Post Show Report 2008
The Region‘s Leading Trade Show and Conference for
Urban, Architectural, Theatrical, and Retail Lighting Solutions
25 – 27 May, 2008
Dubai International Convention
and Exhibition Centre,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.lightme.net
Market & Show Information
Innovation and cutting-edge architecture is everywhere
in the Gulf, but nowhere is it more evident than in
Dubai. As a result, Light Middle East attracts a very
sophisticated and influential visitor audience with
enormous purchasing power. Now in its fourth year,
the exhibition has firmly established itself as the only
dedicated platform in the region for urban,
architectural, theatrical, and retail lighting in the
Middle East.
The Light Focus Conference running parallel to the
exhibition, provides a unique opportunity for exhibitors
to meet and network with leading lighting designers,
architects, developers, specifiers, and many more
industry experts involved in the delivery of public and
private development projects within the UAE and
wider Gulf region.
As the GCC region has been undergoing a tremendous
development and expansion phase known for pushing
conventional architectural boundaries, the increasingly
efficient application of light and lighting design is
paving the way for a rising awareness of ecologically
adapted, sustainable, and energy efficient lighting
systems. The prolific nature of projects in the Gulf
MIDDLE EAST
region, new trends in LED, and environmentally friendly
lighting solutions coupled with the 2007 UAE
government issued directive mandating new compliance
regulation with green building standards, continues to
cement a healthy growth in the lighting industry.
Light Middle East is an essential event for all industry
professionals within the lighting and construction fields
to meet, network, stay informed about new industry
trends, and source new products.
Show Profile
Number of years
show has run
: 4 years
Floor space occupied : 11,858 sqm
Date
: 27 – 29 May, 2008
Location
: Dubai International Convention
& Exhibition Centre
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Show Opened By
: Her Excellency
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi,
UAE Minister of Foreign Trade
Exhibitors
Number of exhibitors
Exhibitors from the UAE
Exhibitors from other countries
Countries represented by exhibitors
Visitors
Total visitor attendance
Percentage of visitors from the UAE
Percentage of visitors from overseas
Number of countries where
visitors came from
Average Days attended
:
:
:
:
222
33
189
29
: 5140
: 75%
: 25%
: 71
: 1.5
About the Exhibitors
Exhibitors by Country
Exhibitors by Region
Exhibitors from over 25 countries
took part in the 2008 show, including
dedicated country pavilions from:
Light Middle East continued to have vast
international representation from over 25 countries
with 24% of exhibitors from the European market
and the remainder coming from the Middle East,
Asia, and Far East.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Switzerland
UK
Taiwan
Hong Kong
China
D
A
A 24% Europe
B 17% Middle East
C 55% Asia
and Far East
B
D 4% Americas
and Others
C
Exhibitor Product Groups
A wide spectrum of product groups and industry segments were represented with an emphasis
on architectural lighting, LEDs, outdoor as well as decorative lighting.
31%
29%
28%
27%
25%
22%
17%
13%
12%
11%
10%
9%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
4%
Outdoor lighting
LEDs
Decorative lighting
Architectural lighting
Other
Interior illumination
Lighting electronics
Luminaries
Optics
Compact and fluorescent lamps
Waterfront / marine lighting
Lighting controls and solutions
Dynamic lighting
Incandescent and halogen lamps
Intelligent controls
Display technologies
Theatrical lighting
Multi-room solutions
About the Visitors
Visitor Profile
Visitors by Country
91% confirmed they arranged to do business with
manufacturers and suppliers
Over three quarters of the visitors were from
the UAE and Middle East combined, with
Europe and Asia in close pursuit. The show
attracted visitors from 71 countries.
89% said they would recommend the exhibition to a
friend or colleague
87% said they would attend the show again in 2009
84% confirmed they have purchasing power within
their organisation
D EF
C
A
A 75% UAE
B 11% Rest of Middle East
B
C 6% Europe
75% confirmed they considered Light Middle East a
D 5% Asia / Far East
leading industry event in the GCC region
E 2% Africa
F 1% The Americas / Others
Visitors’ Main Areas of Interest
Percent (multiple responses)
13%
10%
8%
Dynamic lighting
64% Keep up-to-date with new products & trends
34% Meet new business partners
Intelligent controls
6%
Decorative lighting
6%
Interior illumination
21% To see specific business suppliers
6%
Display technologies
21% To find a specific product / service
5%
Incandescent and
halogen lamps
18% Meet existing business partners
5%
LEDs
5%
Optics
5%
Outdoor lighting
5%
Lighting electronics
5%
Luminaries
5%
Lighting controls
and solutions
3%
1%
Compact and normal
fluorescent lamps
Visitors’ Reasons for Attending
Light Middle East
6%
4%
2%
Architectural lighting
Multi-room solutions
Theatrical lighting
22% Obtain general information / literature
13% To meet up with colleagues in the industry
Visitors’ Areas of Responsibility
29% Sales
Production
26%
11%
9%
7%
Research
Marketing
Development
6%
Senior (MD / CEO)
6%
Purchasing
Waterfront / marine lighting
3%
Customer Services
Others
3%
Others
Light Focus Conference 2008
The 2008 conference program once again
featured a unique selection of globally
renowned speakers. The speakers
explored all areas of light and its
application, including discussions around
architectural lighting solutions, LEDs, and
theatrical lighting. The conference
allowed visitors to connect with a diverse
set of lighting designers and architects,
and to explore new trends in the design
field.
