NAIROBI, Kenya, 20 Apr – The Building and Construction expo has kicked off at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre with 350 companies from 44 countries expected to be represented at the annual event.
ExpoGroup Media Manager, Asif Mavany, says the event brings together manufacturers of construction, housing and mining equipment with nearly 6,000 attendees from the region expected at the expo.
“The expo has opened up Kenya to international manufacturers who previously might not have considered the region as a market. It also provides an opportunity for local companies to access world-class technology and the latest equipment,” Mavany says.
The expo brings players from the building and construction industry and mining exhibitors with equipment including excavators, forklifts, and allied sectors.
There is also a section for furniture, lighting, bathroom, tiles and fittings plus LED lights.
The expo also creates a platform where customers, distributors, and manufacturers meet with financiers.
Martin Ngai, a machine consultant with Regal Equipment, says they have been participating in the expo for the last 20 years, and also sponsored this year’s event.
“Being in the construction industry, we interact with stakeholders from the region and this (expo) has allowed us to expand our contacts and ultimately our business,” says Ngai.
According to Ngai, prospective customers attend the expo to compare products from different vendors, allowing them to ask all the technical and sales queries under one roof.
“The event is also helping us curb the gray market for machines and parts which have been a growing issue in the industry,” adds Ngai.
Mavany says the expo usually acts as a catalyst with most deals, on average, closing within a month after the expo.
