Dubai show spotlights upward drive for Commercial vehicles sales

Commercial Vehicles Middle East exhibition and conference open against healthier industry backdrop

Dubai, UAE, 14 March 2011: Major manufacturers, industry experts and transport, fleet and logistics decision makers from the Middle East road transport business shared the stage as the commercial vehicles industry’s biggest regional event opened in Dubai today.

Running for three days at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Commercial Vehicles Middle East is expected to reinforce new optimism that an industry hit hard by the economic downturn in recent years is now well on the road to recovery.

The exhibition is being staged in tandem with the Commercial Vehicles Conference, creating a dual platform with a double focus on cost saving as well as the future of environmentally friendly transport.

A panel of industry experts from leading transport organisations will be debating key issues over the first two days of the conference ahead of a workshop on the final day to analyse future plans for effective fleet management of heavy and light commercial vehicles.

While overall figures for commercial vehicle sales in the region are not yet available for last year, recent research in the countdown to the industry showcase in Dubai underlines a revival for the trade.

In the first half of 2010, sales of commercial vehicles in the GCC countries - including trucks, busses, vans, pick-ups and utility vehicles – leapt by 37.97 per cent to 253,790 over the same period in 2009.

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The UAE led the way with a 54 per cent rise to 53,683 units sold, while Kuwait (49%), Oman (41%), Bahrain (38%), Saudi Arabia (29%) and Qatar (24 %) also enjoyed significant sales increases.

Overall last year, commercial vehicles sales in Saudi grew by five per cent from 116,398 units in 2009 to 122,275 last year. An increase of almost 7% to 130,616 units is forecast for this year, and this figure is forecast to rise by 31% to 171,274 by 2014.

In Kuwait, commercial vehicle sales last year amounted to 32,494 units with a value of US$1.71 billion, compared with 32,029 units worth US$1.67 billion in 2009. Projections are for growth to 33,046 units this year, and to 36,889 by 2015.

This is certainly encouraging news for companies like Liberty Automobiles, the General Motors dealer in the UAE and one of the sponsors of the event, which is organised by Streamline Marketing Group.

Rubbing shoulders on the exhibition floor with global names like TATA and Renault Trucks, the company is making full use of Commercial Vehicles Middle East to influence a major gathering of industry buyers, including government agencies such as Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi.

In addition to presenting the latest range of Otokar buses from Turkey, Liberty will also grab a good deal of attention by spotlighting the world’s first 100% electric, zero emissions passenger bus from US manufacturers DesignLine Corporation.

During the exhibition DesignLine and Liberty are expected to announce more details of a recently announced joint venture to set up a $US30 million, 100,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi for the Eco-Smart 1 electric bus.

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Creating 300 jobs, the plant will have the capacity to manufacture up to 300 Hybrid and All Electric buses per year. The new facility is expected to open before the year’s end, with projected revenues for its first year in excess of US$80 million.

The tourism and hospitality sectors are seen as the major customers for the Eco-Smart 1 electric bus which consumes no fossil fuels and generates zero emissions. Its significance is highlighted by research information from the International Energy Agency which shows that CO2 emissions from the transport sector in the GCC States are some of the highest per capita in the world, underlining the need to find more sustainable forms of transport.

Commercial Vehicles Middle East (www.commvehicles.com) covers all types of heavy and light commercial vehicles, special vehicles, vehicle attachments, accessories, maintenance and repair services.

One of the expert speakers on the opening day of the Commercial Vehicles Conference is Richard Elviss, Regional Director of AECOM Transportation UK, who will analyse ways to reduce fleet operating costs. According to Elviss, simple but effective processes such as regular driver training and correct aero-dynamics for commercial vehicles can add to significant savings of fuel consumption costs, which amount to as much as 33% of total fleet operating costs.