Conference Attendance
Conference topics and speakers featured at the
Light Focus Conference 2008
The future of lighting
Kai Piippo, PLDA / Sweden
Ljusarkitektur
Landscape lighting in UAE
– developing night-time territories
Birgit Bierbaum, UAE
Christine Michelangeli, ACE, UAE
Delta lighting solutions
The scope of lighting design
Stefan Hofmann, PLDA / D
Licht Kunst Licht AG
A
B
A
69% conference delegates
from the UAE
B
31% from overseas
Lighting design for water-based
structures
Koert Vermeulen, PLDA / B
Koert Vermeulen – ACT design
Carpe noctem – seize the night
Sharon Stammers, PLDA / UK
Screens and colored mosaic glass
as a divine source for controlling
lighting transition in architecture
Farah Barnes, PLDA / USA
APV Lighting
Light and colour: supporters of
health, transmitters of architecture
Prof. Michael Rohde, PLDA, IALD / D
L-Plan
Leisure: The Outside Experience
Michael Grubb, PLDA / UK
Sutton Vane Associates
Lighting cities of the future
Tim Downey / UK
Pinniger & Partners
Light art and architecture
Malcolm Innes / UK
Malcolm Innes Design
Turning hospitality green
Chip Israel, IALD / USA
Lighting Design Alliance
Exhibitor Testimonials
“Light Middle East enables us to display our latest products in a market that, due to the continued property expansion and
construction boom in this region, in our opinion, has a very promising future. This year we introduced top level latest interior
and exterior lighting effects technology from Europe and America allowing property developers to apply the best possible
lighting solutions for their properties. We represent turn key lighting solutions and being at Light Middle East is a great
opportunity to network with new and existing clients from the region.”
Basel Al Aref, General Manager Professional Projects Division, OASIS Enterprises LLC (Al Shirawi Group)
“As a leading dynamic lighting company worldwide over the past 10 years, our team at Martin Professional has believed in
Light Middle East from day one. This year was the third year in a row in which we participated in Light Middle East. The
show provides us with the opportunity to meet with and update both international and local lighting designers on our latest
technology. As a dedicated lighting show, Light Middle East never fails to attract local and international lighting companies,
dealers and suppliers enabling these people to meet with key professionals in the field, in particular developers, architects,
and interior designers. Given its past success, we look forward to participating at Light Middle East 2009 and demonstrating
our latest products and design solutions in a one-of-a-kind show for the Middle East region.”
Bilal Assidi, Sales Manager, Martin Professional
“It is great to participate in Light Middle East again. We were here last year as well with the display of one of my ‘signature’
chandeliers, the exhibit proved to be very successful for us. We are at present working on several huge projects in Qatar
and the UAE. For the 2008 edition of Light Middle East, we are promoting our new “Beau for Brumberg Range” through our
local distributors and all ranges have received great reviews. Light Middle East and the Light Focus Conference is a great
platform to network, meet new and existing clients, and keep up to date with new trends in the industry.”
4 x Red Dot Design Winner, Beau McClellan, Beau McClellan Design
Advisory Board
Supporting Associations
Media Partners
Visitor Promotions
Trade Magazines: Advertisements and editorial coverage ran in the following
magazines: Mondo Arc, Architect, Architecture Plus, Sound & Stage,
Highlight, Lighting Today, Total Lighting, LPI Magazine, PLDA Magazine,
Editrice Habitat, Compolux, Italian Lighting.
Media Exposure: Light Middle East was promoted in media outlets
throughout the region, including: UAE Gulf News, Al Khaleej Times,
Al Ittihad, Al Hayat, Arab News.
Contact Details
For more information about the Light Middle East Show
and Light Focus Conference, please contact:
Jessica Minton, Senior Show Manager:
[email protected]
www.lightme.net
Epoc Messe Frankfurt GmbH
PO Box 26761, Dubai, UAE
Tel. +9714 338 0102
Fax +9714 338 5272
[email protected]
www.messefrankfurtme.com
Public Relations: A continuous PR campaign publicized the exhibition over
the course of the year in the local and international press and through major
international online news sites. Press releases were issued in both Arabic and
English, and were also available on the exhibition website. A dedicated press
office was set up on site, and extensive press coverage was achieved during
the show for both the exhibition in general and for individual exhibitors.
Radio: A dedicated radio ad campaign was conducted in the build up to the
show and broadcast on local radio channels within the United Arab Emirates.
Direct Mail: 280,000 direct mail pieces consisting of visitor tickets and VIP
invitations were distributed to the visitor database across the UAE, Middle
East, and North Africa as well as inserted in various trade industry magazines.
Field marketing was undertaken 2 weeks prior to the show to all relevant
businesses in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Internet Promotion
The visitor promotion campaign was also carried through into the electronic
media via banner adverts on Middle East websites and barters with
associations and industry partners.