a steady rise in business , irrespective of market conditions . Demand for machinery and tools used for the bending and cutting of pipes and tubes has been on an upswing , thanks to the rising usage of pipes and tubes in hundreds of infrastructure , petrochemical , oil & gas and industrial projects across the region ,” said the show organiser
The Pipe & Tube Machinery section formed an integral part of SteelFab 2017 , featuring nearly 60 international exhibitors and accounting for one-sixth of the total exhibitors at the show . Since the region has the largest concentration of energy resources , governments are investing continuously in their pipeline network to ensure a high volume-toweight ratio , which sustains demand for pipes and tubes .
The MEP industry , another sector that sees heavy pipes & tube consumption , is expanding fast on the back of new tourism developments and investments flowing into the construction market . With demand for electricity increasing and regional governments planning to invest billions of dollars for the addition of generating capacity , pipes and tubes are also finding higher usage in power generation markets . For further details email steel @ expo-centre . ae n
Heavy fabrications and a focus on renewable energy usage also gave rise to an impetus for growth in welding markets
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Top , above and right : Scenes from SteelFab .
34 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR November 2021