Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 04 May, 2015 – The Middle East is attracting some of the world’s best producers of floor and wall coverings in recognition of the huge potential of the region’s construction and fit-out industries. Middle East Covering, the sole flooring and wallcovering business-to-business exhibition for the MENA region, will showcase over 250 brands from 16 different countries. The exhibition opens its doors on May 18-21, 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Located in Sheikh Saeed Hall 1, Middle East Covering delivers a complete line of handmade and machine-made carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and wooden flooring, laminates, sports flooring, application technologies, decorative paints, wall covering materials and all types of surface design products.  

“This show is a must-attend event for architects, interior designers, consultants and the like with Middle East Covering bringing versatile options of surface design solutions, with a big focus on innovation and inspirational materials including sustainable and eco-friendly coverings. It is especially relevant for the region where we are seeing mega-projects in countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar which has huge requirements for innovative surface materials. For 2015 alone, we are expecting the fit-out market to hit $6.67bn for the residential, commercial, healthcare and education industries. There is no doubt that Middle East Covering plays a crucial role in the growing construction industry,” said Yan Wang, Event Manager for Middle East Covering.

Newcomers to the MENA region  

Middle East Covering brings exhibitors from across the globe for example, Suminoe Co. Ltd. from Japan, who will be exhibiting in the region for the first time will present a showcase of its innovative tufted carpet tiles and deodorising filter, Triple-Fresh^® Bio.

Aiming to get a strong foothold in the Middle East, Jeong W.Park, Director at Suminoe Co. Ltd. said: “The Middle East is a multicultural region and Dubai is a focal point for many businesses from Europe, USA and the rest of the world. With the construction industry booming in the Middle East, there is no better time to come but now. Suminoe exhibits in the best business trade shows in the world and we are happy to be introduced in the region via our participation at the Middle East Covering. We also aim to bring attention to the Japanese carpet tiles as one of best in the world. Currently, we have worked with prestigious institutions and commercial establishments in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Realising also the big push for environmentally-friendly materials in the region, Suminoe offers carpet tiles with backing materials that are 100% recycled.”  

Another major flooring industry brand is Parador from Germany, which specializes in high-density fibreboard (HDF) and vinyl floorings with high quality and unique luxurious designs. Its roster of clients in the Middle East and Egypt include international hotels and banks as well as local companies.

Ahmed El Naggar, CEO of Kira Floorings FZE which represents Parador Floorings in the UAE said: “With its sheer size and world-class exhibitors, Middle East Covering is the perfect platform for us to demonstrate our innovative designs, products and technology in the UAE. Kira Floorings is excited to explore new opportunities and show our creative capabilities as well as forward-thinking custom designs. Middle East Covering will help us connect to a great number of like-minded designers and architects in the UAE.”

Classen Group, manufacturer, supplier and product selection service company for natural wood products and wood-based or natural fibre-based products used for interior fittings will be exhibiting at the show. Classen develops and produces high quality flooring exclusively in Germany and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of laminate flooring.

At the show, Classen will highlight its laminate flooring in various formats such as standard, big board, and planks that are triple extra-large and slim. “At Classen, the need to meet the growing demands of our commercial partners and consumers remain the driving force for us to innovate, resulting in enhanced products and optimised processes. With our participation at Middle East Covering, we look forward to finding new partners interested in high quality and 100% made in Germany laminate flooring,” said Patrick Pohl, Key Account Manager of Classen International Flooring.

A Global Delegation of Surface Material Suppliers

A significant number of countries are also participating including Saudi Arabia, Japan, Italy, China, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Poland, Egypt, UK, USA, Canada, India and Turkey. As a highlight this year, the show also welcomed new suppliers from Africa – Cameroon and from Northern Europe, Finland.  

Also making its first appearance at the show is the Quebec Wood Export Bureau (QWEB), a non-profit organization showcasing wood products from Quebec in different export markets. It represents more than 200 manufacturers in different sectors, providing direct access to Quebec’s vast array of wood products. Some of the wood products to be exhibited at the show are: softwood lumber, value-added softwoods, hardwood lumber, value-added hardwoods, hardwood flooring, and factory built wood-frame housing and wood pellets. 

India’s Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) will present “Rugs in India pavilion” consisting of 16 individual exhibitors that will showcase hand-made and hand-knotted carpets and other floor coverings. Indian rugs & carpets are renowned globally for their exquisite designs, subtle elegance, attractive colours and workmanship.

Must see brands at this year’s show

Some of the world’s best industry names are at the show including the world’s leading stretch ceiling brand - Barrisol Ceiling, Sharda Export-The Rug Republic – premium hand-made rug manufacturer from India, BerryAlloc, Wickham Hardwood, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Hemple Paints Ltd, Armourcoat, Novacolor, Muraspec, and NGC Wallpaper. Leading resilient flooring brands include Gerflor, Forbo system.

High-end Hardwood floor producer Listone Giordano from Umbria, Italy is proud to showcase its three main products' collections, Natural Genius, Atelier and Michelangelo Classica at the show. No stranger to Dubai’s booming construction industry with its hardwood floor products and design for iconic landmark Burj Khalifa-Armani Hotel, Listone Giordano looks forward to establish itself as a leading brand in interior design finish in the region.

Debora Vella, Head of Marketing and Communication at Margaritelli S.p.A, the company that produces Listone Giordano, said: “Our participation at the show will have us associated not only with the interior design community but also with specific contracts and different types of projects as a brand embodying the values of ‘made in Italy’ - excellent quality of products and services. In addition to wood flooring and application, we are looking more and more to create an interior design concept and work closely with international designers and architects to create specific, customised, personalised wood products. We have the Atelier boutique where you can create and realise your own project.”