What to Expect at the 40th Edition of the Big 5

From its humble beginnings in 1979 to the number one meeting place for the global construction community in the Middle East and Africa, The Big 5 gets set for the introduction of a new show concept on its 40th anniversary in Dubai
On the backdrop of four decades of success, dmg events, the organisers of The Big 5, announce that it will turn into a global hub for the entire construction industry aimed at boosting one of the major pillars to the region’s economy. For the first time, The Big 5 covers the full construction cycle alongside six specialised shows: The Big 5 Heavy, Middle East Concrete, HVAC R Expo, Middle East Stone, The Big 5 Solar, and the Urban Design & Landscape Expo.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the region’s largest and most influential event for the construction industry is set to support more than 2,390 local and international exhibitors from 66 countries boosting business and showcasing 20,000+ building solutions and products to 68,000+ expected participants from 130+ countries.
Vice President Construction – dmg events, Josine Heijmans, said:

“This year, The Big 5 will combine the benefits of seven dedicated events with a truly comprehensive platform able to attract a global audience for four days of face-to-face business meetings. The spectrum of products and solutions for the construction industry will be wider than ever, and construction professionals will be able to grasp what’s going on in the industry and take advantage of the different disciplines across the entire lifecycle of the projects being finally together, under one roof.”

In the backdrop of last year’s success, The Big 5 brings back its popular features dedicated to promoting innovation and technology in the construction sector. The Start-Up City will offer a glimpse of tomorrow’s construction industry as start-ups get the opportunity to inject innovative ideas, creative approaches, and a good dose of entrepreneurial spirit into the industry, while the Live Innovation Zone brings to life the latest technological advances in a live and interactive way.
The high-level Future-Tech Construction Summit returns on 27 November with an exciting new agenda focused on five trending topics: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Asset Management and Digital Twins, Smart Home, Smart Buildings and IoT, BIM, and 3D printing, VR, AR and drones.
For the first time this year, The Big 5 will also introduce the brand new Offsite & Modular Construction Sector with a dedicated educational agenda. “With rapid and efficient construction delivery being in high demand, buyers require state-of-the-art offsite and modular construction solutions for residential, educational, healthcare as well as commercial applications. The Offsite & Modular Talks simultaneously sheds light on advances in offsite and modular construction, analysing new challenges and opportunities for prefab in the region,” Heijmans said.
Beyond bringing to Dubai thousands of innovative products, the event will provide complimentary, high-level summits, practical seminars, 240+ CPD-certified workshops and round tables to foster collaboration, support best practices, and provide effective solutions to today’s industry challenges.
With regional governments continuing to invest heavily in infrastructure, 150 CEOs from the region’s leading construction firms will attend The Big 5’s inaugural invite-only CEO Forum on 25 November to discuss current challenges, trends, and strategies to support the growth of the sector. The first Voice of the Construction Industry Report developed by The Big 5 in collaboration with GRS Research & Strategy Middle East – the most extensive research conducted in the construction sector based on the responses of nearly 6,000 industry stakeholders from 136 countries – will be launched during the forum.
Returning for the second year on the 27 November, The Big 5’s Women in Construction (WIC) Forum & Awards is a powerful initiative focused on gender balance, D&I and women in leadership, hosting A-list profiles, both men and women, who are paving the way for a new era in the traditionally male-dominated construction field. This year, supporting the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), an initiative of the UN Women and the UN Global Compact, the largest sustainability network in the world, the Women in Construction Forum & Awards also hosts an official Certificate Ceremony for the companies willing to come together and sign the WEPs.
Speaking ahead of the WIC Forum & Awards, event speaker and head of technical services & global director of Drees & Sommer, Morgan Tuckness, said: “There has been a big mental shift in the industry over the past few years and the inclusion of women professionals has become more important and relevant. However, the policies that would enable them to perform and succeed are still lacking. It is platforms such as The Big 5’s WIC Forum & Awards that will form solutions and build connections across the industry with like-minded individuals.”
Organised by dmg events, The Big 5 will run from 25 – 28 November 2019 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. To know more, visit www.thebig5.ae.
The event in numbers:

  • 20,000+ products from around the world
  • 220+ CPD-certified workshops
  • 40th edition
  • 7 events under one roof
  • 1 Voice of the Construction Industry Report
  • Register and visit 7 events under one roof at THIS LINK.

Source: dmg evens