The Office Exhibition to join the INDEX International Design Exhibition in 2013. INDEX continues to evolve with the introduction of a 12th show sector. New Spring 2013 dates for the INDEX International Design Exhibition
Dubai, UAE, 16 May 2012: Leading exhibitions and conferences organiser dmg :: events today announced that its two flagship interiors events – INDEX International Design Exhibition and The Office Exhibition – will come together in 2013 to create an ‘Interiors Super Show’ for the Middle East & North Africa’s Architect and Design community.
The decision to bring these two established brands together was taken after several months of extensive research into the changing landscape of the global interiors market, and to further support the continuing evolution of the INDEX International Design Exhibition; an event that is already widely recognised as the region’s largest and most established interiors exhibition.
As the total spend on interior design in the GCC is expected to top US$56 billion in 2012, more and more manufacturers and suppliers are expanding and diversifying their range of products and services to target the entire spectrum of interiors fit-out and refurbishment projects.
Equally, more and more Architect and Design companies are expanding their consultancy capabilities to cross the boundaries between commercial, residential, hospitality and retail design in order to chase lucrative fit-out projects across the region, which last year were valued at an astounding US$8.6 billion.
INDEX Event Director Naomi Barton commented, “I am delighted that The Office Exhibition will become part of the INDEX International Design Exhibition next year. The Office Exhibition has already cemented its place within the Middle East commercial design industry, but the synergy with INDEX makes perfect strategic sense, and we look forward to driving the show forward. By adding new profiles, developing the show and attaching the show to a larger regional design show, The Office Exhibition can only benefit and grow organically to become the region’s premier commercial design event”.
Maintaining its own brand identity, The Office Exhibition will however become an integral part of INDEX, and will remain fully focused on showcasing the most innovative and creative working environments for offices, sports venues, and education and healthcare facilities, as well as a range of other commercial environments.
INDEX will continue to focus on supporting the region’s demand for the latest residential, hospitality and retail-related interior products and services across its existing 11 show sectors (Furnishings, Furniture, Fixtures & Fittings, Couture, Kitchen & Bathroom, Lighting, Outdoor Living, InRetail, Textiles, Inspire and Surfaces & Finishes).
With an eleven-year history and an attendance of more than 5,100 architects, interior designers, specifiers and procurement managers at the 2011 event, The Office Exhibition will create an additional 9,800sqm of space at INDEX 2013. With 54% of the INDEX International Design Exhibition’s 27,000 visitors being involved in commercial interiors projects, The Office Exhibition will potentially see its visitor numbers treble next year.
David Wilson, Exhibition Director for The Office Exhibition 2012 added, “This is the home that The Office Exhibition has been waiting for – a home where the cutting-edge innovation that the commercial design community is renowned for will prosper and thrive with larger numbers of visitors coming from more countries. It is the perfect marriage.”
In further developments, INDEX 2013 is delighted to confirm that in 2013 the dates for both the INDEX International Design Exhibition and The Office Exhibition will be 20th – 23rd May 2013. This makes perfect strategic sense for a number of reasons - after conducting extensive research with the show’s agents and exhibitors, the decision has been taken primarily to offer more of our international clients the opportunity to participate at INDEX next year without the issue of clashing with a key interiors event in their respective country. The international autumn calendar for design events is currently extremely crowded, so running in May 2013 will alleviate this issue and allow companies to participate at the end of the spring 2013 season and launch their new design collections to the buoyant Middle East market.
Sue Graves, International Project Manager from the British Contract Furnishing Association commented, "From a UK perspective, running INDEX in May 2013 would be an excellent time of year for UK companies to participate at a Middle East design event, and avoids inevitable clashes with all the autumn design and interiors events in the UK and Europe. We look forward to continuing to help our UK exhibitors to grow their business at INDEX 2013."
The INDEX International Design Exhibition 2013, incorporating The Office Exhibition, will take place from 20th-23rd May 2013 at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will feature more than 1,300 exhibitors spread across 55,000sqm, representing top international brands from more than 50 countries.
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