Two exhibition took place in Ataken Exhibition Centre in Almaty on 2-5 September: Kazbuild 2009, the 16th Kazakhstan International Construction Exhibition, and Heat&Vent Plus 2009, the 13th International Heating & Ventilation, Air-Conditioning, Water Supply & Sanitary Exhibiton

This year, despite the difficult situation in the world economy, KazBuild and Heat&Vent Plus brought together 321 companies from 24 countries, including: Azerbaijan, Belgium, the UK, Denmark, Germany, Iran, Italy, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, UAE, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Ukraine, Finland, France, Estonia, Switzerland, South Korea and Japan. Interest in the project is increasing each year, particularly from international companies entering the Kazakhstani market for the first time. This year, along with the traditionally represented national groups from Germany, Finland and South Korea, for the first time, the following took part: APICER, the Portuguese Association of the Ceramics Industry, which presented seven companies; and 15 Italian companies, which were presented by the Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce in Novara (EVAET) and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade. The exhibition also included a group of five companies from the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

Collective exhibits from Russia, China and Turkey were also presented at the exhibition. Polish companies exhibited at the stand of the Trade and Investment Promotion Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kazakhstan. 

Many high-level guests attended the opening of KazBuild 2009 and Heat&Vent Plus 2009, including: Salauat DEMBAY, Executive Secretary of the State Agency for Construction, Housing Maintenance and Utilities of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Maksat RAKHMETOV, Deputy Head of the Department for Entrepreneurship and Industry of Almaty; Edward

STRACHAN, Regional Director of ITE Group Plc for the CIS; Serik ABDULLAEV, Chairman of the Board/President of Atakent Exhibition Center; and Nailya SERMUKHAMEDOVA, Director of the Building Exhibitions Division for Central Asia at Iteca. In a letter welcoming the participants of KazBuild 2009, Mr. Akhmetzhan Esimov, the Mayor of Almaty, said: “I sincerely believe that KazBuild 2009 and Heat&Vent Plus 2009 will have a significant positive impact on strengthening the domestic construction market, as well as allowing local manufacturers to learn from the latest international experience.” 

As the largest specialised exhibitions in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, KazBuild and Heat&Vent Plus reflect all the latest trends in the construction industry. This year, 128 new products in lighting, insulation, finishing materials, dry building mixtures, dry foam concrete mixtures and lining materials were presented. New facade systems, new collections of exclusive stone and innovations in heating systems (boilers, radiators, heated floors, ultraviolet heating systems and more) were also exhibited. 

An evaluation of the effectiveness of the event showed that: 

33% of the exhibitors participated in the exhibitions for the first time.

42% of the exhibitors were from Kazakhstan; 58% were from abroad.

27% of the exhibitors of KazBuild 2009 and 42% of the exhibitors of Heat&Vent Plus 2009 made sales during the exhibitions.

Over the four days of exhibitions, there were 7025 registered visitors.

70% of visitors said in their questionnaires that they found useful information and met with relevant companies at the exhibitions.

More than half of the participants agree that the results of the exhibition exceeded their expectations. Marat Taushanbaev of Kazteplosistemy, which presented a new product for the Kazakhstani market, liquid ceramic insulation coatings, said: “Our aim in taking part in the exhibition was to promote a new and unique product in the Kazakhstani market. Therefore, we were very hopeful that, through the exhibition, we would make new contacts and get responses from future customers, clients and partners. And frankly, taking part in the event has exceeded our expectations. Our product attracted great interest from designers, builders, and end users, which we certainly welcome. And I think that, thanks to your show, we are very actively and rapidly promoting our product in Almaty.” 

The exhibitions were organised by the Kazakhstani exhibition company Iteca, together with its international partners from the UK, Germany, Turkey, China, Italy and Iran. Official support was provided by State Agency for Construction, Housing Maintenance and Utilities of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Mayor’s Office of Almaty. 

The next construction exhibitions, KazBuild Spring and WinTecExpo Kazakhstan, will take place on 2-5 March 2010.