The Middle East Concrete (MEC) and PMV Live infrastructure and heavy machinery events will now be known as The Big 5 Heavy and will run separately from The Big 5 construction event, dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, the leading international exhibition and publishing company, said Wednesday. The decision to rebrand comes as an effort to broaden the exhibition profile to include all heavy industries, not just concrete and PMV, and to provide a dedicated forum for the region's heavy construction industry to network, collaborate and find new business opportunities. The Big 5 Heavy 2018 will be organized into five different sections – Concrete, PMV, Roadworks, Mining and Building Materials Manufacturing - making it easy for delegates and visitors to negotiate their way around the event. The exhibition will be the only dedicated platform for professionals involved in large and small-scale construction and demolition projects in the Middle East that require heavy machinery, equipment and concrete. Commenting on the decision to rebrand the show, Richard Pavitt, Event Director, said: "The industry demands that exhibitions cover each part of the construction cycle and this new format will ensure that this event will be the platform for construction professionals who are involved at the start of the cycle – where building begins. In the current format, there is not the room to provide these shows, which is why The Big 5 and The Big 5 Heavy will run independently of each other, yet complement each other perfectly." The Big 5 Heavy will cover the early construction cycle from breaking ground, drilling, producing building materials, through to earthmoving and lifting, while The Big 5 will continue on by showcasing the finished products, fixture and fittings. "Any visitor that attends The Big 5 Heavy will see a large scale international event which will be full of exhibitors from all over the world, showcasing equipment for the heavy construction industry. Within the exhibition will be three conference rooms that will run free-to-attend seminars and there will be an outside live demonstration area for the larger equipment and machines," Pavitt added. The 2018 edition The Big 5 Heavy is expected to attract the region's leading infrastructure investors and to facilitate millions of dollars of business transactions during the show which will take place from 26 – 28 March at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Attendees will also benefit from the CPD certified workshops with free training on the latest trends, innovations and business opportunities provided to the construction industry professionals. The educational offering will also extend to The Big 5 Heavy Recruitment seminars were visitors will hear from HR specialists and career coaches about job opportunities in the market. Other new show features include the Inspiring Infrastructure Award which recognizes the region's top engineering consultancies for their inspirational work on built environments, as well as The Big 5 Heavy Product Award which will be awarded to the top products, services and technologies in the industry. — SG
